Marvel’s Spider-Manis unique in its means of traversal, where players pendulum-swing from strands of webbing and build momentum as they maneuver through New York City’s streets. Players are encouraged to find the most creative and stylish ways to bound from skyscrapers and weave themselves through interactive environments, makingMarvel’s Spider-Man’s open worlda treat to explore and its fast travel feature a redundancy. It will be interesting, then, to see what EA Motive’sIron Manmight make of its own New York City.
It has not been confirmed or alluded to that EA Motive’sIron Manwill take place in Manhattan likeMarvel’s Spider-Mandoes. But with the island being a notable residence of Tony Stark, let alonethe Avengers Tower featured inMarvel’s Midnight SunsandMarvel’s Spider-Manrespectively, it would be easy enough to presume that the game will take place in New York City as well. However, ifIron Manwants to be unique and avoid any inevitable comparisons toMarvel’s Spider-Manas possible, it needs to either get truly creative with its environment or relocate someplace else.
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Marvel’s Spider-Man’s Open-World New York City is Definitive
BecauseMarvel’s Spider-Manis so popular as a big-budget superhero title, its New York City is inherently associable with its fluid traversal. Spider-Man’s web-swinging wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying as it is if the city constructed around him was not designed to be a perfect playground, for example, and Insomniac obviously learned a thing or two about that open-world approach from its work onSunset Overdrive’s traversal.
The city is immense on one hand, but also manages to be maneuvered with such speed that it hardly takes any time at all to reach a desired destination, and all the while it is fun to launch from perches and dive through narrow alleyways. The only issue with this depiction of New York City, then, is imagining how other games could possibly iterate upon it.
EA Motive’sIron Manwill obviously be distinguishable apart fromMarvel’s Spider-Mansince players would ideally be able to fly around without having to interact with much of the environment anyway. Iron Man’s standard flight mechanics would negate having to weave between buildings if fans wanted, and there would be much less encouraging players to fly through narrow gaps unless prompted in a scripted sequence.
This could still be exhilarating if done well, but it would still be another representation of New York City nonetheless. Instead,Iron Manmight need to take a step further in order to isolate itself completely as a Marvel game.
EA Motive’s Iron Man Needs a Distinct Setting
In order to remove itself wholly fromcomparisons toMarvel’s Spider-Man, EA Motive’sIron Mancould take place somewhere other than New York City. Tony Stark wouldn’t need to necessarily be tied down to New York City and could be anywhere for any reason, and where the game ends up taking place will ultimately be decided by what kind of game it is.
It would seem sort of absurd to not allow players to fly about freely, but perhaps EA Motive will put a restraint onIron Man’s game world and not feature an open world.Iron Mancould be more similar toUnchartedor any other linear action-adventure game, after all.
This alone would be a huge departure fromMarvel’s Spider-Man, but maybe not one that fans would enjoy. Iron Man should be able to take to the skies, but that particular sky might not need to be New York’s. It is anyone’s guess which route could be taken andwhatIron Mancan offer fans of the character, but it will probably be a while before fans hear more about EA Motive’s upcoming Marvel game.
EA Motive’sIron Mangame is currently in development.
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