Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a 2023 superhero game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the follow-up to Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018) and Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales (2022), focusing on both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they balance being Spider-Man and their personal lives. The game is played in the third-person perspective with the ability to switch between both Spider-Men, depending on the mission, and includes menus for their individual and combined skills. There are character-specific side quests, a well-developed map with quest points, a new flight-suit ability to travel quickly with the usage of wind tunnels, specific music per character, and a fast-travel option for those who don’t want to swing around. In this review we will dive into this incredible game and discuss the development process, features, how it plays/looks, and overall fan reception. This review will contain spoilers. 

The game was officially announced in September 2021 with Creative Director Bryan Inthihar, Game Director Ryan Smith, and narrative lead Jon Paquette. It was released on October 20th, 2023 to an exceptionally positive and enthusiastic reception. It quickly became PlayStation’s fastest selling first-party title and the best-selling PlayStation 5 game. Upon release, there were very few bugs discussed as everyone was more excited to play and did not care about any minor issues to arise (all of which were patched quickly). The only issue with the game release was that several influences had access to the game two weeks early and were sharing major spoilers, upsetting fans and causing issues amongst the community. The official Spider-Verse Twitter also dropped a huge Easter-Egg spoiler a few days after the game came out, which was embarrassing for them. Thankfully all were still able to enjoy the game and most avoided those spoilers. Remember,the rule is no spoilers for the first two weeks after release, then discuss what you want!

With the first Spider-Man game, many fans had issues with the times where you played as Mary Jane Watson, given her extreme limitations and stubbornness as a character. Despite protests, there were still playable moments in this game, but she was given a weapon so she wasn’t as useless. In contrast to her uptight character, there was also an opportunity to play as Hailey Cooper, during which there was no sound available to simulate what it is like to be deaf (even though we will never truly know and should appreciate this opportunity to learn). This game-play opportunity had better reception as she is a better-liked character and was realistic in what she was capable of doing, using her brain to navigate the construction and learning through what she saw. Peter’s Spider-Man has been maxed out with his abilities, so the game includes technology for him to utilize and eventually Venom skills and a skill-tree. Don’t worry, after losing Venom those skills are still accessible with the Anti-Venom suit that lives within Peter. Miles develops stronger venom shock abilities due to his interactions with Mr. Negative, and he is still working on developing his skills/instincts as Spider-Man. There are benefits to playing both characters and they are developed well for fighting and traversing the city. 

The main plot of the story is led to be Kraven and his band of hunters, but it is actually the story following Harry/Venom with Kraven being an instigator into this main plot. Peter and Miles have their own main plots and storylines to follow, adding depth to the game and more opportunities for exploration and character development. There are also some exciting easter-eggs and character cameos throughout the game, so let’s break down the main plot lines.

Peter Parker, our original Spider-Man, is struggling with payments for his new ownership of Aunt May’s house, maintaining a job/income due to his Spider-Man responsibilities, and rebuilding his relationship with MJ. He feels fairly powerless to everything around him, and saving the city as Spider-Man gives him the purpose he is constantly searching for. He is also still mentoring Miles as they face off against the countless enemies Peter has acquired over time. However, things are thrown for a loop as Harry reappears with an odd cure for his illness and Kraven the hunter comes to NYC for the challenge of a lifetime. Throughout the game, Peter’s story often seems to have moments where things are looking up and he believes he can handle everything, but it is quickly thrown for a loop as a new challenge presents itself. The biggest struggle he faces is the removal of the Symbiote, something that was poisoning his mind and supposedly saving Harry. He also starts to question his role as Spider-Man, wondering if he is needed now that Miles has a steady head for these challenges. 

