As I set down my controller and watched the credits roll on Marvel’s Spider-Man back in 2018, I knew I had just experienced one of the best adaptations possible for a character I had loved since childhood. I wasn’t sure if Insomniac Games or anyone else could surpass the bar it set for gameplay and narrative alike. 

And yet, that’s exactly what Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has done.

From the highs and lows of its ambitious story to the thrill of exploring a vastly enlarged New York and its new challenges, Insomniac Games has managed to enrich an already powerful experience. Everything that I adored about the previous games is back, improved and refined, and once again, the team at Insomniac has raised the bar for superhero media.

With Great Narrative Responsibility…

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 picks up months after Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, with Peter and Miles chasing that ever-illusive balance between their everyday lives and the responsibilities they bear. Peter is struggling to pay the mortgage on Aunt May’s house in Queens, while Miles is grappling with college applications.

Right from the thrilling introduction—a mission which swerves from Peter’s attempt to teach at Miles’ school to a showdown with an iconic villain—Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 does a deft job of balancing its pair of protagonists. Peter is still the central figure of the main story, but Miles is no mere sidekick. Both heroes have satisfying, well-developed arcs both as individuals and in their mentor-mentee relationship, plus their own unique side missions that lean into their personalities.

“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 does a deft job of balancing its pair of protagonists.”

That balance extends into the supporting cast as well. Mary Jane, Rio, Ganke, and Hailey all return to keep the heroes anchored. Refreshingly, there are genuine, heartfelt interactions between almost all combinations of the cast, carried by excellent performances from its veteran cast, and it goes a long way to make it feel like both heroes are truly sharing the spotlight.

To its credit, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 introduces a lot of narrative elements but manages to juggle them all. The core story revolves around the return of Peter’s best friend, Harry Osborn, a mysterious new black suit which enhances his powers, and Kraven the Hunter, terrorizing New York in search of worthy superhuman targets to hunt.

Somehow, Insomniac’s team continues to balance all of these spinning plates where others struggle or fail. While Spider-Man’s screen history is dotted with over-ambitious attempts to cram too many villains into one tale, each main thread of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is given the time it needs to be woven into a consistent whole.

This masterful reinterpretation of the larger canon extends to its treatment of the main villains. Of course, with Peter’s black suit comes Venom, eventually. Longtime fans will see the red flags as the villain is gradually introduced, but may be shocked as it culminates in one of his best depictions ever. This isn’t “Bully” McGuire or Tom Hardy eating chocolate instead of brains—Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 presents a truly terrifying take on Venom that leans into its darkest attributes.

Likewise, Kraven is wielded like an expertly honed weapon. His presence is felt primarily through his goons, the Hunters, who harass the heroes (and even former villains) at every turn, terrorizing New York in their pursuit of a perfect hunt. Every time he does show up in person, it’s a memorable and haunting experience.

“While Spider-Man’s screen history is dotted with over-ambitious attempts to cram too many villains into one tale, each main thread of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is given the time it needs to be woven into a consistent whole.”

There are a handful of other unexpected moments that I wouldn’t dare spoil for fans, but suffice it to say, I outright gasped more times during this game than in most others I’ve ever played.

What I particularly appreciated was the subtle way the game explored the origins behind this iteration of Spider-Man. We’ve all seen Uncle Ben die enough times, and the first game (like the MCU) was smart to forego the bloody details off the hop. However, as Peter deals with cleaning up his childhood home and the return of his best friend, memories rise to the surface.

Seeing glimpses of Yuri Lowenthal’s inexperienced, fledgling Spider-Man was a poignant counterpoint to the present story’s dread. It’s not just a treat for lore lovers. It’s another example of Insomniac’s knack for holistic storytelling.

I can only really name one downside to the story of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2—that it made me want to rush through. Once the narrative stakes started to rise and the symbiote shenanigans took root, I didn’t want to take my time as usual and knock off side quests between missions, even if all the incidental writing in between is top-notch and earnest with the right amount of humour.

“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 presents a truly terrifying take on Venom that leans into its darkest attributes.”

When all is said and done, the story lands on the sort of fully satisfying note that so few stories can manage. All of the arcs culminate in a sound conclusion that nonetheless leaves room for DLC and a third installment. Best of all, it doesn’t feel hollow, like something was stripped out of the main game just for the sake of charging players for an unnecessary expansion, as many other games do. I don’t know what Insomniac has planned, but I eagerly hope to see where everything goes from here.

…Comes Great Gameplay Power

Peter and Miles share star duty in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s story, but also in its gameplay. This time around, both heroes are fully playable; outside of missions and certain moments where the story restricts you, players can swap between them through the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man “app” with a swipe of the touchpad.

Both heroes control the same and have access to shared web gadgets. The web shooters have been reconfigured so that hitting R1 shoots the standard burst of webs while holding it down and pressing a face button fires off one of the corresponding gadgets like concussive blasts. This is a subtle yet revolutionary change from previous games, removing the need to swap gadgets on a wheel.

