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Master the gadgets in Marvel's Spider-Man with this guide
What are the essential gadgets that you need in the amazing Spider-Man PS4 game?
The eight gadgets in Marvel’s Spider-Man have unique abilities and upgrades, but it's important to know which ones to focus on and when to use them if you're going to save the people of New York City.
Throughout the game you’ll unlock the ability to purchase gadgets with Tokens, and each one has its advantages. Unless you’re aware of how each one can benefit you in combat, they may go unused.
Granted, the default gadget (the one you’ll have access to from the beginning) is still relevant towards the end, but you’ll still need to make sure you stay up to date with its upgrades.
Knowing which gadgets are more useful in certain situations can take time to work out, so we’ve put together some tips on what gadgets are better than others when dealing with specific enemy types and the places you fight them in. You can also discover which upgrades are a must when spending those hard-earned Tokens.
1. Web Shooters
The web shooter is your first gadget
© Insomniac Games / Sony
The Web Shooters are what you begin your adventure with, and they are hugely important when in combat. Right from your first fight with Kingpin to your later fights with the Sabre agents and beyond, they are bullets of webbing that have multiple uses. A few simple shots catch enemies off guard, while five or six wrap up enemies and stop them in their tracks, allowing you to use them as human cannonballs to throw at others.
If an enemy is close to a wall, firing multiple webs at them will cause them to stick to the walls and leave them for the NYPD to arrest after you’ve cleared the area. They recharge faster than the other gadgets, making them the perfect weapon for any situation.
The Web Shooters can be upgraded with various Tokens as you play, eventually adding more capacity and making them refill even faster. The final upgrade makes enemies you’ve tied up with web unable to move for a longer period, giving you more breathing room to take out everyone else, or have more time to decide which other enemy you’ll throw the vulnerable webbed up soldier at.
2. Impact Web
The Impact Web is a great stealth gadget
© EA Sports
The Impact Web uses a huge amount of webbing to tie up enemies instantly, negating the need to fire multiple webbing with the Web Shooters. If there’s an enemy you need to take out stealthily, using the Impact Web will knock them with enough force to stick to a wall without uttering a sound, and for the bigger, bulkier enemies you’ll often encounter, this gadget ties them up instantly as well. It’s the best gadget to use on this enemy type because of their size, and after unlocking it relatively early in the story, it’s well worth getting to grips with how to use it.
Like every gadget, the Impact Web can be upgraded over time, adding capacity slots and the ability to have more of an impact on enemies to name a few. It’s another important gadget to use in combat, but it’s better used when taking a stealth approach or when taking out only a few enemies due to the precision needed to use it. In bigger battles you need speed, and the Web Shooters are much more efficient.
3. Spider Drone
The Spider Drone isn't an essential gadget
© Insomniac Games / Sony
Depending on your approach to a fight, the Spider Drone can be very useful if you struggle to take on plenty of enemies in CQC. It’s a helpful gadget for stunning enemies and rendering them defenceless for a short while, as the drone will head into waves and stun them at your request. From there, you can either take out the stunned enemies or use it to escape the situation and catch a breather.
Upgrading will once again give you a larger capacity and help you do more damage to more enemies. It’s the perfect gadget for those that intentionally want to mix up combat, but not one of the most vital gadgets.
4. Electric Web
Target specific enemies with the electric web
© Insominac Games / Sony
Yet another gadget designed to stun your enemies, Electric Web does have advantages over other electrically charged gadgets like the Spider Drone as it allows you to target specific enemies instead of just waiting to see who gets shocked. So, in that sense, it allows you to isolate specific enemies who may be causing you problems.
Not just that, but it’ll also shock anybody stood close to your chosen target, and with the upgrades allowing more powerful electrical charges – including the final upgrade arcing the web to enemies further away – the Electric Web is incredibly useful and should be something to consider if you’re one of the more tactical players.
5. Web Bomb
The web bomb is the best gadget in Marvel's Spider-Man
© Insomniac Games / Sony
The Web Bomb is a gadget you’ll find incredibly useful in big fights, and is potentially the best gadget of all. Throwing a web bomb into large groups of enemies can tie up more than one of them, meaning they’re unable to fight back – and when enemies are covered in web, the option to spin them around and launch them into others becomes hugely advantageous.
You also have the option of throwing these Web Bombs at groups stood next to walls, causing them to stick to them and instantly clearing out several threats. Upgrading the Web Bombs will not only increase the capacity, but also the range in damage. It’s perfect when you’re going in for a fight, and while you can’t aim at specific enemies you’ll find that it doesn’t matter when you’ve managed to aim successfully in the centre of a group of criminals.
6. Trip Mine
You need skill to use the Trip Mine
© Insomniac Games / Sony
Watching groups of enemies get pulled together with a blast from a Trip Mine is very satisfying, and not only is it a visual delight, it does wonders when taking out bigger groups. It’s also one of the more tactical gadgets and the one that requires the most skill to use.
Essentially, it is a mine that sticks to floors, walls, and even enemies – and when activated, it sucks in anybody who is standing close by. Watching from above gives you the best vantage point, so throwing one into the path of an enemy’s movement is guaranteed to work. Or, when you're in battle against six or seven enemies, chucking a Trip Mine can result in most of them becoming attached by the pulse from the mine. While it does require a lot of precision and skill to use, there’s nothing better than watching the fruits of logic and strategy blossom, as the perfectly placed Trip Mine goes to work.
7. Concussive Blast
The Concussive Blast can take out enemies at range
© Insomniac Games / Sony
The Concussive Blast is a perfect gadget to clear rooftops or scaffolding of enemies because of the force at which it knocks enemies away from you. The blast sends out a sonic pulse and – much like the Force Push the Jedis use in Star Wars – it wipes out large groups, creating plenty of space regardless of where you’re fighting. It’s a quickfire tool that's so easy to use and is one of the best gadgets for dealing with larger groups due to its accessibility and efficiency. Also, you can upgrade to have a further knock back range, making space for Spider-Man to clear bigger areas of enemies a lot faster.
8. Suspension Matrix
The Suspension Matrix sends all enemies into the air
© Insomniac Games / Sony
There’s no denying the Suspension Matrix’s appeal. When you first use it, it’s instantly noticeable how much of an impact it has in many combat situations. It’s best used both in battles with plenty of enemies and fights taking place on the ground because of the distinct powers it possesses.
When fired, the Suspension Matrix sends all enemies affected into the air for a short time, and stuns them into a temporary coma, allowing you to zip towards them and take them out in the air, with aerial combos and attacks enabling you to build up your focus, too. The final upgrade for the Suspension Matrix is the most effective because it elevates brutes into the air. This upgrade is massively important when you're up against the toughest enemies, such as the higher waves of Criminal and Fisk Hideouts.
