This review contains spoilers
MAJOR SPOILERS DISCUSSED BELOW!
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is an achievement in blockbuster gaming that doesn’t quite break out of the norm, stopping short of becoming something truly special, unique, and worthy of a masterpiece status. It improves on the first two iterations of this franchise in almost every way from smoother and snappier combat, to better boss battles and set pieces, to a greater and livelier map, and truly great characters in Peter Parker and Miles Morales. However, its villains and overall story stumbles as it tries to find a unique identity separate from other iterations of the Venom storyline but ends up repeating similar themes and beats. It is a game with some of the highest highs of the franchise thus far, yet some of the most disappointing lows largely created by the risks Insomniac did not take.
Spider-Man 2 feels better than ever. Being Spider-Man in a larger New York feels better than ever. Swinging around still feels amazing. The stand-out for mobility was the wingsuit. By the time you unlock all of the traversal upgrades, you can realistically fly from one side of the map to the other without ever thwipping a web or hitting the ground. It gave an extra dynamic to traversal and even ended up becoming my default method of travel for the majority of the game. Combat also still feels as incredible as ever, if a bit faster and snappier thanks to the removal of selection wheels for gadgets which always slowed the pace down. The main gripe I would have with combat is that, until you receive the symbiote powers, Peter and Miles are too similar in combat style. Both are fast, acrobatic, great at aerial combat, and have the same gadgets. While their abilities are unique, many of them have largely similar purposes from single-target attacks to aoe attacks which throw enemies upward, to electrical attacks. The symbiote solves this problem as Peter’s abilities become more weighty, slow, and powerful but this does not occur until a dozen or so hours into the experience.
There were other highs as well. Playing as Venom was a huge surprise for me. I did not expect a game that already had two Spider-Men would also throw in a playable Venom segment, and a fairly beefy one at that with a final bout against Kraven that stands as one of the greatest sequences in all of superhero games. One of my favorite childhood games was Ultimate Spider-Man on the PS2 in which Venom was playable for half of the game and this sequence brought me right back to that time and those feelings I had as a kid charging forward as a hulking Venom. It was thrilling. All of the boss battles were much improved from the first two iterations. They felt grander and more involved. Real thought and care was put into how each phase would play and segment into one another. The Spider-Bots were also a great addition. While I prefer the backpacks from the first game, I did appreciate every time I picked one up and saw what design or reference it had to Spider-Man lore and pop-culture. A nice little treat to pick up as you swing (or glide) around New York that also had a very fun conclusion to tie into the Spiderverse films. My greatest frustration with this game comes in its story, specifically with how it handles its main villains.
I understand that there are certain tropes and beats that Spider-Man stories are intrinsically tied to, especially when it pertains to the legendary symbiote black suit. Perhaps it was unfair of me to expect anything else. But, I can’t help but feel Insomniac missed a major chance to take a big swing and really make this specific story their own. Going into Spider-Man 2, we knew the black suit was coming, that Kraven would play a major role, that Venom was coming, and had a very good idea of who Venom was due to the trailers. However, by the time the real depths of Peter’s descent into the symbiote became apparent, I was starting to convince myself that Insomniac was going to take a route not seen since very specific other-worlds comic stories. A route that the general audience had never seen before. A path that would create a new Venom, with Peter Parker as the host.
This is both a credit to great writing and the performance of Yuri Lowenthal as a corrupted and furious Peter Parker. It is also an example of the risks I was really hoping Insomniac would take. I was completely engrossed in Peter’s fall into the symbiote and his consumption of its power. It was so compelling that I began to truly think that Peter might be completely taken over. What an incredibly different and fresh take on the symbiote story would that be? The main star, the main hero of the story, Peter Parker, Spider-Man, consumed by anger and the power of the symbiote, becoming Venom and having to be saved by MJ, Harry, and Miles. The battle between Miles and Peter, while partially deflating as I realized this would be the last time we saw Peter fully engrossed in the black suit, was still an emotionally charged and amazing moment. Seeing Peter turn into something akin to a horror movie villain created a real sense of fear and anxiety as I played. These moments were extremely effective and I give Insomniac all the credit for them. I just wish they continued to commit to them.
By the time Harry Osborn takes over and becomes Venom, I realized we had re-entered the predictable Spider-Man story path. Sure, it is different that it was Harry this time instead of Eddie Brock or Flash Gordon. Sure, it is different that it kept him alive and so there was a compelling reason for him to desire it back so badly. Yet, the main themes are still the same as we have seen before. Peter gets the black suit, becomes angry and corrupted, gets the black suit off of him, it goes to someone else who resents him to some capacity, and now it’s time to fight Venom. It doesn’t help that Harry’s descent into Venom is so fast. We see him use the symbiote powers earlier in the game without much effect on his personality. When Peter gets it, he slowly descends into anger and resentment before the suit begins truly taking over. For Harry, once the suit returns to him, he just immediately turns into Venom. It’s a bit jarring and feels like a forced transformation so that Venom could appear and be the threat for the last quarter of the game.
