Spider-Man PS4 - Tokens Guide

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There are six kinds of Token to collect in Spider-Man on the PS4. They fall into the categories of Research, Landmark, Base, Crime, Challenge and Backpack. Players must collect ample supplies in order to unlock new items in the game such as Gadgets, Suits, Mods etc.

See also: how to unlock all suits

Besides XP, Tokens are the only other primary currency that players need to earn. The game is pretty good at giving you ample opportunities to earn most tokens and you'll frequently stumble into open world activities, such as Crime (which constantly regenerate and respawn into the map), and distinct Landmarks that stand out from the rest.

That said, Challenge Tokens are the toughest ones to earn! You'll spend a fair amount of time retaking and completing enough Challenges to unlock the endgame mods and suits such as the Spirit Spider, Comic Book and Last Stand.

Mod Example

As a simple example, the image below shows an in-game mod called Reactive Lens (which reduces the effects of flash bangs and stun grenades). As you can see, this mod requires that you have 4 x Crime Tokens and 2 x Research Tokens before it's fully unlocked.



Ok let's take a look at how to get each of the different types of tokens...

Token Types

How to get Backpack Tokens

Backpacks are collectibles that are scattered around the map at fixed locations. There are a limited number of Backpacks to collect in the game and they are conveniently placed on the side of buildings or hidden around street corners. Every Backpack appears as a green icon in the open world (after using your visor ping ability) and they even shine gold as you get close to them.

True Spider Man fans will never get tired of collecting Backpacks since every item is a snippet of "lore" from the Spider Man universe. This can include references to the original comic books, animated series, or even the modern reboot films.

How to get Research Tokens

These Tokens are earned by helping Peter complete his regular lab work. This is achieved by solving mini-puzzles in the game such as rewiring a circuit or aligning laser beams into a precise formation. Each of the puzzles is different and it's fair to say that the later ones are much harder.

You won't need any traversal or combat skills to complete the Research riddles but will instead need patience and a good eye for puzzle solving.

How to get Landmark Tokens

Taking photos of interesting landmarks around New York can earn you Landmark tokens, which are reserved as rewards for capturing the cities most interesting buildings on film. Landmarks include real life buildings such as Manhattan Bridge and the Empire State Building, whilst fictional landmarks also exist such as the Avengers Tower which is marked with a large red A.

With the amount of fun to be had in web swinging alone, you should be spending a lot of your time high above the street levels anyway. The sad news is that Landmark tokens possess little value because of their ease of collection.

How to get Base Tokens

Certain areas of the map are reserved for hostile camps that are home to groups of enemies. Clearing out these waves of enemies will reward you with Base Tokens to spend on upgrades. These fixed location fights are moderately difficult encounters and thus the tokens have fair value.

A good way to uncover bases is to activate the towers to reveal a new portion of the map. Later in the story you'll unlock other bases beside the Fisk ones too.

How to get Crime Tokens

These random encounters involve only a handful of foes but they can occur in any area of the map. Successfully attending a crime scene and clearing out the enemy will reward you with Crime Tokens.

Watch out for visor notifications of active crimes in the nearby area. If you start running out of Crimes then progress further in the story missions.

How to get Challenges Tokens

Challenges are skill based mini-games that typically pit you against the clock to complete a set of objectives. A classic challenge is the bomb mini-game. Completing a challenge within the desired parameters will reward you with Challenge Tokens and these activities are some of the most satisfying in the entire game.

Of all of the tokens in Spider-Man, Challenge Tokens are the hardest to earn. Failure to complete a challenge in the set time limit means that Challenges must be repeated numerous times until successful. A wise choice is to skip the harder challenges and focus on those that you can do, then come back later when you're ready.

You'll unlock the ability to earn Challenge Tokens roughly halfway through the second act. If you haven't got that far then keep playing the story missions first.

Bonus Objectives

Every encounter in the game comes with a set of random Bonus Objectives which players can optionally complete to earn extra bonus Tokens. These Challenges may be anything from using certain finishers or avoiding damage entirely.

Check the left side of the screen when engaging in an activity. A little notification box should appear showing a list of objectives. Tick these off and then once the activity is complete the bonus tokens are yours to enjoy.