The predecessor was a PS4 highlight, now the story of Miles and Peter continues on the PS5. And, as the test shows, with bravura.
The friendly neighbourhood spider has been ennobled with numerous lofty titles since its debut a full 62 years ago. Amazing, Spectacular, Astonishing, Superior, Sensational or simply Ultimate.
Every single one of these words (or German variants of them) popped into my head at least once during my playtime with Marvel”s Spider-Man 2 – for very different reasons. Not always they were positive, but in the vast majority of cases they were.
Insomniac has once again managed to make my red and blue netted fan heart beat up to the neck With Spider-Man 2, the studio continues one of the best superhero games of all time, and as we have come to expect from Sony studios and Insomniac, it delivers a first-class gaming experience.
30 hours I spent in the PS5 adventure and in that time I not only played through the story completely, but completed every single activity in New York So in the review I can tell you spider-hair-exactly what makes Spider-Man 2 one of the best action-adventures of the year and also why it is in no way inferior to its grandiose predecessor, but still doesn”t always surpass it.
Spectacular: A story by fans for fans
About two years have passed since Peter Parker beat Doctor Octopus and his tentacles into prison and Miles Morales blew up the Tinkerer. In the meantime, the spidery everyday life of the two superheroes is going more smoothly, but as usual at the expense of their private and professional lives. While Peter is looking for ways to get money somehow, Miles is trying to get his college application in. Both work out rather mediocrely.
Is this a spoiler-free test?
The story of Spider-Man 2 plays an important role in whether the title is worthwhile for you or not. That”s why parts of it will be discussed. However, we do not anticipate any story twists and do not discuss any details that have not already been revealed in the trailers. However, some developments have already been anticipated in the trailers. So read on only if you don”t consider story details revealed in trailers as spoilers. Overall, however, no previously unknown surprises or the like are revealed.
But who wants to worry about essays and work schedules when New York is once again dealing with a whole range of daunting problems. A literally huge Sandman at the beginning of the game almost feels like a beach holiday.
The walking sandbox is afraid of something else anyway: Kraven. He invades New York with his gang of wild-eyed high-tech hunters to hunt superheroes and villains to death in a gigantic hunt. Kraven even lets villains like Mr. Negative or Scorpion out of prison, only to go after them. The basically good Dr. Connors alias The Lizard gets an even worse deal.
But Spider-Man wouldn”t be Spider-Man if he didn”t save some of New York”s biggest evildoers from the mad hunter. The trailers have already revealed that it gets much thicker in the back:
As in the predecessor, the bombastic story of the open-world adventure is once again one of the greatest strengths. At least by superhero standards. As a Spidey fan, you”ll probably have a great time and play through the main story, which can be up to 15 hours long, as if in a frenzy, but don”t expect a profound narrative full of unexpected twists and moral grey areas. But neither is it a completely banal Marvel extravaganza. Especially since some of the action is extremely violent. So it”s no wonder that Spider-Man 2, unlike its predecessor, is only rated 16+.
Insomniac also masters quiet moments in between the bombast and, above all, understands which characters they are bringing to life here. Whenever Kraven appears on screen, the imposing man dominates the scene. Exudes a form of unsettling charisma. But Peter and Miles are also very well portrayed. Both go through a considerable development – Peter, among other things, because he gets involved with a well-known black goo symbiote in the course of the story.
In addition, Peter re-establishes a friendship with his high school buddy Harry Osborne, which also feels heartwarmingly relatable thanks to some charming playable flashbacks to the past. At the same time, Peter has to come to grips with his renewed relationship with Mary Jane, for whom he usually has less time than he would like, despite the support of co-spidey Miles. Miles, on the other hand, is struggling to come to terms with the fact that his father”s killer is once again at large.
From all these ingredients Spider-Man 2 mixes a tingling story cocktail with goosebumps guaranteed and drama in the finish, where Peter is a bit more in focus than his younger counterpart. Oh, and there are definitely still some surprises, so the many trailers have given away less than you might think.
Table of Contents
Superior: Diverse gameplay, grandiose technology
A good story is one thing, but Spider-Man 2 also convinces in terms of gameplay. The campaign throws together the best elements of the game in each mission in a creative and entertaining way and always remains varied. Sometimes you knock Kraven”s henchmen on their chin, sometimes you take them out from the shadows and remain as unnoticed as possible. Sometimes you”re chasing a giant lizard gone wild, sometimes you”re cycling through Peter”s neighbourhood or conducting scientific experiments. This makes for enormous variety, even if the missions occasionally feel a little too guided.
Clearly, you decide what to do when sneaking, fighting and swinging, but Spider-Man 2 often guides you through the story sections as if on rails. At least there”s always enough time in between to explore a bit of New York and the open world. Especially cool: What exactly you can do in the open world and what New York looks like changes in the course of the story. This keeps the setting fresh, even if at least around Manhattan it is almost the same world as in the predecessor.
Although you have to start asking yourself who would still want to live in this metropolis with all the catastrophes, at least the city presents itself in the game in such a lively, atmospheric and, thanks to ray tracing, technically outstanding way that, despite the enormous pace of the game, I always like to pause and just let the grandiose ambience take its effect on me.
