Now that I’ve completed Spider-Man 2 100%, I can finally share my thoughts on the game. A bit late to the party, but better late than never, right? After all, I only reviewed the first Spider-Man game a few months ago, so at least there’s progress! This Spider-Man 2 review zooms in on the familiar gameplay, Insomniac Games‘ winning formula and new mechanics the game brings to the table.
Spider-Man 2 kicks off in an incredibly compelling manner. It starts with an impressive set-piece and serves up familiar gameplay and stunning graphics, which have once again been taken up a notch. It’s evident that facial expressions and clothing are more realistic, and the lighting complements the environment and characters even more beautifully and naturally. Especially the funfair part really shows the power of next-gen.
In many ways, Spider-Man 2 feels recognizable. Insomniac Games introduces just enough changes to keep it fresh though. This is achieved through additions such as the web wings, new abilities, and, of course, a brand-new story that portrays a different side of Peter Parker than what we’re accustomed to.
What’s Going On With Pete?
I’ll keep this review spoiler-free, but it’s no surprise that we see Peter Parker in the heavily promoted symbiote suit. Anyone even slightly familiar with Spider-Man, for example with the third Sam Raimi movie, knows that this doesn’t bode well.
Peter Parker’s best friend, Harry Osborn, steps into the spotlight in Spider-Man 2, after being noticeably absent (aside from voice messages) in the first installment. We know he’s gravely ill, but thanks to symbiote technology, he’s back to his old self.
That same symbiote gradually attaches itself to Peter Parker throughout the game. His black symbiote suit, which looks stunning, not only gives the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man a sleek new appearance, but also provides him with devastating new powers.
The downside is that the hero loses sight of himself. His behavior becomes increasingly unpleasant and hostile. This transformation is portrayed exceptionally well by the voice actor Yuri Lowenthal.
Peter’s mission is to somehow transfer the symbiote back to Harry to save his life. Without the mysterious healing powers of the symbiote, Harry’s health deteriorates rapidly. But does Peter really want to give up the suit and his new-found powers?
On the other hand, we have the freshly-minted Spider-Man, Miles Morales. After the tragic loss of his father in the first installment, followed by gaining his Spider-Man powers, Miles is still somewhat figuring out how to shape his life. As Spider-Man, he carries a lot of responsibilities, which he must balance with his school life.
His relationship with his mother, Rio, is a beautiful addition to the story. Their bond is brought to light in sometimes emotional ways, adding a significant level of sympathy. Miles has always looked up to Peter Parker, but the interference of the symbiote also puts their friendship to the test.
Insomniac Games delivers a poignant narrative, creates relatable characters, and surpasses the storytelling of the first game in every way.
The Gameplay Feels Familiar, but New Mechanics Keep It Fresh
As I mentioned earlier, the gameplay feels familiar. The combat remains lightning-fast, responsive, and spectacular. Although the combat system feels almost the same as in the first installment, new animations, abilities, and finishers ensure that it never starts feeling like a chore.
In addition to dodging attacks in a timely manner, Insomniac Games has added another defensive method to your arsenal. Attacks can now be parried by pressing L1 at the right moment. Some attacks require parrying and cannot be dodged (and vice versa). This means you need to pay even closer attention when in combat.
The combat truly shines when we obtain the powers of the Symbiote suit. When I first activated the Symbiote Surge, it was undoubtedly one of the game’s highlights for me. It propels Peter Parker into a kind of blind rage. His attacks and comments become much more aggressive. The surge imparts a tremendous feeling of power and made me reluctant to give the symbiote back to Harry. Sorry, bud, it’s nothing personal.
You can now also shoot a web line from one surface to another. By connecting different surfaces, you create additional opportunities to strike from stealth at a higher vantage point. During the initial introduction of this mechanic, I was worried that it might make it too easy to eliminate enemies from above. I picked them off one by one and felt like a real powerhouse. Until the last remaining four of them suddenly huddled together, back to back, while ignoring my distraction maneuvers to drive them apart. They mentioned they should stick together so I wouldn’t be able to pick them off anymore. This intelligent AI ensures that sometimes you still have to let your fists do the talking.
Another improvement has been made to the traversal, which is something I particularly couldn’t get enough of. The web wings are introduced early on and feel fantastic right from the start. This sensation never waned throughout the rest of the adventure. Watching the city rapidly pass beneath you is a visual delight. Consequently, I didn’t use fast travel even once because swinging and flying through the city is, once again, one of the highlights in Spider-Man 2. Both literally and figuratively.
