Insomniac just gets it. They get Spider-Man. They get who he fundamentally is as a character, how he might interact with others, and how his values persevere in the face of overwhelming challenge. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is an 'amazing' entry in what continues to be the 'ultimate' Spider-Man video game series. Awkward, perhaps forced parrying gimmick aside, the combat shines and improves upon what we saw with the 2018 entry or the Miles Morales spin-off game. NYC is beautiful, with Manhattan being thoughtfully joined by Queens and Brooklyn. The traversal has also never felt better, with the wingsuit serving Miles and Peter favorably as they traverse the expanded map. Speaking of the two spider-men, their relationship is certainly a highlight of the storytelling on display here. Yuri Lowenthal and Nadji Jeter deliver terrific performances throughout. The supporting cast also make meaningful contributions, and this game also provides the greatest Venom story outside of the comics, comfortably. Insomniac unfortunately found themselves falling into certain tropes with the means by which they deliver some of their storytelling, slowing down the action in ways that were at times ungraceful and non-contributory, but largely the overall journey is a fantastic one. I think it is fair to critique repetitive open world activities and what are functionally Interactable cutscenes (I.e. picking up trash around the house). Playing as Peter or Miles is necessary to do these characters justice, but we need to learn more about them when we assume their non-costumed roles... despite being a refreshingly brief AAA game, some of these sequences fluff the narrative without aspiring to be greater in their character building. However, I do not want to undermine just how incredible the minute-to-minute gameplay is for the vast majority of this title's runtime. Playing as Spider-Man has never felt better, and this game comfortably sits amongst the best super-hero games out there.

The spectacles, boss fights, twists, and set-pieces of the main narrative are amongst the best gaming experiences you can experience this year. Side quests are a bit disappointing in comparison, with a few prominent exceptions. They are surprisingly few in number, and a couple of the ones provided take you out of the shoes of the two Spider-Men without compelling reason. There still seems to be some reservation about pulling further from Spider-Man's rogue gallery for side quests, as well as a hesitation to provoke more elaborate storytelling within them. The point on abandoning Peter and Miles for side quests is the most frustrating of these nitpicks, given just how superb the core gameplay is here.

Yet still, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is one of the easiest games to recommend from this year. The action is kinetic, the experience is highly polished, and game demonstrates an enduring, loving respect for everything in the world of "Spider-Man."