Spider-Man Games That Balanced Peter Parker and Spider-Man Perfectly

Ben Veress is a Contributing Features Writer at DualShockers based in Melbourne, Australia. He has been covering games professionally since 2021, with experience writing features, lists, reviews, and news across gaming, tech, culture, and entertainment.

Before joining DualShockers, Ben wrote for Kotaku AU, Gizmodo AU, Vice AU, Pedestrian.TV, Quest Daily, Blunt Magazine, Impulse Gamer, and Inkl. At Pedestrian.TV, he served as the publication’s sole tech and gaming writer, leading coverage of major gaming releases and events for one of Australia’s major youth publications. He holds a Bachelor of Communications in Media from RMIT University and was nominated for Best Branded Content Journalist at the Australian Samsung IT Awards in 2025.

Marvel has kicked off its next chapter in Spider-Man's journey in the MCU, and once again, told a story that reminded us it's important for the character to be Peter Parker just as much as Spider-Man. It's a trope that's been well explored in the most recent Insomniac games, which got me thinking: How have the abundance of Spider-man video games handled Peter Parker alongside the web-swinging superhero?

To my surprise, pretty well! From some of the earliest games, Peter Parker and his personal life outside his alter ego have all played an important part in most Spidey stories. Whether that's through his personal relationships, or playing as Parker and making use of his superb science skills, most games try to harmonize both parts of the superhero through story and gameplay.

So, without further ado, here are our eight picks for Spider-Man games that absolutely nail depicting both Spider-Man and Peter Parker.

For uncs like myself, the 2000 Spider-Man game was not only one of the first Spider-Man games I could play, but also one of the oldest memories I have of gaming, period. Is it janky by today's standards? Absolutely, but that doesn't diminish the fact that it's still a solid game to play even today.

While this game is far more linear and arcade-like in comparison to later open-world titles, it still went out of its way to distinguish the relationship between Peter Parker and his web-swinging alter ego. Granted, it's to a lesser extent than other games, as there isn't a section where you play as regular ol' Peter. But there are plenty of narrative reminders about Peter's private life.

For example, his photography work and connection to Eddie Brock play important parts in the game's story. He's also not only fighting villains in the game because they're menaces threatening his city (which they are), but because he's also trying to clear his name and protect those he loves from a threat exploiting his hidden identity.