“For as long as I can remember, I have looked for an equal. One who could push me, one who could surpass me…..one who could even beat me. Yet all I found was disappointment. Will one of you finally give me what I desire?” - Kraven the Hunter
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is Insomniac’s 3rd installment in the spider franchise. It was released on October 20th 2023. Upon its initial release, the spider game was plagued by several bugs and malfunctioning mechanisms. It was re-released for the PC on January 30, 2025, accompanied by numerous fixes and updates. Join me in exploring to see if the new updates help this spider game out.
Story Exposition:
The story kicks off with Peter and Miles joining forces in the most surprising setting: high school. Peter enters the scene as the new science teacher for Miles' class. Meanwhile, Sandman is spotted unleashing a massive storm across the city. Both Miles and Peter leap into action and together soon take down sandman. With the threat subdued and Peter moving into is childhood home, a ghost from the past shows up on his front door his best friend Harry Osborn. As exciting as the reunion is, a new threat starts appearing in NYC and turns out the spider duo aren’t the only ones being hunted.
First Impressions:
The game's first hour is designed to feel familiar, serving as a quick refresher on the controls for a Spider-Man game. The usual swinging and controls swiftly guide the player to the first mission, gradually introducing new mechanics to avoid confusion. In your first boss battle, you face Sandman, showcasing the new fighting and auto-assist features while retaining the original combos that fans love. After defeating Sandman, you're free to explore and experience how different NYC feels, with the map now expanded to include Brooklyn and Queens. It's also refreshing to see that, despite having two playable Spider-Man characters, each one feels distinct and showcases their individuality.
Pros and Cons:
The game's opening showcases the city and introduces new travel mechanics using wing suits. The NYPD security call-in surveillance system is replaced with Spider Twitter, allowing citizens to report crimes and request Spider-Man's help. Fast travel becomes available only after completing a certain number of missions, collecting items, and resolving crimes in specific city areas, encourages exploration. The removal of the spider wheel for gadgets was a smart move, offering four gadgets and four skill slots that help unify the controls between the two Spider-Men. The game's stealth aspect has greatly improved, allowing for silent takedowns up close and the ability to string up enemies from almost any surface. The introduction of web lines lets players create new ledges to string up enemies, and when combined with a specific skill, you can web two enemies at once, aiding in stealth missions. Having two Spider-Man gives the player with opportunities for different side quest unique to each Spider-Man. The game also gives players side quest that can be accessed by either Spider-Man. Similar to the first Spider game, Insomniac aims to highlight each Spider-Man's personal life and intelligence by including side quests from Vision Academy for Miles and Emily-May Foundation labs for Peter. With the amount of collectables and side quest it would seem that the the game should have plenty for the player to enjoy for hours on end.
While Insomniac attempts to populate the newly designed map with characters, it doesn't quite match the depth of the first game. Many side quests are one-time experiences, with half featuring unengaging storylines. Those involving Spider-Man battles are quickly resolved and locked out. The random crimes feel like they're generated at set intervals, giving the impression of random crime but is limiting the content. As the story progresses, additional side quests and collectibles are introduced to promote exploration, but without effective world-building, players lack motivation to explore, making it feel like a mere chore to do. The game offers glimpses of old enemies alongside new ones, but while trying to emphasize the new foes, it reduces the old ones to mere citizens in need of rescue. Many of the mini-boss battles were enjoyable to engage in; however, the heavy focus on scripted encounters can make them frustrating, particularly on harder levels. To advance, you must adhere to the scripted fight, unlike in the first game where you could use any method to proceed. The suits you can unlock don't motivate players to switch suits as they did in the first game, which doesn't encourage continued gameplay. Although the enhanced spidey-sense provided ample time to react, the fact that it was off by a second can truly frustrate players, as those seconds can mean the difference between being amazing and a game over for Spider-Man. The story presents as an intriguing tale that attempts to balance the perspectives of the classic Spider-Man, Peter Parker, and the newer Spider-Man, Miles Morales. However, it appears to diminish Peter's role by portraying him as less competent, more like a struggling student than a mentor. Simultaneously, Miles is depicted as more mature and capable of handling situations independently. While the intention is to pass the torch to the younger generation, it feels more like a forceful push to elevate Miles as an independent character.
The Final Score 3.2 out of 5
Rating Score Card:
Overall, the game was highly anticipated, with many hoping it would deliver a fulfilling storyline like the first Spider-Man game, but it ultimately fell short of people's expectations. Many of the character designs were great such as Kane the Hunter and Venom sporting his iconic comic design. In contrast, some, like Mary Jane Watson, looking like a completely different person, and appearing much older than she should be. A far cry from the highly educated/super model version of Mary Jane Watson. An element of the game that felt deeply integrated was having access to what was essentially a police radio. This feature connected the city, Spider-Man, and the player, creating the feeling of being a vigilante protector. However, it was replaced by a social media app, which makes the player feel more like a super powered errand boy. Gaining new skills and abilities was exciting, but without a re-playable side quest or incentive to use them, all the impressive features become nearly pointless. That being said there were a few missions that you could play that made full use of the new skills making you feel almost overpowered which was the most fun you could have in the game. If Insomniac had made the game closer to those moments it would have boosted the final score and been a better game. It truly was a disappointment for this Spidey Fan.
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