When I reviewed Miles Morales a few years ago, I was almost critical of the game for being too short, with not nearly enough of a story to keep me occupied for over a couple of days. Well, Insomniac, who developed Spider-Man 2, have more than compensated for their relatively tiny previous game.
Spider-Man 2 has not only two Spider-men covering “symbiotic” storylines but also twice the amount of New York City to swing across. Famously set in the Big Apple, in addition to Manhattan, the game now covers all of Brooklyn and Queens, in 4K resolution.
For some reason, the fact that the game has mapped NYC, its roads and buildings with ridiculous accuracy really caught my attention this time around. You could in fact, potentially listen to an audio guide of the city and let Spider-man swing by along the roads.
Washington Square Park, Columbia University, the bridges — it’s all there! I specifically loved the photo grab side mission which involved exploring idiosyncratic events, the beating heart of the city: A group of tourists taking pictures of the Manhattan bridge, a random Taiyaki truck, and actors auditioning for Broadway shows.
It’s kind of like the realism of Assassins’ Creed with its historical buildings, but with more of a soul — NYC really is the MVP of the game for me. It can keep a disinterested gamer engaged with just the ability to effortlessly swing across the city or use the brand-new web-gliding ability to soar through the skies. But that’s not quite what you’re looking for as a fan of the series.
For you, bumping shoulders with the Sandman, the Kraven, and even the slimy Lizard Doctor might be fun. There are missions, boss fights, and storylines dedicated to each of them. There are also a few smaller villains that feature for the first time in this game, a refreshing experience. For a novice to the world of Spider-men, there is nothing quite like a fresh video game to introduce you to a rattling number of supervillains, each with their sordid backstories.
As someone who hates cutscenes, I liked that most of the character arcs are fed through exploratory missions. For example, entering Dr Connor’s (the lizard) house to find out what happened to him through a series of photographs is way more interesting than sitting through a sentimental monologue. And the mission that had Peter Parker reconnecting with Harry through a “flashback” in school was an excellent way of establishing their friendship.
Even the side missions with MJ were less annoying than what I remember in the first game. Now that we have two web-slinging heroes in the same game, you might notice two separate skill trees to navigate. Peter Parker inherits new powers this time around, which means that stealth and tact might take a backseat for him. And if you’ve had the pleasure of playing as Miles Morales in the previous game, you might notice that he still has all the powers that we love from it.
The gadgets from the previous games are back too, and there’s just a dash of freshness from a few new enemy types. The changes are not groundbreaking when it comes to combat — but I am not complaining. Because there’s more. The side missions in the game aren’t just repetitive distractions — there are immersive puzzles, and stories bundled together.
While the main mission keeps Peter Parker at the forefront, the side missions focus on Miles’ life, having him help his friends at school, and perform the occasional firefighting activities for his mom. The puzzles in-game also make use of the haptic feedback and all the fancy new abilities that come with the new PS5 controller. I am curious to see how a PC/console port turns out in the next couple of years. Spider-Man 2 is currently available exclusively on the PS5 and is a no-brainer purchase if you have the console. It’s also ideal if you have some time to spare for a couple of weeks and love a good single-player campaign.