Finished it today and really enjoyed it. I think they did a good job of having it be a team-up game between Peter/Miles but still make it feel like Peters game in the end.
When changing "origins" for characters and deviating from iconic stories, you have to be able to hit it out of the park and I think they did that here with Venom. They were smart to allow us to play him shortly, it was a fun change.
Congratulations on securing a Playstation 5/copy of Spider-Man 2! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the game. Honestly, I was pretty much in the same boat on the morning of October 20th. haha I took three PTO days off from work and just grinded the hell out of the game. I think I ended up logging 15 hours the first day and only stopped because my wireless controller ended up dying. (On that note, I ended up snagging a limited edition Spider-Man 2 controller and my brother and his wife were kind enough to, somehow, snag me the disc console plates.) It's honestly a thing of beauty. I was underwhelmed when I saw them at release and was like, "That's it? It's so simple." But seeing them in person definitely hits different. haha
I have A LOT I want to discuss about this game but have been holding off for more people to have time to play it; as well as trying to refrain from accidentally spoiling things. (In case I miss a spoiler tag on something.)
My first impressions of the game, I was blown away. I honestly couldn't believe what I was playing/how far Insomniac Games has come as a studio. I remember having the opportunity to have lunch with the design team when Resistance 3 was releasing, back in 2011, and driving in Drew Murray's car with all of them. I told them, "One day you guys are going to be mentioned in the same breath as Naughty Dog."
*At that time, in 2011, Insomniac was a studio a lot of people were sleeping on/weren't very supportive of. It's been an incredible journey seeing them becoming essentially a household name and being revered amongst the industry. I think their work on Spider-Man (2018) was nothing short of phenomenal and I had very high expectations going into Spider-Man 2.
When all my friends and family were contacting me the day of asking how the game was and what I thought of it...being a HUGE Spider-Man fan all my life, people knew how special/important this day was for me. haha I couldn't help but tell them, "This game is everything I could have wanted it to be and so much more."
Unfortunately, as time has passed and I've completed the game 100% six times now...yeah, I've probably logged around 112 hours into it...I can't help but begin to notice all of the games shortcomings and what I was willing to let slide/shrug off. One of my best friends told me he hated the game and that it was no where near the quality of the first game. I honestly wasn't comparing the two at the time as I was simply looking at the package that was given and nothing more. Now looking at the game objectively and really analyzing it...
- How does it compare to the first game.
- What mechanics are missing.
- What was promised by the designers/developers and their inspiration for the story.
- Continuity and how this one fits in the Insomniac mythology.
- So much more...
I can't help but feel that I'm starting to notice all of the games "cracks". It's unfortunate I waited this long to post this particular topic/discuss the game because, in light of recent events, I guess social media thinks its the "cool thing" to hate on this game? Very strange turn of events considering it was one of the most highly anticipated games of 2023 and managed to sell a whopping 5 million copies within its launch window.
I do see and understand though a lot of the criticisms that people have regarding this game. There are a multitude of topics I want to discuss but also want to refrain from the post becoming a massive wall of text. Right now, I'll just choose one thing to discuss and then gradually cover the other topics. For the first topic at hand, I want to discuss...
The Story:In your guys' opinion, how do you feel Spider-Man 2's story stacks up in comparison to the first game?
Even upon my initial/first play through, I couldn't help but feel as though something were "off" when playing. I definitely agree with the criticism that it felt as though there really wasn't a "connective tissue" with the objectives/missions. A lot of them felt kind of random and while I personally don't have any problems with the school missions, the Hailey mission, etc etc I do however feel as though they were "out of place". I feel if this would have been a Miles Morales 2, then they could have had more time to breathe/be integrated into the game more organically than how they were delivered. It just felt kind of odd in light of everything transpiring in the game and I never really felt that way with the first games missions.
I was really excited to see Insomniac's take on the black suit/symbiote arc but, to be honest, I can't help but feel they didn't quite stick the landing as well as they could/should have. It's really difficult critiquing something of this nature because a lot of things are easier said than done. I'm trying to refrain from sounding like an arm chair game developer but there was so much potential and promise for this storyline that they unfortunately never "went there". I've been reading and listening to a lot of the post game release discussions from the designers and their philosophies and how they approached this particular storyline. Honestly a lot of it is super fascinating and I wish games would go back to the 2002-2005 era of special content where behind the scenes features would be included with the game.
