Spider-Man 2 toys with Marvel history to be as much fun as possible

It’s been a week since Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 dropped. The game received rave reviews, and gamers are having a ball playing it. The game mechanics are a dream; the graphics are spectacular, especially the spatial layout and design of New York and its surroundings. Gliding and web-slinging through the urban landscapes on a mission is an exhilarating experience. The game is great even if you change characters, like switching from Peter Parker to Miles Morales. Other highlights in the game are the story and Spider-Man’s gadgets. Reviewers can ramble about what’s been great about the game, but sometimes even great games come with problems. One such problem is popping up online from players complaining about a side mission with Hailey Cooper in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Throughout , the life of the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker, is put in perilous jeopardy on numerous occasions. The web-shooting, wall-climbing superhero has seemingly never been so vulnerable in any of his previous bouts, including the showdown with the Sinister Six in Insomniac's first title. Despite the plethora of threats in, Peter is a remarkably resilient character, though at one point his toughness and durability are tested to the extreme. Though an iconic figure, he is far from immortal, a fact that has led many to wonder what happens to Spider-Man in — could he really be killed by Kraven or Venom?

Mary Jane Watson plays a significant role in , both from a narrative perspective as Peter's girlfriend, but also as a temporarily playable character, and most interestingly as part of one of the game's more surprising twists. MJ was introduced to the Spider-Man canon in 1965; since then she has gone on to become Peter Parker's main love interest and the principal beneficiary of his affection in the franchise's many movies, comics, and video games.

A Easter egg may be hinting at some unexpected DLC content for the game. While many had expected story DLC for Insomniac Games' acclaimed superhero sequel, much like DLC for the first, most of the theories around its content revolved around continuing a story set up in one of the title's side missions, but this may not be the case.

, while telling its own complete narrative, has set up plenty of plot points for a future entry in the acclaimed superhero series. Although a new entry has yet to be officially announced by Sony or Insomniac Games, it seems inevitable after 's impressive sales, in which the game became the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game in its first 24 hours.

Taking place in New York, is an enormous game with a justifiably large map full to the brim with content to be explored. features a plethora of interesting, entertaining, and simply brilliant quests; although the vast majority of the game's main quests, side quests, and side adventures don't offer tangible rewards beyond EXP, tech parts, or tech points, a few questlines reward the player with some excellent prizes.

's story features far more shocking deaths than the previous two entries in the series. From classic Spider-Man characters to beloved NPCs, nobody seems to be safe in Insomniac's latest superhero title.

Spider-Man 2 is chock full of references to other Marvel properties, as New York itself features locations such as the Avengers Tower, the Sanctum Sanctorum, and the Wakandan Embassy, all of which are references to The Avengers, Doctor Strange, and Black Panther. In fact, the latter even lets you throw up a wholesome Wakanda Forever salute outside of its doors as a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, but you'd better make sure you're playing as Miles Morales if you want to do it.

If there's one thing you can't criticise Insomniac Games for, it's a lack of comic book appreciation. Spider-Man 2 is absolutely full to the brim with comic book references, whether that be the dozens of suits paying homage to Spider-Man stories both old and new, or the inclusion of certain villains that have never been portrayed in interactive media before. Certain parts of Spider-Man 2's story are also very reminiscient of different comic book runs.

Mysterio is causing chaos in New York City in , and he's crafted a series of challenges for Miles Morales' Spider-Man. These challenges, known as Mysteriums or Mysterium Dev Diaries, throw Miles into heavy combat with a few twists like poisonous gas, invisible enemies, and other strange games to mess with Miles' head.

Players who have recently beat may be eager for more and wondering what they can do now. The good news is there is still plenty of Spider-Man left for players to finish, and there may be even more in the near future. While the main story may be over, Peter Parker and Miles Morales still have plenty to do to prevent crime in New York.

A huge selling point for was the fact that it would allow players to assume control of both Peter Parker and Miles Morales' heroes. Both Spider-Men have been the leads of their own titles in the series, but the sequel has managed to bring their stories together with the option to switch between the two on the fly while exploring New York to embark on character-specific side-missions or experiment with their different abilities.