Kraven was undeveloped. I like his motivation. He wants to find his “Last Hunt.” He has conquered every beast he has chosen to be his prey, comes to New York for new prey in the form of Spider-Man’s supervillains and, eventually, Spider-Man himself, looking for an equal who can kill him in a hunter’s glory rather than on a hospital bed. The main problem here is that we don’t get as much time to see Kraven struggle with his illness. This story is clearly inspired heavily by the incredible comic storyline Kraven’s Last Hunt. In that comic, we see a lot of Kraven. We follow him, learn his motivations, learn how he thinks, and see him accomplish goals. We spend time with him to understand him so that by the time the story is resolved, we understand exactly why he acted the way he did and the impact of the final scenes are incredibly strong. Spider-Man 2 didn’t need to replicate the story one-to-one, but by the time Kraven is removed from the story by Venom, I don’t feel like I truly understood him. He seemed just like another psychotic supervillain rather than the complex character I appreciate him for in that story. The way the Kraven and Venom storylines eventually played out are examples as to why I think Insomniac hasn’t reached a game that hits the high peaks that I know they can achieve.
I understand I sound incredibly negative so far. That comes entirely out of frustration as I see the insane potential. A big part of the story that I do believe Insomniac absolutely crushed and showed their ability to create charming and inspirational stories was in the relationship between Peter and Miles and the growth of Miles as a character. It is hard enough to create compelling character development with such a storied character as Spider-Man, let alone having to do it with two! Peter and Miles are such distinct characters, have great chemistry as teacher-student Spider-Men, and develop so well that by the time Pete hangs up the spandex and lets Miles take over as protector of New York, I fully believe not only that this would happen but also that it would be okay and that Miles was ready. Additionally, all of the side stories were fleshed out and fantastic additions to the game which made New York feel like a live city with real people rather than just a big sandbox to swing around in. Insomniac’s biggest strength in these games, outside of the raw gameplay, is in making the Spider-Men and New York feel fully realized and fleshed out.
Spider-Man 2 is a blockbuster achievement. Insomniac managed to create a Spider-Man game that improves in gameplay, makes a lively New York that doesn’t feel stale after two other games set in the same place, and develops two Spider-Men into their own independent characters that I adore. However, despite some of its highest highs it also has disappointing lows, particularly with the villain side of the story. They just could not fully commit to fleshing out Kraven or taking the Venom story in a truly new direction. Unfortunately, they missed the big swings. Spider-Man 2 has all the makings of a true masterpiece but stops frustratingly short. It is a truly great game and deserves to be considered among some of the best games on the PS5 system, but it does not quite hit the level of masterpiece that I was hoping it could.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is an achievement in blockbuster gaming that doesn’t quite break out of the norm, stopping short of becoming something truly special, unique, and worthy of a masterpiece status. It improves on the first two iterations of this franchise in almost every way from smoother and snappier combat, to better boss battles and set pieces, to a greater and livelier map, and truly great characters in Peter Parker and Miles Morales. However, its villains and overall story stumbles as it tries to find a unique identity separate from other iterations of the Venom storyline but ends up repeating similar themes and beats. It is a game with some of the highest highs of the franchise thus far, yet some of the most disappointing lows largely created by the risks Insomniac did not take.
Spider-Man 2 feels better than ever. Being Spider-Man in a larger New York feels better than ever. Swinging around still feels amazing. The stand-out for mobility was the wingsuit. By the time you unlock all of the traversal upgrades, you can realistically fly from one side of the map to the other without ever thwipping a web or hitting the ground. It gave an extra dynamic to traversal and even ended up becoming my default method of travel for the majority of the game. Combat also still feels as incredible as ever, if a bit faster and snappier thanks to the removal of selection wheels for gadgets which always slowed the pace down. The main gripe I would have with combat is that, until you receive the symbiote powers, Peter and Miles are too similar in combat style. Both are fast, acrobatic, great at aerial combat, and have the same gadgets. While their abilities are unique, many of them have largely similar purposes from single-target attacks to aoe attacks which throw enemies upward, to electrical attacks. The symbiote solves this problem as Peter’s abilities become more weighty, slow, and powerful but this does not occur until a dozen or so hours into the experience.
There were other highs as well. Playing as Venom was a huge surprise for me. I did not expect a game that already had two Spider-Men would also throw in a playable Venom segment, and a fairly beefy one at that with a final bout against Kraven that stands as one of the greatest sequences in all of superhero games. One of my favorite childhood games was Ultimate Spider-Man on the PS2 in which Venom was playable for half of the game and this sequence brought me right back to that time and those feelings I had as a kid charging forward as a hulking Venom. It was thrilling. All of the boss battles were much improved from the first two iterations. They felt grander and more involved. Real thought and care was put into how each phase would play and segment into one another. The Spider-Bots were also a great addition. While I prefer the backpacks from the first game, I did appreciate every time I picked one up and saw what design or reference it had to Spider-Man lore and pop-culture. A nice little treat to pick up as you swing (or glide) around New York that also had a very fun conclusion to tie into the Spiderverse films. My greatest frustration with this game comes in its story, specifically with how it handles its main villains.
