Marvel's Spider-Man 2

***Marvel's Spider-Man 2*** is an action-adventure video game based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the third overall entry in the *Marvel's Spider-Man* series, acting as a sequel to *Marvel's Spider-Man* (2018), as well as a direct continuation of events from its DLC expansion *The City That Never Sleeps* and the standalone spin-off *Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales* (2020). A prequel comic was released on May 1, 2023, ahead of the game's planned release date.

## Gameplay

### Overview

*Marvel's Spider-Man 2* explores different locations within New York City besides outer Manhattan, such as Queens, Brooklyn, and Coney Island. Both Peter Parker and Miles Morales are playable as Spider-Men, with a different set of abilities: Peter Parker can use two different suit powers between Iron Arms and Symbiotes to gives him abilities that greatly improve his combat prowess and ability to defeat multiple goons at once, while Miles Morales has his unique abilities such as Camouflage invisibility and his venom-blast.

Additionally, the bar-based Focus-system return from the first game, meaning Miles' Bio Electric Venom Power from his spin-off game being integrated to L1-based Power Gauge system alongside the Peter's own Power Gauge system.

### Traversal

Traversal mechanics have been expanded since the original *Marvel's Spider-Man*. The ability to propel forward by using webs as a slingshot allows Peter and Miles to travel faster through the city. Additionally, both of their suits now have "Web Wings", which allow them to glide through the city.

### Equipment

The Spider-Men have access to new gadgets, including a gadget that can create a web to tightrope across, and a mine that can pull at least three enemies toward it at once, taking out multiple enemies at a time.

### Suits

Suit Powers from the first game and both Visor and Suit Mods from *Miles Morales* are replaced with selectable alternate color palettes, **Suit Style**. As a result, almost every suit has unique features, depending on which suits Spider-Men wore since one of the two returning suits (namely Programmable Matter and Bodega Cat Suits) from *Miles Morales*.

For Peter Parker, after gaining the power of symbiotes, Symbiote Surge transformation ability will temporarily change his suit to a symbiote suit for a short period. While entering Symbiote Surge, Peter will start out wearing a a rage form of his Venom Symbiote Suit in the Act 2, before being replaced with wearing Anti-Venom Symbiote Suit as of Act 3. Nevertheless, both rage forms of the Venom and Anti-Venom Symbiote Suits can still be unlocked as selectable normal suits without needing to enter Symbiote Surge.

## Synopsis

### Setting

The Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, enter a new chapter in their lives as they balance their responsibilities as protectors of Marvel's New York. As Harry Osborn, Peter's best friend, returns into his life and Miles looks to build his future beyond high school. The relationship between our heroes is tested and strained as the Symbiote appear to threaten them, the city and the ones close to them.

### Plot

Peter Parker starts his first day as a teacher at Miles Morales' school, but they are interrupted by an attack by Flint Marko, requiring both of them to subdue him. Peter is fired for abandoning the class and returns to his Aunt May's home in Queens, which he has moved in following May's death. Both Peter and Mary Jane are surprised to see Harry Osborn, who has miraculously recovered from his terminal illness. Harry offers to hire Peter to work at his new startup, the Emily-May Foundation, so they can "heal the world." Meanwhile, Miles tries to write his college application essay and learns that his mother Rio has begun dating.

When Peter and Miles go to oversee a transfer of some of the Raft's inmates, they witness an attack by Kraven the Hunter and his forces, who capture the Scorpion and Martin Li. Investigating Kraven, Peter discovers that he is capturing super-powered individuals to hunt them for sport. Having already killed the Scorpion, Kraven attempts to capture Felicia Hardy next, but the Spider-Men protect and help her escape to Paris. While visiting Coney Island in an attempt to reconnect, Peter, Mary Jane and Harry witness Kraven's hunters attack the park to capture Tombstone. Harry assists Peter in rescuing civilians caught in the crossfire, and learns about his double life while also revealing that he was cured by a black organic symbiote that physically augments his body.

With his powers rapidly developing, Harry decides to help Peter rescue Tombstone while Mary Jane discovers that Curt Connors has been kidnapped by Kraven. Peter and Harry attempt to save Connors, but are too late to prevent Kraven from forcibly turning him back into his Lizard form. Connors escapes while Peter is mortally wounded by Kraven, though he is saved by Harry's symbiote, which transfers itself to his body. After Peter confronts Kraven in his new black suit, which augments his powers, the latter develops an interest in hunting him personally.

After Peter and Harry synthesize an antidote for Connors, the former tracks Connors down with Miles' help, and is eventually able to defeat and cure him. Upon seeing Peter wear the exosuit, Connors explains that it is in fact a sentient alien symbiote and warns him to destroy it, but Peter, under the symbiote's influence, refuses. Meanwhile, Miles is captured by Kraven and forced to fight Li to the death. Overcoming his anger towards Li for killing his father, Miles helps him escape and directs him to find Peter. Upon being informed of Miles' location by Li, Peter arrives to rescue him and nearly kills Kraven before Miles intervines, convincing Peter to remove the symbiote.