The streets are filled with New Yorkers, sometimes hawking a pizza joint, sometimes relaxing on a park bench sipping a morning coffee. Apart from the occasional pedestrian high-five, there is a lack of interaction, but unlike in the predecessor, we sometimes get help from the other Spider-Man or even other masked vigilantes.
This makes New York feel enormously alive, looks fantastic and Spider-Man 2 also creates atmosphere in cutscenes thanks to lifelike faces, authentic animations and cinematic camera work. A particularly cool detail: Spider-Man”s suit now shows increasing wear and tear the harder you get spanked in a battle. Such small details simply show how much heart and soul the developers pour into their game.
Sensational: Sometimes quiet and sometimes loud
An almost perfect symbiosis (Ha!) of story and gameplay is formed by the action interludes. Of course, as the masked hero, we are mainly busy forcibly exorcising crooks or monsters thanks to spider power. Although Peter and Miles control each other in much the same way, they use different special attacks and animations.
Cracking fights
While Peter initially uses his new mechanical back legs to help him, Miles uses his own bioelectric powers. However, both heroes get the opportunity to exchange special manoeuvres for new variants as they progress. In Miles” case, more far-reaching blue lightning replaces the familiar yellow bioelectricity for story reasons. And Peter later uses some really impressive slime manoeuvres thanks to the black symbiote.
But whether you”re a grimly brutal avenger in a black goo suit violently nailing villains to the wall or electrocuting them with Miles, every fight again plays out eerily effective, fast and yet controlled. The camera always remains on the same level as the action, even when you”re jumping around like crazy, thundering enemies into the air with a hook to the chin or triggering a net grab that whirls around rubbish bins, manhole covers or garden chairs as well as criminals. In addition, new combo options are offered – especially when it comes to keeping criminals in the air for longer.
At least on the higher difficulty levels, you are also pleasantly challenged and have to rethink again and again. For example, some attacks by special enemies or bosses can only be blocked with the new parry, which pulls you out of your usual dodging routine. This gives the battles a new complexity, which, thanks to the relatively large variety of enemies, always requires new tactics and the combination of all your skills.
In addition, it is now possible to switch smoothly between special attacks and spidey gadgets – but this comes at a price. Since there are only 4 gadgets instead of 8, some really helpful little tools from the predecessor are missing. For example, you can no longer instantly paste enemies to a wall with an impact net or net trap.
On quiet spider legs
Veterans of the predecessor will have to adapt their strategy and get used to things. In particular, sneaking sections are less varied, even if the new web lines compensate for this to some extent. With these, the wall crawler simply creates its own vantage point.
But this also lowers the demand here – you never have to think too much about where to retreat to. You simply create the possibility over and over again. In general, such stealth missions seem to occur much less frequently than in the predecessor, but they were never among the greatest highlights anyway.
On the other hand, the other sneak sections in the role of Peter”s investigative journalist girlfriend Mary-Jane are more fun now. For one thing, they occur less frequently than in the predecessor, and for another, they slow down the flow of the game far less, so that I no longer feel (like Peter on his first swing attempt)
The level areas to sneak through are now much larger and allow MJ to find her very own way. Later on, the whole thing almost plays like a third-person shooer thanks to MJ”s non-lethal Spidey gun. This keeps the pace of the campaign pleasantly high throughout. Speaking of pleasantly paced…
Amazing: With momentum through the open world
Moving through New York remains another outstanding aspect of Spider-Man 2 and is even more fluid, fast-paced and dynamic than in the predecessor. The reason for this is the more mature and varied swing animations. In addition, new manoeuvres such as the catapult, a pretty cool loop and, above all, the net wings complete the arsenal of movement. Oh, and Peter can now leap forward and upwards in the air just like Miles, thanks to his mechanical arms!
The web wings even ensure that swinging may no longer be necessary to an extent befitting a Spider-Man game. You can, if you know how, flap from north to south without shooting a single web.
There is, however, no huge disadvantage in voluntarily concentrating on swinging anyway. Those who voluntarily reduce gliding still get an incomparable Spider-Man feeling and, thanks to the new manoeuvres, can additionally pick up speed or gain height.
This then makes gliding more of a very natural addition, if you just voluntarily put it back. Especially since the open world of Spider-Man 2 also includes Brooklyn and the somewhat suburban Queens for the first time since Ultimate Spider-Man, where pure swinging is not always possible due to the low buildings.
Occasionally, it is also fun and extremely helpful to use the wings to jet into an air tunnel and cross New York in no time at all. With the game world almost twice as large as its predecessor, that”s also bitterly necessary.
Fast travel is also available – but only after you have completed enough tasks in a desired district. Then you can actually fast travel to every single point in the respective district, and thanks to the fast PS5 SSD hard drive, seamlessly and without loading times. In general, you almost never have to wait for the game to start after you”ve started it, which takes the already fabulous flow of the game to the extreme.