I understand that there are certain tropes and beats that Spider-Man stories are intrinsically tied to, especially when it pertains to the legendary symbiote black suit. Perhaps it was unfair of me to expect anything else. But, I can’t help but feel Insomniac missed a major chance to take a big swing and really make this specific story their own. Going into Spider-Man 2, we knew the black suit was coming, that Kraven would play a major role, that Venom was coming, and had a very good idea of who Venom was due to the trailers. However, by the time the real depths of Peter’s descent into the symbiote became apparent, I was starting to convince myself that Insomniac was going to take a route not seen since very specific other-worlds comic stories. A route that the general audience had never seen before. A path that would create a new Venom, with Peter Parker as the host.
This is both a credit to great writing and the performance of Yuri Lowenthal as a corrupted and furious Peter Parker. It is also an example of the risks I was really hoping Insomniac would take. I was completely engrossed in Peter’s fall into the symbiote and his consumption of its power. It was so compelling that I began to truly think that Peter might be completely taken over. What an incredibly different and fresh take on the symbiote story would that be? The main star, the main hero of the story, Peter Parker, Spider-Man, consumed by anger and the power of the symbiote, becoming Venom and having to be saved by MJ, Harry, and Miles. The battle between Miles and Peter, while partially deflating as I realized this would be the last time we saw Peter fully engrossed in the black suit, was still an emotionally charged and amazing moment. Seeing Peter turn into something akin to a horror movie villain created a real sense of fear and anxiety as I played. These moments were extremely effective and I give Insomniac all the credit for them. I just wish they continued to commit to them.
By the time Harry Osborn takes over and becomes Venom, I realized we had re-entered the predictable Spider-Man story path. Sure, it is different that it was Harry this time instead of Eddie Brock or Flash Gordon. Sure, it is different that it kept him alive and so there was a compelling reason for him to desire it back so badly. Yet, the main themes are still the same as we have seen before. Peter gets the black suit, becomes angry and corrupted, gets the black suit off of him, it goes to someone else who resents him to some capacity, and now it’s time to fight Venom. It doesn’t help that Harry’s descent into Venom is so fast. We see him use the symbiote powers earlier in the game without much effect on his personality. When Peter gets it, he slowly descends into anger and resentment before the suit begins truly taking over. For Harry, once the suit returns to him, he just immediately turns into Venom. It’s a bit jarring and feels like a forced transformation so that Venom could appear and be the threat for the last quarter of the game.
Kraven was undeveloped. I like his motivation. He wants to find his “Last Hunt.” He has conquered every beast he has chosen to be his prey, comes to New York for new prey in the form of Spider-Man’s supervillains and, eventually, Spider-Man himself, looking for an equal who can kill him in a hunter’s glory rather than on a hospital bed. The main problem here is that we don’t get as much time to see Kraven struggle with his illness. This story is clearly inspired heavily by the incredible comic storyline Kraven’s Last Hunt. In that comic, we see a lot of Kraven. We follow him, learn his motivations, learn how he thinks, and see him accomplish goals. We spend time with him to understand him so that by the time the story is resolved, we understand exactly why he acted the way he did and the impact of the final scenes are incredibly strong. Spider-Man 2 didn’t need to replicate the story one-to-one, but by the time Kraven is removed from the story by Venom, I don’t feel like I truly understood him. He seemed just like another psychotic supervillain rather than the complex character I appreciate him for in that story. The way the Kraven and Venom storylines eventually played out are examples as to why I think Insomniac hasn’t reached a game that hits the high peaks that I know they can achieve.
I understand I sound incredibly negative so far. That comes entirely out of frustration as I see the insane potential. A big part of the story that I do believe Insomniac absolutely crushed and showed their ability to create charming and inspirational stories was in the relationship between Peter and Miles and the growth of Miles as a character. It is hard enough to create compelling character development with such a storied character as Spider-Man, let alone having to do it with two! Peter and Miles are such distinct characters, have great chemistry as teacher-student Spider-Men, and develop so well that by the time Pete hangs up the spandex and lets Miles take over as protector of New York, I fully believe not only that this would happen but also that it would be okay and that Miles was ready. Additionally, all of the side stories were fleshed out and fantastic additions to the game which made New York feel like a live city with real people rather than just a big sandbox to swing around in. Insomniac’s biggest strength in these games, outside of the raw gameplay, is in making the Spider-Men and New York feel fully realized and fleshed out.
Spider-Man 2 is a blockbuster achievement. Insomniac managed to create a Spider-Man game that improves in gameplay, makes a lively New York that doesn’t feel stale after two other games set in the same place, and develops two Spider-Men into their own independent characters that I adore. However, despite some of its highest highs it also has disappointing lows, particularly with the villain side of the story. They just could not fully commit to fleshing out Kraven or taking the Venom story in a truly new direction. Unfortunately, they missed the big swings. Spider-Man 2 has all the makings of a true masterpiece but stops frustratingly short. It is a truly great game and deserves to be considered among some of the best games on the PS5 system, but it does not quite hit the level of masterpiece that I was hoping it could.