I loved hearing Insomniac Games talk about their inspiration for the black suit was essentially addiction and how it corrupts and takes over/changes people and effects those around them. However taking that into account and then seeing what was presented, I never truly felt that from this particular storyline. Insomniac was afraid of making Peter unlikable and tried teetering the line of how far is too far but...I think as Spider-Man fans we can all agree that no matter what terrible thing he does while wearing the suit, we know it's not Peter who is in control/his judgement is clouded. I feel they should've really double downed on this concept and done something akin to the 90's animated iteration/Spectacular Spider-Man. There were bits and pieces but it wasn't fully utilized like it could have been. (At least in my opinion.)
I think having a story of this caliber really suffered from having two Spider-Men. I know that was a selling point and I do personally love what Insomniac is doing with their iteration of Miles but...I was afraid they were going to include him in this installment. I feel each Spider-Men should be the center piece of their own games and the other should just have a small supporting role. It really takes away from the streamlined nature of the game jumping between each Spider-Men. (At least in my opinion.) Looking at how near flawless the first games storyline was, this one just was trying to juggle too many things and almost handles it successfully but quality and delivery definitely took a hit. I personally feel the game should have solely focused on Peter and how the symbiote was effecting him. There really wasn't much of that in this game...not like "Web of Shadows" where, while still one of my personal least favorite Spider-Man iterations, it would've been nice for Insomniac to have taken their story to those depths/levels.
The symbiote suit kind of felt cosmetic the more time you spend with it. That was one thing Bryan Intihar stated why the suit wasn't included in the 2018 version...they wanted to tell an Insomniac story and really make the suit feel earned. I personally feel they should have allowed Peter to have more "control" or at least the illusion of it. Similar to Spider-Man 3, it would've been nice to see him kind of losing himself to this power and energy that he's been given. That's an area I feel falls short in the "addiction" inspiration where...
Peter isn't able to give Harry back the suit.
In my opinion, I think there should have or could have been the illusion that Peter could give the suit back to Harry at any time. That, to me, feels more akin to their addiction story as opposed to what we got. With addicts, they have sometimes this false sense or notion that they can "stop" whenever they want. Sometimes though that's unfortunately not the case and they do need help/an outside source to help. I think it makes the story more tragic where Peter could give Harry back the suit at any time but he's losing himself to the power and energy it provides. It would've been cool, albeit sad, to see Harry deteriorating because of Peter's selfishness and keeping the suit. That's very uncharacteristic of Peter in that he always puts everyone before himself but in this instance it juxtaposes that. Having the suit and him continually say things like, "I'll give it back after this mission." or "I need the suit to take down these cultists or the Lizard and then I'll give it back." That, to me, is a better representation of addiction and how he's losing himself and who he is to this instance. It also conveys how those around us and the ones we love suffer because of our actions and choices when not thinking clearly.
To me, it was a missed opportunity because this game began tackling very dark and macabre themes but never decided to deliver or push the envelope. I understand that it's a Spider-Man game at the end of the day but, man, Spider-Man has had a lot of dark comics/themes they touch on in the comics from the 80's-90's that I grew up with as a kid in the 90's and early 2000's. While difficult topics, I feel the writers at the time really allowed me to comprehend and better understand certain topics because of their delivery.
One of my controversial takes of this game probably would be...I feel like they should've pulled a The Last of Us Part II with the Peter and Miles fight. You should've started the fight as Miles and Peter should've been A LOT harder to dispatch than what he was. As you're winning and about to, the perspective should've shifted to Peter and you should have fought Miles. It would feel uncomfortable for sure but emotionally I feel like it would hit in the sense that Peter wasn't upholding his promise to always protect Miles. That further pushes the narrative of the symbiotes control over Peter and how he's so much stronger. That was something I didn't particular care for is that if the symbiote was supposed to make him so special/strong, Miles literally doesn't need a symbiote and pretty much bested Peter. The power dynamic of the two is unfortunately such a shift and a disservice to the character of Peter. That's the next topic I'd like to discuss but I'll wait to hear your guys' thoughts and opinions on the story and how it compares to the first.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 developer Insomniac Games has thanked the community for its support at The Game Awards 2023.
www.playstationlifestyle.net
Yeah I don't complaints of this not winning anything. Imo, a goty nomination is a great achievement enough. An actual award win is just a bonus. There are plenty of Goty winners, that I find less enjoyable compare to the games that were just nominated.
The only award that Spider-Man 2 was nominated for that I was sort of bummed out about it not winning was Best Performance for Yuri Lowenthal but as good as he was especially with Symbiote-influenced Peter in this, I still thought his performance was stronger in the first game. Especially during those last scenes with Ock and then May. But even then there was no chance of him winning against Christopher "Kratos" Judge that year. I'd just like to see him win something for it because his Spidey is up there with Christopher Daniel Barnes for me as far as voice performance goes.