Miles is facing many of the same struggles, however, trying to balance school, college applications, his personal life, and being Spider-Man. His mother is a huge role model for the community, and he wants to do good just like her as Spider-Man, but he has inner struggles that he is forced to face in this game. Though Kraven and Venom present the main challenges, Miles faces off with his hatred for Mr. Negative, the man who killed his father, and his relationship with Peter and a mentor/friend as Harry has returned. Miles shows great maturity in both these situations, being able to step back and make decisions not based on his wants, but based on what needs to be done for the situation. This growth was displayed well throughout the game and comes to head at the end when Peter asks Miles to take over for a bit. Miles feels like he has gotten things back on track and is ready to take his journey head-on. 

The first main plot focused on Kraven the Hunter, a man who lives for the hunt and desires what he considers to be an honorable death, to be killed by someone stronger. He has come to NYC to hunt the many villains of the city to find this challenge, killing a few and narrowly missing others. Sandman, Vulture, Electro, Shocker, Tombstone, the Lizard, Mr. Negative, and Black Cat are some of the villains he hunts and attempts to kill. He does not consider the Spiders to be a real threat until Peter ends up with the Venom symbiote, a beast amongst nature that Kraven believes is the fight he is looking for. While he is able to trigger the symbiote to a degree while Peter has it, Peter’s resistance to killing wins and Kraven does not get what he wants just yet. However, once Venom takes over Harry he hunts Kraven down, defeats him in battle, and gives him the honorable death he was seeking. Though it seems like the main story has come to head here, Venom’s quest is much larger than we were aware.

Venom’s true purpose is to create a symbiote nest out of the world, starting with New York and expanding once he collects the asteroid he came on. He begins infesting the citizens of New York as mindless drones and building nests all over the city the Spiders must destroy. The mindless drones consist of four colors that represent the children of Venom from the comics. Pink for Agony, Green for Lasher, Silver for Riot, and Yellow for Scream/Phage. Each drone slightly mimicked something about the symbiotes it was inspired by. If this wasn’t exciting enough, comic fans got an incredible cameo from Scream who Venom created off of MJ. While MJ is not a host of Scream in any of the comics, it was satisfying to see the fan-favorite symbiote and beat up MJ in the process. Through great struggle, Peter and Miles find a way to defeated Venom by unlocking a silent symbiote that lives within Peter: Anti-Venom, created from Mr. Negative’s powers that the symbiotes fear. With this new suit and Miles at his side, Peter is able to defeat Venom, but Harry is sent into a coma in the process and Norman’s resentment for the Spider-Men comes to head. 

Though things seem to be complete, with Venom defeated, Peter finding a new purpose, and Miles having a renewed sense of vigor, there are several things at the end of the game that easily lead into another. Norman is activating something called the “G-Serum” to save Harry, which will inevitably create the Green Goblin. Doc Oc is shown and is (potentially) plotting a new Sinister Six to defeat Spider-Man. Symbiote nests still exist, implying Venom is not actually destroyed, and Carnage is out there as well now. This is an exciting collection of enemies for fans to look forward to in the next game (or perhaps games?), but first we look to Wolverine as we wait for news on DLC’s or another game. 

In regards to the plot, I must point out that this story is not fully “original” as the game producers claimed. Harry has hosted Venom many times in the comics, Harry has also been ill many times in the comics, and Peter’s struggle with the suit is a classic story. Though there were good twists, such as MJ as Scream, it is not accurate for them to claim full originality and the real original stories should be honored. 

Easter Egg Moments! Comic fans might have noticed something suspicious about The Flame leader, and your suspicions were correct. This red-headed psychopath is Cletus Kassidy, going by one of his many aliases, and ends up with a part of the symbiote at the end that turns red, indicating Carnage is an upcoming enemy in a future game. The spoiler Tweet from Spider-Verse can be found by collecting all the Spider-Bots, where Peter is introduced to a bartender from one of the original Spider-Man games and is connected to the Spider-Verse films, the second of which he was featured in. The Sanctum Sanctorum is featured as Black Cat breaks in to use an item to travel wherever she wants, leaving Miles with a note from Wong and Strange thanking him for his help retrieving it.

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