Marvel's Spiderman 2 - A bittersweet action adventure
Marvel's Spiderman 2 is an emotional thriller which leaves you feeling uneasy and conflicted at the end of it. It follows both Spidermen, Peter and Miles, working together to save New York from their enemies. The story is mainly centralised around Peter, as we see him struggling with balancing his work, relationships, and being Spiderman. Miles on the other hand seems to be thriving, and enjoys being taken under Peter's wing.
Gameplay
Insomniac improved their gameplay in comparison to their previous Spiderman games (Marvel's Spiderman 1 and Marvel's Spiderman Miles Morales). The movements felt more silky, and there was a bit more combinations. I still felt that after a while, it got quite repetitive. Although, this could be attributed to the numerous fights Peter and Miles have. One other critique I have is that the fighting style remained the same regardless of the villain being fought.
The web swinging was still amazing. The addition of web-gliding was a big enhancement to the experience too. Previously, there was a lot of struggle when attempting to cross bodies of water. This made travelling to different areas for quests much easier. I never used the quick travel feature throughout the game.
One of the best moments in terms of gameplay was getting to play as Venom. It only lasted a short while, but it was perfect. It was fun, and also showcased how strong the character was.
Story (SPOILERS)
Both Peter and Miles in this game have a lot of character development. We see Peter go through a lot of struggle, which is made significantly worse when he is infected by the symbiote. The symbiote negatively affects his relationships, primarily MJ and Harry. We see him unable to break off from the symbiote alone, but instead requiring the help of Miles to forcefully remove it in combat. Whilst many viewers had an issue with this, I thought it made more sense. It not only humanises Peter, but it also helps Miles with his confidence.
The two main villains in the game, Kraven and Harry (Venom), really deliver in terms of strength and genuinely make it hard for the audience to see how they can be defeated. Harry as Venom also adds to this difficulty as Peter is conflicted and heartbroken from fighting his best friend.
Miles deals with his own issues in the game too. One prominent was his encounter with Martin Li, who was responsible for the death of his father. He wants to seek out revenge, but during the game needs to work alongside him to defeat Venom. He learns to put his emotions aside for the greater good, which is crucial for his development into a responsible Spiderman.
Visuals & Animations
The illustrations in this game were above standard. There were very high expectations due to Venom being introduced. Whilst the scenes with Venom delivered, there were others which didn't have as much detail. Some of Miles' cutscenes felt more rushed and there was less attention to detail. However, this was still an upgrade in comparison to the previous game.
Acting
The voice acting in this game was top-notch. In particular, the voice actor for Peter Parker delivered on the emotional scenes. Peter's highs and lows are conveyed very well with just voice. MJ's voice actor also puts in a great performance too. In particular when she is infected with the symbiote, and has a significant personality and physical change. Norman and Harry also show their emotional sides towards the end of the game. The desperation to cure Harry is shown through their voices and leaves the audience feeling bad for the 'villains'.
Final thoughts
Spiderman 2 is Insomniac's best story yet. They delivered and lived up to the hype that the trailer set. The visuals were stunning and the gameplay was fun and silky. The animations could have had a bit more attention to detail, but overall, this was highly enjoyable.
Verdict: 8/10
