The best video games make you want to live inside of them. In this game, I didn't just want to be Spider-Man, I was Spider-Man. This game transported me inside of its setting and protagonist like few others do. I felt like Spider-Man while slinging through New York, quipping at bad guys, and helping those I cared for. I also felt like Spider-Man during the hard times of loss and of pain. This game excelled in immersion with the support of good writing, convincing acting, an otherworldly game engine, and addicting gameplay. Insomniac has once again proven to be one of the mightiest developers out there.
I am all but over superheroes at this point in my life after almost 20 years of mainstream media suffocating me with it. However, Spider-Man (and Batman) will always keep me coming back. There is something transcending about this character. Even though I've seen this characters story dozens of times across several forms of media, I still find myself connecting with him. Peter and Miles' moral compass, their Golden Rule they follow, is contagious and I feel a longing to be a better person because of them.
This games story, like many other Spider-Man stories, is about relationships, dealing with grief, and doing what's right no matter how hard it is. There were several powerful emotional moments in this game that invoked feelings of joy, and of grief. Peter and Harry's relationship in this game felt more earned and potent than any other version of this duo and that, in turn, led to higher emotional stakes. Also, I love how this story felt unpredictable; I felt like there were several different ways this game could end and I'm glad Insomniac could still make superhero stories feel unforeseeable.
The gameplay is the glue that holds this game together. I can't think of another game where I prefer regular travel over fast travel. I don't want to understate how integral traversal is in this game, because it is just so much fun. I never got tired of slinging through the streets, and this sequel added a few more features to make it even more fluid. Combat also has fantastic flow, much like its predecessor, but also managed to tighten up the controls and gadgets to make for smoother gameplay.
The engine in this game is ridiculous. In a previous review, I noted that Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart (another Insomniac game) is the most impressive showcase of the PS5's ability so far, but I think this game is even more noteworthy. Rendering all of New York City with no loading screens and seamless transitions to cutscenes aid in this games all-to-important immersion. Insomniac is doing to the PS5 what Naughty Dog did to the PS3 with Uncharted and Last of Us, and I can't wait to see what they do next.
There were a few critiques I have:
- The side quests in the first game were overall better, though admittedly the ones in this game had more memorable endings and final bosses.
- I encountered several annoying glitches and that caused me to restart missions, and visual bugs that momentarily broke the immersion.
- There were some contrived and inconsistent moments in the story. All very small things, but clearly put in for convenience. This is a common complaint I have for superhero stories.
- Even though combat was overall great and an improvement over the first, there were some balancing issues with the abilities and the parry system felt unnecessary and forced.
- I'm over these "end of the world is at stake" stories. It's kind of lazy storytelling and a cheap way to raise stakes, and this story didn't need it. I much prefer when stories have lower stakes but can still make you feel like they're high. This wasn't the worst display of it, but still, I wish it would've just stayed in NY.
Overall, this game was a blast and I can't wait to play whatever Insomniac makes next. This studio and these writers just get Spider-Man.
86/100
I am all but over superheroes at this point in my life after almost 20 years of mainstream media suffocating me with it. However, Spider-Man (and Batman) will always keep me coming back. There is something transcending about this character. Even though I've seen this characters story dozens of times across several forms of media, I still find myself connecting with him. Peter and Miles' moral compass, their Golden Rule they follow, is contagious and I feel a longing to be a better person because of them.
This games story, like many other Spider-Man stories, is about relationships, dealing with grief, and doing what's right no matter how hard it is. There were several powerful emotional moments in this game that invoked feelings of joy, and of grief. Peter and Harry's relationship in this game felt more earned and potent than any other version of this duo and that, in turn, led to higher emotional stakes. Also, I love how this story felt unpredictable; I felt like there were several different ways this game could end and I'm glad Insomniac could still make superhero stories feel unforeseeable.
The gameplay is the glue that holds this game together. I can't think of another game where I prefer regular travel over fast travel. I don't want to understate how integral traversal is in this game, because it is just so much fun. I never got tired of slinging through the streets, and this sequel added a few more features to make it even more fluid. Combat also has fantastic flow, much like its predecessor, but also managed to tighten up the controls and gadgets to make for smoother gameplay.
The engine in this game is ridiculous. In a previous review, I noted that Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart (another Insomniac game) is the most impressive showcase of the PS5's ability so far, but I think this game is even more noteworthy. Rendering all of New York City with no loading screens and seamless transitions to cutscenes aid in this games all-to-important immersion. Insomniac is doing to the PS5 what Naughty Dog did to the PS3 with Uncharted and Last of Us, and I can't wait to see what they do next.
There were a few critiques I have:
- The side quests in the first game were overall better, though admittedly the ones in this game had more memorable endings and final bosses.
- I encountered several annoying glitches and that caused me to restart missions, and visual bugs that momentarily broke the immersion.
- There were some contrived and inconsistent moments in the story. All very small things, but clearly put in for convenience. This is a common complaint I have for superhero stories.
- Even though combat was overall great and an improvement over the first, there were some balancing issues with the abilities and the parry system felt unnecessary and forced.
- I'm over these "end of the world is at stake" stories. It's kind of lazy storytelling and a cheap way to raise stakes, and this story didn't need it. I much prefer when stories have lower stakes but can still make you feel like they're high. This wasn't the worst display of it, but still, I wish it would've just stayed in NY.
Overall, this game was a blast and I can't wait to play whatever Insomniac makes next. This studio and these writers just get Spider-Man.
86/100