Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Review – Swingin’ Together
Experts agree that the American purchase of Alaska from Russians was the finest strategic and macroeconomic deal ever. The second best was probably the snagging of Spider-Man movie rights by Sony. In 1999, Marvel was a pathetic wreck, living off paper comic books and struggling to stay afloat in the emerging world of digital entertainment. Sony acquired rights for the friendly neighborhood web-slinger for the absurd sum of seven million dollars! They have been relentlessly milking those rights, earning the king’s ransom since then.
Those rights were for movies only, but the backroom deal which facilitated Spider-Man’s incorporation into the MCU (2016) also enabled Sony to expand the license into gaming. The beautiful consequence of that deal was one of the best superhero games of all time. Marvel’s Spider-Man came out in 2018. and greatly helped PlayStation solidify its lead on Xbox. Spidey was later successfully ported to the PC. The game had a few good DLCs, but the biggest one, featuring Miles Morales, morphed into a full game for the launch of PlayStation 5. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the singular high-profile PlayStation exclusive this holiday season. Sony, predictably, went wild with billboards and bundles in every major city, including mine. With few games poised to steal its thunder, it seems destined for major success. But is it good as they want us to think?
High-time for a proper sequel
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a direct, no-nonsense sequel starring both Peter Parker and Miles Morales. If one Spider-Man was awesome, two of them mean double the fun, right? Well, yes and no. The “duality” of Peter and Miles mostly serves the narrative purpose, with much lighter consequences for gameplay. They canonically have different abilities and powers, but in this game, they mostly fight the same way. Both Spideys suffer from the shared fragility and rely upon the same defense mechanisms. They differ in offensive powers and combos, but the difference is often just visual. Miles can slam the foe with an electric fist, and Peter uses the robotic arms in the back, but the effect is the same. That’s disappointing, to say the least.
But let us not get ahead of ourselves. Peter and Miles are now equal in more than combat utility sense, as the younger Spidey evolved from pupil/sidekick into full-blown Spider-Man. Transitioning into superhero maturity means mature problems, and that would be one of the leitmotifs of this sequel. The original Spider-Man was conceived as the vessel of identification to socially awkward post-puberty nerds. Miles Morales is hardly any different, and their combined social torment often feels redundantly annoying. After a couple of dozen cutscenes exploring their mutual Weltschmerz, I was longing for Red Forman to pop-up threaten them with the foot-in-ass treatment.
Very few surprises
Fortunately, the plot quickly takes a few exciting turns, involving Kraven the Hunter, and, later, Venom. Apart from those two major villains, you can expect a solid variety of B actors from the very broad spectrum of Spidey’s acquaintances. The game is a classic sandbox, with tons of side missions, collectibles, and other optional content. That extra stuff differs depending on which Spidey you control. Peter the scientist guy, solves the agricultural puzzles in the experimental plant labs scattered throughout the city. Miles, on the other hand, looks for his uncle Prowler’s stashes and breaks into them. Those two varieties are only the tip of the activity iceberg.
Main missions and major side quests always require one particular Spider-Man. Mary Jane Watson and Harry Osborn also play an essential part in the game, but they never bring any major surprises and twists. The role of the big teethed symbiote is also utterly predictable, but I suppose devs went for the familiarity in these uncertain times. Or they were contract-bound not to experiment too much. The overall feel of the plot and the melancholy are almost the same as in the previous game. We’ve also experienced everything the game has to offer (in the narrative sense) enjoying the Spidey comics over the last decades.
Superb kinematic pleasure
Even if the story offers few surprises, the gameplay massively compensates for any narrative inadequacies. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 offers a superb kinematic pleasure. The city is bigger and more detailed, and due to the few clever new gadgets, such as under-arm winglets, traversing it is faster than ever. I was pretty astonished by the ultra-fast streaming of 4K textures, and the support for 120+ fps refresh rates is even more amazing. Spider-Man 2 is exclusive to PlayStation 5, so zero technical compromises were necessary as the publisher omitted the PS4. The game is a technical powerhouse through and through.
Regarding combat, both Spider-Man can now parry, which is essential in a few boss fights. Their shared arsenal of gadgets is also expanded, as well as talent and equipment upgrade trees. You’ll have a clear motivation to do optional content, as the resources for some of those upgrades aren’t otherwise obtainable. Mary Jane Watson is also playable, but this time she’s not just a stealthy damsel in distress. She can now stun enemies with the taser, and later, using a repurposed web-shooter attachment, tackle multiple foes at once.
The swinging conclusion
I have mixed feelings about Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The bad side of the amplitude is mostly related to some cast members and the predictable narrative. Peter Parker is a witty nerd who constantly trolls bad guys. He’s the gold standard you expect from the silver age of comic books, expertly translated into playable form. Miles Morales, on the other hand, is redundant and boring. He’s a charmless, dull kid with a placeholder personality. The game starring both of them is a technical masterpiece and an exciting, functional sandbox. If you are looking forward to web the bad guys whilst paying less attention to the plot, this game could fill your soul coffers. If you also require a compelling narrative, you better be young and unfamiliar with the rich Spider-Man lore. Long-time fans have seen everything on offer here multiple times.
Highs
- Visual and technical masterpiece.
- Exciting and sensible sandbox structure, with plenty of optional content.
- Mary Jane Watson has expanded gameplay mechanics.
Lows
- The tone of the game feels overly similar to the previous one.
- Peter and Miles have almost identical combat styles.
- Miles Morales is dull and redundant.
