“The Heist,” the first post-game DLC episode for Marvel’s “Spider-Man,” is the first of a three part saga called “The City that Never Sleeps” and gives us more of the web-slinging experience we loved. It feels like a miniature version of the game with great character development along with engaging story missions.
“The Heist” brings us back into the world of Spider-Man (Peter Parker) as he finds his old enemy/lover Black Cat (Felica Hardy) robbing museums with priceless artifacts. The audience wonders what her methods are for going back to a life of crime. The emphasis of this roughly three-hour DLC is on the story in which Black Cat immediately makes an indelible mark on this world.
Watching the banter between Peter and Felica is captivating to watch. It’s very awkward for Peter, and Felica exploits this in every conversation they have. Through listening to their conversations, it is evident that there is a strong chemistry between the two of them, the same chemistry that can be found between Peter and Mary-Jane. There are a few conversations between Peter and Miles Morales that are enjoyable to listen to while also helping to balance a serious story.
This DLC also introduced a new enemy faction, though it adds little to the game. Mainly the same enemies from the main story appear, but with a new heavy enemy that has a chain gun. One of the pros of the DLC is that they make the enemies as strong as those from later missions in the main story. This is a nice surprise because it makes the DLC feel like an extension of the story rather than the start of a new plot.
The side missions are more of the same, though the return of the social media-loving Baddie Screwball is a highlight. However, her appearance is not significant to the DLC. Her missions are similar to Taskmasters but help improve on missions like chasing Taskmasters drones. The DLC also hints at a buddy system possibly being integrated in the future by using Black Cat in some fights with thugs. She only works as an alternative take down option rather than a playable character or as any kind of real support.
The DLC is a great way to open up the Spider-Man game universe. It has its flaws but it’s a reminder of why the game itself is so much fun to play and the introduction of new characters like Black Cat has players asking for more.
