The first Spider-Man was released five years ago and was a huge hit with gamers. The expectations for this sequel were therefore very high, but developer Insomniac really does not disappoint with this second work, which refines several aspects without distorting the formula and is one of the best games of the year.
Since it is a sequel to not just one but two titles, Spider-Man 2 offers a recap of the first Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales for those who haven’t played them yet or need to refresh their memory. From the first minutes we are immersed in an action scene worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster and take part in an absolutely spectacular and magnificent battle. Starring Kraven the Hunter, who comes to New York in search of his own prey, and Peter Parker’s contamination with a mysterious substance that gives him even greater powers than he already possesses, the rest of the campaign, which runs about thirty, continues It takes hours and at the end there are no wishes left unfulfilled.
For this long-awaited sequel, Insomniac Studios has completely doubled down on forces, giving us the opportunity to play as two Spider-Mans instead of just one. With the exception of certain missions that require a specific character, we can switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales at any time according to our preferences and the mood of the moment. Each hero has their own fighting style, different powers and their own skill tree with talents that can be unlocked as you gain experience and level up. There is also a shared skill tree where unlocked skills are assigned to both weavers at the same time.
Picture from the game
Combat in Spider-Man 2 is as fluid as ever, and dare I say, elegant. Beyond just hitting, blocking and dodging, we have access to a variety of combos as well as devastating blows once our concentration meter is full. We can use our web to project ourselves at an enemy from a distance, grab them and throw them into the air, trap an opponent and stick them to a surface, or throw objects from street furniture at those who attack us. Once you gain the powers of the black symbiote suit about halfway through the campaign, the clashes become even more intense.
This time the playing field is twice as large as in the first part and includes fourteen districts. It’s still exciting to move through New York at the end of your web, but Spider-Man 2 brings something new: small wings integrated into the two Spider-Men’s costumes, transforming them into wingsuits. Wind corridors, represented as circles in the air, cause us to gain altitude while gliding and cover longer distances. To make infiltration missions easier, the developers have also added the ability to stretch a rope high up where you want it, allowing you to be discreet and set traps unnoticed in crowded places. Enemies are armed to the teeth.
Picture from the game
Open world requires that there are a dozen different side activities in Spider-Man 2, such as photographing famous locations in the city or spontaneous moments of showing your soul, stopping crimes in progress and responding to requests for help from citizens the smartphone application, conduct scientific experiments, thwart the evil plans of the Fire Cult, find the technology warehouses of the Prowler, Miles’ uncle, or face virtual enemies in the mysteries. There are also collectibles such as crystals with memories of Flint Marko, also known as Sandman, or robot spiders. In addition to experience, all of these side quests reward us with resources with which we can improve our gadgets and costumes.
To adapt Peter Parker and Miles Morales to individual tastes, there are no less than seventy-eight different costumes, mostly inspired by Marvel comics and the numerous films starring the two Spider-Men. We appreciate that these are purchased with in-game currency and don’t succumb to the temptation of microtransactions. Beyond the simple cosmetic aspect, there is another new feature in the form of “outfit components”, updates that, once acquired, improve our health, the damage we deal, our speed or our concentration and which apply to all outfits. once they are activated. which gives the experience a little RPG touch.
Picture from the game
As is increasingly common with games of this generation, Spider-Man 2 offers a choice between two modes, one favoring graphical fidelity with 4K resolution and the other favoring performance, including renders that reach 60 frames per second. In both cases, the graphics are absolutely stunning and represent a significant improvement compared to the first work, especially thanks to the use of ray tracing. The experience isn’t perfect and I encountered a few bugs. For example, during a mission aboard a sinking ship, I lost control of Miles as he spun in circles and had to reload the last score backup, but overall the title runs quite smoothly.
While Xbox owners haven’t been particularly spoiled with exclusive titles this year, it’s quite the opposite on the Sony console side, and with Spider-Man 2 the platform strikes a big blow by offering a title that alone is worth purchasing justifies PS5.
9/10
Spider Man 2
developer : Sleepless games
editor : Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms : PS5 exclusive