The first two Marvel's Spider-Man games are VERY important to me. The first Spider-Man media I ever experienced was Into the Spiderverse and obviously I loved it but it didn't really make me a Spider-Man fan. Marvel's Spider-Man and Miles Morales did. Playing these games introduced to a whole new world or superpowers, fun characters, and genuine heart that I had never experienced anywhere else before. To put it simply, the first game made me fall in love with the Spider-Man franchise.
And now I've seen all the movies, watched multiple of the shows, and even read many comics including the entire Ultimate Spider-Man run. And it's all thanks to the og, so needless to say, it being my second favorite game of all time is well deserved and I was extremely hyped about the sequel.
At the very end of July in 2023 I left home to go to Navy bootcamp. The release date had just been announced for Spider-Man 2 and it was releasing the very same day I was to graduate as long as I wasn't held back for any reason. No matter how bad it got I never stopped trying to make it no matter how difficult it got because I know at the end of it all, when I had made it, this game would be waiting for me at the end. And I did.
So did the game live up to the hype? I think it did.
It's heavily flawed in many ways that stop it from being objectively perfect like the other two were but from a subjective point of view I was always going to love it. I spend a lot of time comparing it to the origianl obviously and in many ways it doesn't stand up next to it.
I think my main issue is that the game doesn't focus as much on telling a really heartfelt and mature story the same way the first game did. While this game doesn't focus as much on the emotion is goes hard on the hype. This game's story is kind of dumb I'll be honest but oh man is it fun. It doesn't feel as much as it trying to tell a compelling superhero story but instead feeding you references, cool character interactions, and just frankly awesome moments. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the heart that the first game had but when the alternative is something that is making me smile this much, I think I'll manage. Plus, These sidequests will give you all the emotion you need. I'm going to talk about Howard in a minute.
The gameplay has also been improved in many ways. Web swinging is crazy fast now and I love it. The web wings at first didn't look like a big deal to me when I first saw the reveal but in practice oh my god are they fun. the traversal in this game is easily the best of the trilogy so far which is a shame bcause I just fast travel everywhere now because DUUUUUUUDE the way you just zoom into the map with NO load screens mid swing makes me melt everytime. It's so cool. The combat however has kind of taken a downgrade. Nothing big but it feels like every interaction as you play becomes either a big horde group fight with too many guys that you just spam the attack button on, or a super difficult boss that will beat the absolute shit out of you because up to this point in the series none of the bosses have ever been that difficult. It's all the same and it gets old quick. Especially when you're in the endgame and all the generic enemies get an insane amount of health. Not bad since it's basically just the same as the previous two with a few big changes that ultimately don't really change all that much.
Time to talk about the sidequests. I really like most of them. The Cleatus Cassidy stuff is cool, the quests where you play as regular Peter Parker are unironically really fun and do a lot for Peter's character, and Miles has stuff to do somewhere I'm sure. But of course the real highlight is Howard. I won't talk about it too much but I lost my dad only days after I played this mission, and the themes it discusses and the song, seabird, helped me through it.
This game isn't perfect. Its no where near as great as the first. But it means a lot to me. I love this game flaws and all. It was obviously rushed in most areas and has a plot that feels incomplete and unsatisfying in ways but in the moments that it doesn't hold back on the emotion its extremely heartfelt. And when it is holding back on the gutpunches, its extremely awesome and just pure fun. And in all honesty, that's all I need it to be. Fun.
Objectivley this game is a 7/10. Subjectivley though its a perfect 10/10.
And now I've seen all the movies, watched multiple of the shows, and even read many comics including the entire Ultimate Spider-Man run. And it's all thanks to the og, so needless to say, it being my second favorite game of all time is well deserved and I was extremely hyped about the sequel.
At the very end of July in 2023 I left home to go to Navy bootcamp. The release date had just been announced for Spider-Man 2 and it was releasing the very same day I was to graduate as long as I wasn't held back for any reason. No matter how bad it got I never stopped trying to make it no matter how difficult it got because I know at the end of it all, when I had made it, this game would be waiting for me at the end. And I did.
So did the game live up to the hype? I think it did.
It's heavily flawed in many ways that stop it from being objectively perfect like the other two were but from a subjective point of view I was always going to love it. I spend a lot of time comparing it to the origianl obviously and in many ways it doesn't stand up next to it.
I think my main issue is that the game doesn't focus as much on telling a really heartfelt and mature story the same way the first game did. While this game doesn't focus as much on the emotion is goes hard on the hype. This game's story is kind of dumb I'll be honest but oh man is it fun. It doesn't feel as much as it trying to tell a compelling superhero story but instead feeding you references, cool character interactions, and just frankly awesome moments. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the heart that the first game had but when the alternative is something that is making me smile this much, I think I'll manage. Plus, These sidequests will give you all the emotion you need. I'm going to talk about Howard in a minute.
The gameplay has also been improved in many ways. Web swinging is crazy fast now and I love it. The web wings at first didn't look like a big deal to me when I first saw the reveal but in practice oh my god are they fun. the traversal in this game is easily the best of the trilogy so far which is a shame bcause I just fast travel everywhere now because DUUUUUUUDE the way you just zoom into the map with NO load screens mid swing makes me melt everytime. It's so cool. The combat however has kind of taken a downgrade. Nothing big but it feels like every interaction as you play becomes either a big horde group fight with too many guys that you just spam the attack button on, or a super difficult boss that will beat the absolute shit out of you because up to this point in the series none of the bosses have ever been that difficult. It's all the same and it gets old quick. Especially when you're in the endgame and all the generic enemies get an insane amount of health. Not bad since it's basically just the same as the previous two with a few big changes that ultimately don't really change all that much.
Time to talk about the sidequests. I really like most of them. The Cleatus Cassidy stuff is cool, the quests where you play as regular Peter Parker are unironically really fun and do a lot for Peter's character, and Miles has stuff to do somewhere I'm sure. But of course the real highlight is Howard. I won't talk about it too much but I lost my dad only days after I played this mission, and the themes it discusses and the song, seabird, helped me through it.
This game isn't perfect. Its no where near as great as the first. But it means a lot to me. I love this game flaws and all. It was obviously rushed in most areas and has a plot that feels incomplete and unsatisfying in ways but in the moments that it doesn't hold back on the emotion its extremely heartfelt. And when it is holding back on the gutpunches, its extremely awesome and just pure fun. And in all honesty, that's all I need it to be. Fun.
Objectivley this game is a 7/10. Subjectivley though its a perfect 10/10.