It’s hard to remember now, but Peter Parker was definitely having a case of the old “Parker Luck” when it came to video games not so long ago. There have been great Spider-Man games in the past, but there has been a run of mediocre titles. But then Insomniac, the studio behind the Ratchet and Clank series, gave their take on the web-slinger in Marvel’s Spider-Man back in 2018. The rest, as they say, is history. Even in a year filled with winners, Spider-Man was a standout, with great, fast-paced combat, butter-smooth traversal, and a story with more emotional depth than most movies about the character. Its follow-up, about a new Spider-Man, Miles Morales, was also a great time, with all the same strengths.

Now, in 2023, Insomniac has released, at long last, a follow-up to both of those games starring both Spider-Men: Spider-Man 2. And, while at times it struggles to live up to the lofty standard of the previous titles, it’s still a captivating adventure that’s easy for any fan of the characters to get swept up in.

Not Broken, But Not Fixed Either

Spider-Man 2 is, without question, a great time. Swinging and zipping through New York, or using the much-advertised Wing-Suit, is still one of the best open-world traversal systems in recent years that calls to mind one’s first-time free-running in Assassin’s Creed. Combat has also been deepened, with both Miles and Peter getting lots of new abilities. That’s not even touching on how seamlessly the player can switch between both characters and the almost Grand Theft Auto V level of interaction with the world. For example, playing as one Spider-Man, you can intervene in a crime, only for the other Spider-Man to show up for help. It sounds almost perfect, doesn’t it? There is, however, one fly in the ointment. Even though the developers give the player a few new toys and mechanics, the actual gameplay does not feel different enough. 

The map, as advertised, is twice the size of the original game, but none of the new districts feel distinct from what was here before. It’s just bigger, not better. This extends to the side activities, which are all variations of what players were already doing in the last two games. It doesn’t matter if Spider-Man 2 calls them hunters, symbiotes, or sandman remnants if all you’re doing is clearing an outpost. This is most disappointing when one of the many great villains in the Spider-Man canon is added, only for them to get nothing to do. Mysterio is given his own type of side quest, but it’s just a slightly dressed-up version of the Taskmaster challenges in the first game.

This isn’t true across the board. One area in which this game excels is in enemy variety. There are many different types of foes both Spider-Men will be fighting, with unique strengths and weaknesses. Also, even if none of them are new and groundbreaking, the side missions remain fun. It’s not any less fun to swing through the city or web up an opponent and punch them up into the air in 2023 than it was in 2018, but if Insomniac is going to continue this series further (and that certainly looks to be the case) more new ideas are sorely needed.