Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a spectacular TPP action game set in the universe of Spider-Man comic books. It's a sequel to Marvel's Spider-Man from 2018 (also released on the PC and PS5 as Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered) and its spin-off - Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales from 2020.

Unlike its two predecessors, the game was developed entirely with the PlayStation 5 in mind. It was created by the American studio Insomniac Games - known for such series as Resistance, Ratchet & Clank and the original Spyro trilogy - since 2020 part of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). The game was officially announced in early September 2021.

Plot

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 stars Peter Parker and Miles Morales, facing off against three iconic Spider-Man villains. The first is Kraven the Hunter (Sergey Kravenoff), who arrives to New York alongside his gang to hunt who he perceives to be a worthy opponent. Said prey is the Lizard (Dr. Curt Connors), the second villain of the game,

who Peter and Miles have to save from Kraven's hunters. The pair does not work together as well as they used to, as Miles notices his older colleague gradually change. Previously compassionate, kind and fair Peter Parker has become aggressive, ruthless, even bloodthirsty. He also gained new, powerful abilities that seem to be related to his strange black costume.

It soon turns out to be not just an outfit, but the fan-favorite Venon symbiote and the third aforementioned villain. It has connected itself to Peter, and while it enhances his abilities, it also negatively impacts his personality, seeming to slowly take him over. Miles must find a way to help his friend while handling Kraven and the Lizard, with all of New York City's fate at stake.

Mechanics

Gameplay-wise, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is very similar to the series' previous installments. The fundamental difference is that this time both Peter Parker and Miles Morales are playable. The playable character changes during certain plot points, for example, if one of them isn't able to arrive somewhere in time or when they need to split up.

Both Spider-Men share a common skill tree. Other than that, they have one exclusive skill tree each, making for three in total. We'll gain many abilities known from the previous games as well as some entirely new ones, unique for each character, coming in handy in combat and during stealth. Miles, for example, can attach a string of web between two specific points, letting him get above enemies and take them out quietly - even two at a time if they position themselves correctly. Other skills include chaining lightning or releasing lightning bursts. There are also many new gadgets to use in combat.

The district of Queens has also been added to the game, expanding the map. Since it's located on the eastern side of East River, the river itself has also become important, as the player will get to chase down bandits escaping along it by boats. All of New York's districts contain hidden collectibles and side activities.

Movement is handled very similarly to the previous games in the series. Using their web shooters, the protagonists can swing between and above buildings while performing aerial acrobatics. Though the movement system is built upon the foundations from the previous installments, there are some new features as well. One of them is the ability to glide - after launching themselves into the air, Peter and Miles can cover long distances without needing to keep using their webs. They can use aerodynamic tunnels scattered throughout New York to do so.

Technical aspects

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is much more visually impressive than its predecessor. Textures have been significantly improved, now being very detailed. Dynamic lighting results in realistic shadows and reflections. Similarly to Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, the game supports ray tracing. It also makes use of 3D audio, haptic vibrations and the Dualsense controller's adaptive triggers.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a singleplayer game, not featuring online play of any sort.

Last updated on 19 October 2024