Review: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Swings to Superior Heights
21.10.2023 - 07:55
/ fortressofsolitude.co.za
/ Peter Parker
/ Miles Morales
Considering how successful Insomniac Games’ first two Spider-Man games (Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales) were, it wasn’t going to be difficult to convince fans to purchase the sequel, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, on release day. With the highly anticipated new title, the studio takes everything they’ve learned from their previous superhero games and pushes the envelope even further with a slew of exciting features that fans of the franchise have been eagerly waiting for. So, before we even get into the details, it’s safe to say Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is everything you hoped for and more. It’s a masterpiece and easily the best game the PS5 has to offer so far.
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Unlike the first two titles, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 gives players control over the lives of both iconic heroes, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, through instant character switching. This means you can decide between two who you’d like to tackle certain situations. Plus, seeing as they both have a different set of abilities, gameplay always feels fresh and exciting.
But those aren’t their only differences.
Both Miles and Peter are grappling with their own set of personal challenges. On the one end, Peter is burdened with the loss of Aunt May and his responsibilities to the city. Aside from that, he is also struggling in personal life: His relationship with MJ remains complicated, he is struggling to keep a job, and a dear friend of has an incurable illness. On the other end, Miles faces similar situations. He is struggling to balance his personal life with his superhero life, while also dealing with the loss of his father.
In short, both Spider-Men need each other more than ever, but they don’t realise it until it’s far too late. While they grapple with life, on the sidelines Kraven the Hunter launches attacks on the city, which pushes both heroes to their limits.
In all honesty, that’s only half the story. There’s a ton of surprises and twisty turns in the 15-hour main story. And while that might seem short, stretching the tale out longer wouldn’t work. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has a strong narrative – in fact, I would argue that it’s a better story than Sony or the MCU have delivered so far. I’d hate to see it get wasted with unnecessary fluff.
You’ll totally feel for each of the characters here, whether they’re the good guys or the villains. And we spend enough time with them to make every punch feel significant. Kraven isn’t a meathead. There’s purpose and passion behind his madness. The same goes for Venom, Sandman, and the others (yes, there’s a full roster of enemies here).
All of that said, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is still very much a Peter