Welcome to the Icebox, where you can learn to stay cool, although I think you are probably doing just fine in this weather. As you try to warm back up for the spring semester, don’t forget to keep it cool once in a while with some video games.

Over break, I did plenty of gaming on my new PC. Today, I want to talk about a game that I recently played for the first time, which is Insomniac’s “Spider-Man.”

Amazing. Spectacular. Superior. Ultimate. You see what I did there? This experience lets you swing around as the one and only friendly neighborhood web-shooting vigilante: Spider-Man. The entire game revolves around the life of Peter Parker during a very difficult time of his life, where he has almost no room for Peter and spends most of his time behind the mask. This is reflective of the game in that you, the player, can’t seem to put the controller down.

The mechanics of the game are very straightforward, yet there are so many combat options for every player. You can choose to stick with the basic combat skills, and it would be more than enough to get you through the majority of the missions. If you get bored of that, you can switch it around by practicing combos, which can take you into the air or keep you on the ground.

Spider-Man can zip up his opponents with his webs, stick them to walls, hang them from the ceiling and even use them as objects to toss at other enemies. He can dodge attacks and perform special finishers, which charge based on how many hits have been landed in a fight.

Although the enemies can be overwhelming at times, it is no problem for a well-prepared Spider-Man. Players have the option to equip three of several gadgets at a time, which greatly enhances fighting ability and always helps during critical moments. If you get bored of the old spidey look, you can select from several suit styles, some of which are references to other spiders.

The neat part about these suits is that they each come with a special ability, but they are customizable so a player does not have to wear a certain suit in order to use the associated ability. The ability itself charges over time based on combat status, and it is both a great way to enter a fight and to end it quickly. My personal favorite ability is the Web Blossom, which is where Spidey leaps into the air, spins rapidly and releases large web shots that force enemies to be stuck to the wall or be incapacitated. This ability is unlocked early in the game and remains one of the best ways to quickly clean up a criminal mess.

Aside from the innovative beat-em-up genre, this game includes side missions and a few minigames. Players can help NPC by taking photos of New York City landmarks, capturing pigeons or even trying to outsmart the Taskmaster through his tedious challenges, which help the player hone their swinging and combo skills. Some of the main missions even require that Peter be a sneaky spider to take out his enemies one at a time.

Speaking of stealth missions, did you know you can play as Mary Jane in the game too? That’s right, she works for the Daily Bugle and will do anything she can to get some good coverage. Unfortunately, since this game takes place years after Peter leaves the Bugle, the infamous J. Jonah Jameson is retired, but you can still hear his thoughts on his latest podcast!

Finally, the plot remains one of the most enjoyable parts of the game, which is impressive because Insomniac’s Spider even appears in a lot of Spider-Man power scaling discussions. I would not want to spoil too much, but let’s just say the opening act with Wilson Fisk is the least of Peter’s worries. From an early introduction of Miles Morales to a mythological plot twist, the story of this game keeps a player interested in the main story and wanting to come back for more. In fact, most players end up getting strongly attached to the characters, which have been given great depth.

I am looking forward to playing the other installments of the Insomniac franchise, which would be the story of Miles and the latest sequel that features my favorite villain, Venom. If you haven’t already, put on the mask and swing into action!