Astonishing: The City That Never Sleeps
However, the aforementioned air tunnels also have one disadvantage: I have to be able to see them, of course. New York is therefore always criss-crossed by bright streaks, which might offend atmosphere purists a little. After all, the bright rings and colours only appear when you also use them or scan the environment – the obvious currents are nevertheless hard to miss.
In general, Insomniac now attaches great importance to the fact that you can already see all activities and collection opportunities while swinging around, instead of having your eyes glued to the map. On the one hand, this helps with orientation, especially since there are no longer the nasty radio towers, which in the predecessor seemed like painting by numbers according to the Ubisoft formula.
However, it lights up and flashes for it wherever you look. It”s never overwhelming and diminishes once you tick off the activities, but at some moments I felt very gamified between purple roofs, green lights, pulsating spheres of air and billowing towers of sand.
The activities themselves fluctuate between stealth highlights and filler. There are some small and large side quests that tell charming stories and provide some really emotional and human moments. For example, when Spidey searches for a missing grandfather and then listens to him talk about the love of his life. This is Spider-Man DNA through and through!
However, Imoniac stretches out the playtime with a handful of repetitive tasks, each a tad too often for my liking. Not completely annoying in any way and, with the exception of the last side missions, always with a nice story surprise.
But sometimes I had to wonder if I wanted to hunt Spider-Bots all the time or how many more Sandman clones there were to fight. Two or three times, okay. But six times or even more? I would have liked to see a bit more meat instead of stretched sauce, especially since you can do all of it in about 30 hours. Actually, an open-world blockbuster with this much playing time should be able to do without such filler material.
Also annoying is the end of a lengthy side quest that revolves around a group of maniacal arsonists. I won”t give away the ending at this point, of course, but it hints at an iconic villain without ever having him appear. Why? Well, because the quest very likely leads up to a DLC. The mission is still fun, but just takes on a flavour because of it.
Ultimate: A better and better Spider-Man
Whoever diligently completes side quests, collects Spider-Bots or opens tech chests will receive experience points as well as hero tokens or tech parts. With these, you in turn unlock heaps of Spidey suits for Miles and Peter, which can even have different colours.
These include costumes sorely missed in the predecessor, such as Andrew Garfield”s outfit from Amazing Spider-Man 2 or the black suit from the Sam Raimi trilogy. Alas, no dancing.
Miles even gets animated suits from the Spider-Verse films again, which actually affect his movements. This time, however, it all remains purely cosmetic; unlike in the predecessors, the suits no longer unlock any new abilities.
You can buy fresh attack manoeuvres, gadgets or simply more health points separately. Either by upgrading your suit or by investing in the three talent trees. Miles improves his own electricity powers, Peter his symbiote power or machine legs and the last tree improves both heroes in the form of locomotion or simple attack manoeuvres.
You can even unlock and improve new gadgets. However, as mentioned, there are only four of them. Nevertheless, these small tools are always worthwhile in battle. Overall, the upgrading of the heroes is pleasant and noticeable. But don”t expect to tinker with a completely individual build. You can”t really kill yourself and the game offers enough points to unlock everything in the end.
Anyhow, any criticism of Spider-Man 2 is criticism at an enormously high level. This adventure is one of the best open-world games of the year. And that despite the fact that it is once again not a pioneer in terms of open world design. The game does a few things better than its predecessor, but not everything either, and there are even a few details that used to be less annoying. Such as the world littered with icons, lights and displays.
But the game once again knows how to completely mask such weaknesses with a heartfelt story and, above all, crisp gameplay. When I dash through New York as Miles or Peter, I simply have fun. When I knock down a group of villains with concentrated Spidey power, my whole body tingles. And when I follow the wonderfully staged story, my fan”s heart beats non-stop.
So what else can one say except: Spectacular!
Editor”s verdict
If Baldur”s Gate 3 hadn”t come out this year, I would solemnly proclaim Spider-Man 2 my Game of the Year. So the Friendly Spider from the Neighbourhood has to make itself comfortable in second place. Don”t let that fool you, though. In many other gaming years, Spider-Man 2 would have been glued irrevocably to the top spot. My hunch is that many of you feel the same way. At least if you don”t have a complete antipathy towards superheroes and even more if you connect something with Spider-Man.
Because Spider-Man 2 is not a superhero game that swings such an elaborate story club that even connoisseurs are left rapt. But the way Insomniac positions its characters and focuses on their relationships in order to spin a story that is fascinating and well thought-out at every moment is simply a testament to a great understanding of the original and, above all, to the fact that true fans are displaying all their passion here.
And it is not only the story that makes Spider-Man 2 so euphorically wonderful. The whole thing also plays magnificently and nothing gives me greater satisfaction than when story and gameplay complement each other so magnificently. What fun I have as Peter hunting down criminals with the power of the symbiote! Sometimes I almost feel a little guilty when it becomes clear how vehemently this creature affects Peter”s personality. I know it”s wrong … but it feels so good! That”s how I feel about the open world, by the way. I know Spider-Man 2 doesn”t move mountains here. But my goodness, none of that matters once you swing through New York and soak up the full range of opulence on offer.
