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Exclusively for the PlayStation 5, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is an action-adventure video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released on October 20, 2023 and serves as the first mainline sequel to 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man.
The game follows Peter Parker and Miles Morales, two Spider-Men, as they team up to face new threats to Marvel’s New York, which include Venom and Kraven the Hunter. Players are able to switch between the two heroes at any time, each with unique abilities and play-styles.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg…
Presentation
Spider-Man 2 is more gorgeous and detailed than ever. Whether you play at 30 FPS or 60 FPS with ray tracing, you are in for a visually jaw-dropping experience from the well-crafted cut scenes to the shear joy of swinging around what feels like the real life New York City. Menus have been tweaked from the previous game to make room for a second Spider-Man, but they’re still quite painless to navigate through.
Perhaps the game’s most impressive aspect is the speed at which players can switch between Peter and Miles and the on-point fast travel without a second of load time. What they don’t tell you is that fast travel has to be unlocked by fighting crime. Don’t let this disappoint you though; when I earned it, I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t have to swing around anymore…as weird as that sounds. When I did come around to using the fast travel system, it was amazing to see just how fast it was. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 really harnasses the power of the PlayStation 5 to bring you an visually authentic Spider-Man experience.
Mechanics
When talking game mechanics, it’s important to bring up the fluidity. Both predecessors (Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales) had very smooth controls in regards to combat and rope swinging. There was a fear that adding too much or even subtracting a little would throw off the feel that fans have grown accustomed to, off. I’m happy to report that it’s quite the opposite! The fluidity we know and love is still there, and it’s even enhanced by new abilities and powers. The smallest of battles become epic, watching the combo counter rise higher and higher. Each boss fight feels like an outright slug-fest straight out of the comics, featuring simple yet satisfying timing-based mechanics.
The best addition to the mechanics has to be the web wings. Remember earlier when I said I was disappointed the fast travel unlocked? It’s because of the web wings. A simple push of triangle while in the air enables you to glide. This is taken even further with wind tunnels throughout the city and unlockable air abilities to continue the glide (if you get good enough, there’s a “Soar” trophy to unlock).
Story
This part, I’ll try and attempt with as few spoilers as possible, because I feel that revealing anything about the story is a disservice to future players. The direction that the Spider-Man 2 story took has made this franchise my absolute favorite retelling of the Spider-Man tale. It’s not just the main story’s content, which is certainly filled with its share of epic moments and twists. However, many of the side missions feature Easter eggs, lore, villains, and so many more surprises. While the visuals and mechanics are impressive in their own rights, it’s the game’s story and side missions that will keep you glued to the controller. My only wish is that there were more side missions, but that’s just me being a spoiled brat.
Overall
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is exactly what PlayStation 5 players have been waiting for and beyond, as I personally feel this is the strongest contender for Game of the Year. As of this writing, it has the best 24 hours of any PlayStation Studios game, with 2.5 million units sold and counting. Those 2.5 million players are surely not be disappointed either. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 makes this franchise reign supreme in the super hero action-adventure genre. Where the franchise swings next? You’re going to have to play and see.
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