For the left side of the controller, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 grants abilities that represent each hero’s individual skills. Peter has incorporated mechanical spider arms into his regular suit and later gains access to symbiote powers through the black suit. Meanwhile, Miles’ suite of electric “Venom” powers evolve in interesting ways through the story.

These gadgets and abilities, along with perks that empower them, are purchased in the menu with either skill points or various tech parts earned through quests. As in the previous games, players gain experience based on their performance and as quest rewards and level up to unlock new suits and powers. This system keeps the dopamine drip of gradually earning new treats flowing at just the right pace.

All of these under-the-hood systems result in two playable characters that feel simultaneously distinct and similar. Their skill sets are close enough that it doesn’t feel jarring to swap between them, yet distinct enough to reflect their personalities and make for a different experience.

I found that some of my old reliable combat tricks, like swing-kicking enemies off rooftops, were still valid, while I almost forgot some of my old habits (like the ground stomp) in favour of the new tricks. It was especially easy to rely on the refined abilities once I unlocked a series of skills that made recharging them more effective.

The Spider-Men still feel like glass cannons at times, and the healing system—where players must build Focus meters to either restore health or unleash instant-KO finishers—remains a constant strategic consideration. It all feels more manageable, however, with the new skill paradigm.

One of the new tricks up their sleeves is the web-wings, which keep the thrill of exploring Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s doubled playground. The usual web-slinging tricks are complemented by the ability to pop open the wings and glide (more like the Amazing Flying Squirrel-Man). This helps with crossing long distances, like the waterways that divide the playable area, without bogging down in the existing traversal mechanics.

Webslinging has always been the key to a great Spider-Man game, as Neversoft and Treyarch proved with their takes on the franchise. Insomniac absolutely nailed that sensation with their first outing, and now that engine has been honed to an exhilarating edge, with swinging, diving, and tricks complemented by new gliding and mid-air boost jump techniques. Once I found some of the best ways to combine them for certain situations, it made me want to hoot and holler, just like the heroes’ film iterations.

Utilizing these traversal techniques is paramount with the new horizons available in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Even having replayed both previous games recently, the returning areas of New York City felt fresh and revitalized. Expanding the playing field by almost double with Queens and Brooklyn has ensured the game rarely ever feels stale.

Two new background features are key to exploring this bigger backyard: the regional progress system and the natural addition of quest markers into the landscape. Perched high up, you can look over the city and see markers for nearby activities worked holistically into the skyline. In one early instance, fireworks crackle to draw attention to a side-mission, while one of Miles’ side-questlines is shown by a giant spotlight symbol in the sky, Batman-style. Kraven’s Hunters lurk in camouflaged rooftop dens and his winged Talon drones circle over certain buildings to signal a chase mission. Even photo ops return, but this time as natural moments happening on the city’s streets.

The power of the PlayStation 5 is paramount to this immersive approach. The draw distance is massive, and the loading times are almost nonexistent, so it’s easier than ever to stand atop a skyscraper, pick a destination, and get there in style. It may be cliche, but New York City truly feels alive like never before.

“One understated element that really bolstered the experience of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is its use of all the DualSense’s features.”

With Miles promoted to full-time hero duty, Mary Jane gets sole duty in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s stealth missions—which have been upgraded to give much more player agency. Getting detected is no longer an instant reset, thanks to a stun gun she picked up in Symkaria between games.

These missions are used less often and for much bigger effect, especially once the taser gets some additional tricks. Likewise, science puzzles return in smaller quantities, mostly relegated to side quests involving experiments at the Emily-May Foundation. There’s an overall better balance of objectives throughout the whole game.

One understated element that really bolstered the experience of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is its use of all the DualSense’s features. Phone calls and podcast intros play through the speaker, and the black suit whispers during Peter’s symbiote-fueled rampages. There’s also a handful of moments that utilize the haptic feedback of the triggers in meaningful ways. They transcend “gimmick” status to inform the larger presentation and might just be the best use of the PS5’s controller since Astro’s Playroom.

The icing on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s cake is the customization. The number of different cosmetic suits has ballooned, especially with the inclusion of “suit styles” for most outfits. Peter and Miles have huge closets that draw from the comics, movies, and original inspirations. It’s a feast for longtime fans who love Easter eggs yet also like to see something new.

“Now, on the other side of the campaign, I still can’t quite believe what Insomniac has achieved with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.”

Now, on the other side of the campaign, I still can’t quite believe what Insomniac has achieved with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Everything I loved from its predecessors is back and refined, while the things that held them back, like grindy enemy bases and puzzles, have been corrected. The story hit every note I hoped it would, plus several more beyond my wildest expectations. It’s both a roller coaster ride of a narrative, and the sort of sandbox I can see myself returning to regularly.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has done what Peter Parker, Miles Morales, or any other hero across the spider-verse has long struggled to do: it has achieved a nearly perfect balance between all the parts of itself. Any fan of any version of these characters owes it to themselves to check it out.