Peter takes the symbiote to Oscorp to destroy it, but a desperate Harry, whose illness has returned, intercepts him and takes back possession of the symbiote, which transforms him into Venom. Venom escapes and battles Kraven, whom he overpowers and kills. Under the symbiote's influence, Harry then decides to "heal the world" by infecting it with symbiotes, beginning with New York. As Peter and Miles attempt to stop the symbiote invasion, the former is infected by another symbiote, but is able to tame it with the help of Miles and Li. Meanwhile, Venom recovers the meteorite that originally brought the symbiote to Earth, which allows him to speed up his invasion. Peter and Miles distract Venom while Mary Jane steals the meteorite and destroys it with a particle accelerator, which also destroys all the symbiotes, including Venom.

In the aftermath, Harry is saved but rendered comatose, which prompts Norman Osborn to order that the "G-serum" be used on him. Mary Jane quits her job at the *Daily Bugle* to run her own podcast and moves in with Peter, who decides to take a break from being Spider-Man to focus on rebuilding the Emily-May Foundation, trusting Miles to protect the city as its sole Spider-Man. Osborn visits an imprisoned Otto Octavius at the Raft to demand the secret identity of the Spider-Men, whom he blames for Harry's condition; Octavius refuses to disclose it, taking glee in Osborn's suffering as he writes his "final chapter." Meanwhile, Miles meets Rio's new boyfriend, Albert Moon, who introduces them to his daughter Cindy.

## Soundtrack

The soundtrack contains most of the music that is featured in the game. It was composed by John Paesano, featuring artists Ben Billions, EarthGang, Benji. and Surkin. It was released digitally on October 20, 2023 with 21 tracks.

## Versions

### Digital Deluxe Edition

The Digital Deluxe Edition of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 includes 10 exclusive suits (5 for Peter and 5 for Miles), additional Photo Mode frames and stickers, and 2 additional skill points.

### Collector's Edition

The Collector's Edition includes a voucher for the Digital Deluxe Edition, a Steelbook case, and a 19-inch statue of Peter and Miles battling Venom.

## Reception

### Critical reception

*Marvel's Spider-Man 2* received very positive criticism. Comparing it favorably to its predecessor, critics stated it improved on the original across the board in terms of gameplay mechanics, and were particularly impressed with the story. However, some criticism was aimed at areas in which it borrowed too heavily from, or improved too little on, the original.

The story was a particular point of praise. Simon Cardy, writing for *IGN*, praised how the story handles the work/life balance of both Spider-Man and covering many themes without "tonal thwip-lash", calling it the "best written story in the series yet, with performances worthy of the script". Matt Miller, writing for *Game Informer*, agreed, comparing it favorably to the best comic book stories and praising the questions it asks about one returning from a dark place and having another chance. Writing for *GameSpot*, Jordan Ramée called the finale "simultaneously epic and heart-wrenching", and enjoyed how the story explored how loneliness affects its characters including among the minor villains.

Critics also praised the improvements in gameplay over the original, while noting similarities to the first. Joe Donnelly of *GamesRadar+* praised the more organic process of unlocking the districts of New York City. Ramée of *GameSpot* praised the combat improvements but noticed a missed opportunity to make the Spider-Men more distinct. Chris Tapsell of *Eurogamer* noted that Mary Jane's playable sections were "nowhere near as bad" as the first game, but "still a little rudimentary". Cardy of *IGN* noted improvements throughout the gameplay but felt the side content was lacking, calling it "open-world filler" and comparing it unfavorably to the *Batman: Arkham* series.

The game was lauded also for its technical accomplishments. Donnelly of *GamesRadar* said that Manhattahn in the original game, while impressive at the time, feels empty in comparison to *Marvel's Spider-Man 2*. Cardy of *IGN* also praised the near-instant load times seen in the fast travel. Ramée of *GameSpot* noted that the improved facial mocap of *Marvel's Spider-Man 2* was "far ahead" of the previous two games, helping sell the storyline.

### Commercial performance

The game sold 2.5 million copies in its first 24 hours, making it the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios launch title.

## Citations

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 PlayStation May 2023
2. ↑ OpenCritic 2023
3. ↑ Metacritic 2023
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tapsell 2023
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Miller 2023
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Donnelly 2023
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Ramée 2023
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Cardy 2023
9. ↑ PlayStation October 2023

## References

* PlayStation [@PlayStation] (2023, May 24). *Marvel's Spider-Man 2 - Gameplay Reveal | PS5 Games* [Video]. YouTube.
* Cardy, Simon (2023, October 16). "Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Review". From *IGN*. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023.
* Donnelly, Joe (2023, October 16). "Marvel's Spider-Man 2 review: "Quite simply the best superhero game yet"". From *GamesRadar+*. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023.
* Miller, Matt (2023, October 16). "Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Review". From *Game Informer*. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023.
* Ramée, Jordan (2023, October 16). "Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Review - Web Warriors". From *GameSpot*. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023.
* Tapsell, Chris (2023, October 16). "Marvel's Spider-Man 2 review - cluttered but no less lovable action". From *Eurogamer*. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023.
* PlayStation [@playstation] (2023, October 23). *Great news, Spidey fans -- Marvel's #SpiderMan2PS5 has sold more than 2.5 million copies in the first 24 hours. Thanks for making this a high-flying launch!* [Tweet]. Twitter.
* (n.d.) . "Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Reviews". From *OpenCritic*. Accessed October 16, 2023. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023.
* (n.d.) . "Marvel's Spider-Man 2". From *Metacritic*. Accessed October 16, 2023. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023.