When it was announced that Queens was being added to the map, I wondered how we would cross the river. Open water, not many places to anchor our webs (besides the bridge) – wouldn’t that be annoying? Whenever open water was involved in the first game, it was a bit of a hassle. Insomniac Games found the solution in the web wings, combined with wind tunnels. Flying through wind tunnels gives you momentum, and lets you keep it.
Aside from the web wings, the most significant innovation is the speed at which you can launch the Spider-Men. When this was announced and shown in promotional material, I thought, “Okay, that’s kind of nice. I guess.” But when I first launched myself from a rooftop and covered 500 meters in no time, it felt fantastic and had a much greater impact than I initially anticipated. The fact that you no longer have to build up momentum on your own makes moving from A to B even easier and more enjoyable. Exploring Brooklyn, and now Queens, has never felt so delightful.
Side Missions
Just like in Marvel’s Spider-Man, some of the main missions are nothing short of spectacular. Visually, they are a feast for the eyes. But what about the side content?
Well…for better or worse (I’m inclined to say worse), they are reminiscent of those from the previous game. Once again, there are puzzles related to scientific tasks that need to be solved. Those who found them to be time-consuming in the past will likely have the same opinion now. Fortunately, most of these can be skipped. Personally, I found them engaging enough. A bit of gameplay variety is something I can appreciate, even if it’s not the best the game has to offer.
There are side missions where you have to chase drones while avoiding obstacles or missions where you take on mini-Sandman-like adversaries. We also encounter several familiar faces, who bring earlier storylines to a (sometimes temporary) conclusion in an interesting way. Especially the mission where Spider-Man receives a task from Howard, the pigeon man from the first game, moved me in an unexpected way.
Apart from the side missions involving known characters, none of the side content is particularly memorable. Despite that, they played fine and provided enjoyable diversions.
Lay It on Me. Are There MJ Missions in Spider-Man 2?
This is, of course, the question you came for, and I can’t blame you. You’re probably hoping for a resounding “no” as the answer. Unfortunately, the answer is “yes.” Don’t shoot the messenger. However, the messenger can be thanked for delivering the message that MJ has undergone a certain growth in power. Peter Parker’s sweetheart can now defend herself much better than in the first game.
Like many others, I wasn’t a fan of the forced stealth section in Marvel’s Spider-Man. These put us in MJ’s shoes, something I hadn’t necessarily signed up for. Insomniac ignores the criticism and once again puts us in the shoes of the red-haired lady in the sequel. Fortunately, she now has a taser, which allows her to deal with enemies with just a press of a button. You still need to approach them without being detected, of course, but the MJ sections (yes, there are several) feel a lot less stealthy and annoying than before.
Runtime of the Game
In the lead-up to the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, there was some discussion about the game’s runtime. At around 20 hours, some felt it might be a bit short to justify the price tag.
My feeling is that the game is certainly not too short. Despite the many positives that Spider-Man 2 has to offer, the formula from Insomniac Games is easily recognizable. It’s undeniably a winning formula, but in my opinion, the game didn’t need to be any longer. I had the same sentiment with the first installment. There’s just enough innovation in the game to keep it enjoyable for 20 hours, but it walks a fine line. In my view, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 would suffer from a longer runtime.
The only drawback of the shorter experience is that some characters’ behavior in the main quest undergo a somewhat unnatural acceleration. Drastic changes in character are typically more effectively portrayed in longer games. I think of games like Red Dead Redemption 2, where a longer playtime allows characters to realistically develop in response to in-game events. Since Spider-Man 2 races through the main storyline, significant character changes come across as less convincing than it could be. I know the symbiote causes and accelerates these changes, but the pacing between the bigger moments sometimes still felt a bit off.
Conclusion
Spider-Man 2 sticks to the winning formula established in 2018. Everything in the game feels highly recognizable, at times perhaps a bit too much. Nevertheless, Insomniac Games implements enough changes to keep it fresh. The game is packed with spectacular sequences, and the action leaps off the screen.
The story surpasses that of the first game in every aspect, thanks in part to the convincing voice acting of Yuri Lowenthal (Peter Parker) and Nadji Jeter (Miles Morales). The story is more intimate and personal, and Insomniac Games’ handling of the symbiote effects is interesting to witness.
The combat is, as always, stellar, and the traversal is better than ever, partly due to the addition of the wing suit.
Spider-Man 2 is once again a fantastic adventure that captivates from start to finish. Its runtime of around 20 hours, however, is long enough. The game teeters on the edge of feeling a bit too familiar but doesn’t quite overplay its hand, keeping the adventure short and impactful.
