Given the success of Insomniac Games' first two Spider-Man games (Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales), it wasn't going to be difficult to convince fans to buy the sequel, Marvel's Spider-Man. Man 2, the day it was released. With this highly anticipated new title, the studio takes everything it has learned from its previous superhero games and pushes the boundaries even further with a host of exciting features that fans of the franchise have been eagerly awaiting. Before we even get into the details, it's safe to say that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is everything you hoped for and more. It's a masterpiece and easily the best game the PS5 has to offer so far.
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Two heroes, one mission
Unlike the first two titles, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 allows players to control the lives of the two iconic heroes, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, by instantly switching between characters. This means that you can choose between the two characters to deal with certain situations. Plus, since they both have different abilities, the gameplay always feels fresh and exciting.
But these are not the only differences.
Both Miles and Peter struggle with their own personal challenges. On one hand, Peter is overwhelmed by the loss of Aunt May and his responsibilities to the town. In addition, he also has problems in his personal life: his relationship with MJ remains complicated, he has difficulty keeping a job and a very dear friend has an incurable illness. On the other side, Miles faces similar situations. He struggles to find balance between his personal life and his superhero life, while dealing with the loss of his father.
In short, the two Spider-Men need each other more than ever, but they don't realize it until far too late. As they struggle with life, Kraven the Hunter launches attacks on the city, pushing both heroes to their limits.
In all honesty, that's only half the story. The main story, lasting 15 hours, has a host of surprises and twists in store. And while it may seem short, stretching the story any longer wouldn't work. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has a solid story – in fact, I'd say it's a better story than what Sony or the MCU have delivered thus far. I wouldn't want it to be spoiled by unnecessary items.
You will feel totally concerned with each of the characters, whether they are the good guys or the bad guys. And we spend enough time with them that every punch is meaningful. Kraven is not a fool. There is purpose and passion behind his madness. The same goes for Venom, Sandman and the others (yes, there's a full list of enemies here).
All that said, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is still a Peter Parker story. Miles has an important role, but he still feels like a guest star in the main narrative.
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Your friendly open-world neighborhood
One of the game's main features is its vast open world, which Insomniac says is twice the size of its predecessors. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 harnesses the power of the PlayStation 5 to give players a lightning-fast journey through New York City (which just begs to be explored from top to bottom).
To give you an idea of the level of detail, I'm currently planning a trip to New York and have been able to travel to most of the places I'll be visiting (including our hotel). By walking around the city (and comparing it to Google Maps), I was able to plot out some of the routes I plan to take. It's quite impressive.
But everything about the open world has improved. Canvas animations are smoother than ever. Additionally, the introduction of canvas wings makes accessing different locations much more fun. I can't describe how awesome it is to soar through the city at super fast speeds and look at the incredible landscape – which now includes more vehicles, more variety of pedestrians, and a living world to admire. At one point, I sat on the roof and admired the birds coming to feed, while a rat slithered up the wall and a plane flew over the sunset. It’s a magnificent experience.
I'm not sure how they managed to do this, but the city looks remarkably real. There is a lot of variety in the shape of buildings and even in different parts of the city. Judging by these vivid environments, sequels will struggle to top Marvel's Spider-Man 2.
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More progress
Giving fans a new story and expanding the world would be enough to keep them coming back, but Insomniac didn't stop there. There are a ton of new character and gameplay improvements that make Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 even more exciting.
For example, slingshots, which allow Peter or Miles to shoot two extended webs and catapult themselves forward, offer unprecedented speed and fluidity of movement.
The most significant improvement concerns the game's combat system. As before, Peter and Miles have access to a wide range of abilities, suits (65 sensational suits to unlock) and gadgets, making fights more dynamic and more captivating. The rest of the game brings new technologies and more moves (especially when both characters develop new abilities during the story).
Enemy density has also been increased, forcing players to use their different abilities and gadgets strategically. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is much more difficult than the first game, however. Enemies are smarter and work together to take you down. You can't just mash buttons anymore. You have to be a little strategic. Also expect to fail and replay certain sections multiple times – depending on your chosen difficulty level, of course.
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What doesn't work
No game is perfect, but Marvel's Spider-Man 2 comes incredibly close. It is exhilarating from start to finish, but could have done without some aspects. Personally, I could have done without the miniature puzzles in which you have to put objects together to make a circuit work. It's done a little better here than in the first two games, but it often slows down the pace of the game.
Next up, Mary Jane Watson's gruesome detective scenes are back! Despite being a supporting character in the game, crawling around and doing stealth missions with this overenthusiastic reporter is still annoying. Again, the game has improved a bit since the first title, but that's something Marvel's Spider-Man 2 could have done without.
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Is Marvel's Spider-Man 2 a huge success?
You certainly didn't need this review to know that Insomniac Games has hit it big again. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 raised the bar for superhero games with its innovative gameplay, stunning graphics, and gripping story. This is the game that will bring you closest to Spider-Man. It’s simply – pardon the pun – incredible!
Review
Marvel's Spider-Man 2