Also, the year is officially over in 3 weeks. Where's that New Game+ update?
I hope they fix the random crimes citizen with the head phones. It's literally him everytime you have to get them to the ambulance. Small but annoying lol.
I'll take a Venom game over DLC in this case. It's kinda lame that there's no DLC at all planned for Spider-Man 2 but at the same time it's not like the DLC for the first game was anything to write home about. That said, I hope they at least continue to add suits to the game.
Overall it sucks that the leak happened but from a "glass half full" perspective it's a solid lineup they've got planned.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 developer Insomniac Games has thanked the community for its support at The Game Awards 2023.
www.playstationlifestyle.net
Yeah I don't complaints of this not winning anything. Imo, a goty nomination is a great achievement enough. An actual award win is just a bonus. There are plenty of Goty winners, that I find less enjoyable compare to the games that were just nominated.
A recent ransomware attack on Insomniac Games has led to more than one million files being leaked online, including information about three potential free DLCs to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Internal documents and slides that were published online detail three separate free DLC expansions for the game. The first, titled “Beetle Infestation,” seems to star the low-level Spider-Man villain Beetle and will include an open-world mission and boss fight. The next DLC, titled “Extreme Carnage,” will likely continue the Carnage storyline that Spider-Man 2 teased in one of its side missions. This will be followed up by “Spider-Verse Anomaly,” a partnered DLC between Insomniac Games and Sony Pictures that will include Spider-Verse NPCs and villains, Spider-Verse missions, and a Spider-Verse visual filter.
All three DLCs seem to be planned for 2024, although it’s currently unclear what the plans are for them following the leak. The company hasn’t acknowledged the veracity of the leaks as of now, so it’s unknown what will and won’t be happening in the future.
From SHH home page. I really hope it still releases.
It's legit, it's one of a bunch of slides that were part of the leak. Not posting the image in case it's against SHH's rules. But if the concept art is to go by
It's legit, it's one of a bunch of slides that were part of the leak. Not posting the image in case it's against SHH's rules. But if the concept art is to go by
Beetle looks cool
Proably best they leave it for DLC. I'd rather the main story for SM3 be more gounded and
Weren't the leaks suggesting SM3 could be divided into 2 parts? I mean, yeah, both Ock and GG are massive villains, but only one of them is a new one. And yeah, they have plenty of unseen villains to pick, but the major ones are done, and also now dead or retired.
That's why I wonder what they have in mind for SM3 to be that big and to top the first 2, because the bar is high. I thought the multiverse could be there.
Weren't the leaks suggesting SM3 could be divided into 2 parts? I mean, yeah, both Ock and GG are massive villains, but only one of them is a new one. And yeah, they have plenty of unseen villains to pick, but the major ones are done, and also now dead or retired.
That's why I wonder what they have in mind for SM3 to be that big and to top the first 2, because the bar is high. I thought the multiverse could be there.
The leaks did allude that yea but 2nd game (which was to be an online multiverse game) was cancelled and was only in early stages. And honestly you can tell a big story without it having world/universe ending stakes. So if this is going to be the last Spidey game (cause I doubt Insomniac is going to do these forever), I'd rather them go them not go that route. We already have had the mutliverse as a focus in movies and TV shows, so I'd rather them go with a more back to basics to to speak. Don't mind side quests here and there though. Though with all the leaks, it's possible things could change between now and then, so who knows.
The leaks did allude that yea but 2nd game (which was to be an online multiverse game) was cancelled and was only in early stages. And honestly you can tell a big story without it having world/universe ending stakes. So if this is going to be the last Spidey game (cause I doubt Insomniac is going to do these forever), I'd rather them go them not go that route. We already have had the mutliverse as a focus in movies and TV shows, so I'd rather them go with a more back to basics to to speak. Don't mind side quests here and there though. Though with all the leaks, it's possible things could change between now and then, so who knows.
I don't think they need a world ending stake to top the previous ones. I was thinking more about the the cast of villains. One that tops the previous ones and keeps the bar and hype up. It's the final game after all. And with the exception of GG, I can't think of many big names left. And they cannot bring most of the previous ones back because they're done.
Also, they've established a personal relationship between Peter, Ock and Osborn. Miles is kind of left out here. So I thought while Peter would be busy with them, Miles would be with Multiverse. And I want to play as Gwen too :smilingeyes:
Thanks to a generous gift from family, I now have a PS5 and played Spider-Man 2. It is good. Swinging around is better than ever, going faster in a larger and better looking New York. I rarely use the fast travel system, but you have to do it at least once to marvel at how quick and seamless it is. There is some impressive stuff going on under the hood no doubt.
It's weird when you're looking at a sequel though. With so much ground-work laid, there isn't much room to improve and innovate, and it comes down to the small changes. Though I've mostly had a fun time, I don't think SM2 has done very much to improve the formula. The tweaks/additions can be a bit of a mixed bag.
First, the character switching. I admire the ambition, and playing as both Spider-Men is fine by me. There were times when it flowed well and it brought something to the experience. Not often though. It mostly felt like a headache to me. Switching more often made the story feel more cluttered and wrecked the pacing. Miles seemed to lose in the shuffle quite often, and side content felt even more like a distraction while I was juggling both characters. Now the story is over, I'm free to sweep up the remaining challenges as the relevant characters. Some can be done by either but feel like they should be done by one or the other. It was only after the story that it felt appropriate to do it. I did some quests as symbiote Peter that obviously should have come earlier because he was in a better mood.
The Wingsuit is probably the biggest single addition to the sandbox, and I like it fine. I don't really like using it instead of webs, and maybe it's a bit too useful as a replacement; but I imagine it is mostly here so you can travel over the larger bodies of water, which is a good choice. Can't complain about an additional option. It functions pretty well too.
Extra powers. The Miles Morales game added his venom abilities to combat and they fit in really well. The problem here is that Peter doesn't have an obvious gimmick of his own. The symbiote suit fills the slot nicely, however it only really makes sense for a limited portion of the game. The iron arms are just kinda borng to me, so it was an underwhelming skillset to use. This element is the key one that differentiates the player characters. I think more could have been done to make each guy play feel unique.
The Gadgets have been streamlined which is okay as there were a few random ones last time around, especially the later unlocks that abandoned the web theme entirely. I miss a couple that have been removed tough. Seems like it would have been fairly easy to have a couple that you could switch in and out like the extra powers. The controls for them have been changed, and on paper it makes a lot of sense as they're quicker to access... but my brain could not accept it. For some reason, their controls mirroring the powers' controls crossed all the wires and I never got used to it. Probably just me though.
Suits. All the demanded ones are accounted for, plus a bunch of cool, ugly and storied ones available. Perfectly acceptable selection. And yet, I feel like Insomniac missed a few tricks. The palette selection is fun and there's a few nice options, but if the colours are so easily swapped why not just give the player the option to pick their own? That's an immense amount of customisation left on the table for no reason. Unlocking suits is fine, but why did I manage to finish Peter's time with the symbiote before I could unlock even the first symbiote skin? It was also a massive missed opportunity not to make many more symbiote costume variants. I think it should have been an option for practically every unlockable suit, turned on like a shader, and made an option as soon as you have the symbiote.
Spider-Man 2 also carries over some complaints I had about the first game too. MJ is a fine character but I don't want to play as her. I'm sorry Insomniac. She's not why I bought the game and no matter how many upgrades you give her stun pistol, you're still benching your superhero in favour of much more generic stealth/shooter gameplay. The non-Spidey gameplay can be hit-or-miss, normally surviving off of novelty. I dreaded the sequence ahead whenever the camera panned behind MJ, and only had fun when I was exploiting the terrible henchman A.I.
Side Quests have not improved a great deal. Still kinda repetitive and shallow, mostly just cosmetically changed, swapped with a different character gimmick (wasting Mysterio in the process). Some of the tasks are a little better, yet the 'stories' behind them are a little blander. Same goes for random crimes. I had hoped (and still hope) for some more dynamic street activity, perhaps with rival gangs fighting over territory, with low tier villains and mob bosses peppered in. That would be great in future. Finally, it bugs me how much great audio content is recorded for podcasts and phone calls only to be cut off by any little encounter I drift by in the open world. I'm always swinging wide circles around checkpoints so JJ can finish. I'm not sure what the fix is, but there must be a way to smooth this out.
Story-wise, I'll be brief
It was pretty good. Not amazing, a step down from the first game. Pacing was odd, it was corny in places, but it stuck the landing on the important emotional moments. I liked Miles and Li's story the best. Harry as Venom worked pretty well, though not well enough to justify ejecting Eddie Brock from the story in my opinion. I don't really care about the symbiote story though to be honest. I appreciate that it went further and weirder with it than I anticipated. Kraven was dull. It was probably a mistake to kill off so many villains just to put him over.
TLDR: After a lot of *****ing, I give this game an 8 out of 10.
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