My thoughts so far:
This is better than the first game. The swinging is better and web rush can now be chained without stopping like the first game. The combat is like the first game however in order to vary the moves you have to use the signature button. I also noticed it is no longer possible to vault over opponents similar to the Arkham Games by pressing X or jump. Flipping and rolling is now delagated to Triangle+Analog. It's a nice touch but the choice of command is a little weird. Why not use the actual jump button and the analog stick? I also noticed that triangle isn't really used at all in the gameplay other than sticking to walls. Which is kind of weird too. It's an odd choice imo.
In the videos I saw when the game leaked the players who played did not vary their combos at all and what I ended up seeing was the same slowed down combo finisher over and over and over again.
Combat (So Far)
By doing some digging I have found out mostly all the moves from the first game are present. You have to use webs to stun the opponents to get the different signature moves like web blast,multi-blast takedown,flipping takedown wall blast,the sling front to back,etc.
I think that the free-flow system works well for Spiderman games but as I mentioned before the games needs way more physical upgrades. Combat is satisfying but imagine seeing it over and over and over again. It's going to eventually start to get repetitive. The signature moves are cool but to be honest I would like to actual DO THEM myself as opposed to watching them do it for me. When a signature move is activated you can "feel it" in the controller which makes it seem like your in control but in reality the player is watching a real time cutscene. I also feel like combat needs to be building to something bigger. With more special upgrades and combos it would be nice to unleash an "Agility Attack move" or some kind of "Ultimate Web move".
Basically combat needs more options. What happened to the web strike? Air Combos? Launching attacks? Regular combo moves? Special moves?
The web shot and the general targeting system still needs work inside and outside of combat. The web shoot animation has not changed since Shattered Dimensions and I think that next game it needs an overhaul. I suggest making web shot a seperate command and to make it a signature move(Circle).
I think web shot needs some kind of controller effect to simulate the effect of using the web shooter. I also think webbing needs to be manual and not as automated as it is. As I mentioned in the past I strongly believe that more web options are necessary. But the most basic addition needs to be the continuous web line and being able to aim and fire it realistically which the appropriate controller effect(Feeling the webline). The continuous web line is really Spidey's signature move and I think it needs to be represented probably. It would be nice to be able to use the environment or throw trash cans etc at opponents or it would be cool to just target something in general.
More web options would help to open up the gameplay but the caveat with that is they can't be automated moves. If I want to web rodeo someone I should have to fire the web and then rotate the analog stick.
Swinging and Web Rush
As I mentioned both are better than the first game but they desperately need more options and the more control.
Swinging feels good but tbh I liked the controller effect from the 1st game better. Notice I said FEELS. It looks better too however I still don't feel like I'm in complete control over what I'm doing. Yes I can alternate triggers but to me the SM2 bottom of the swing mechanic is missing. That mechanic took time to master and I don't feel like this games swinging is master-able. I feel like the webline I'm on isn't really real. When you fires the webline in SM2 the controller made it feel like you actually fired it and it had it's own physics.
ASM2"s It's not to hard to use. And I didn't really feel a difference with the boost upgrade for some reason. I also think he needs more iconic poses and I don't like the fact that we can't double jump or use any commands in the swing. I also found it there is a jump/double jump but it can only be used when you press tap the triggers while swinging. It's not very fluid and most of the time it interrupts the swinging animation.
It would be nice if there were more dynamic animations for him to start his swings than the standard set we usually get.
Web Rush can now be chained and it's much better for it. However you can still rush into the sky which is unrealistic. It also needs more of a variety of animations and tbh I would rather I could do the flips and maneuvers myself instead of watching the game do it for me.
In the next game I would like to see if they add more tricks and wall jumps,sprinting,double jump,charge jump,and PLEASE get rid of that horrible default jump Spidey uses in this game! OMG it's sto stupid and stiff. He jumps straight up and if you hold it he jumps higher. Where is my backflip and somersaults?
These are my thoughts so far. Imo this game is what the first game should have been but it still needs improvement. So far I would give it a 6/10. They improved some things but some of what needed fixing in the first game hasn't really been addressed or improved enough. It's like they just flipped a switch and Web Rush worked the way it should have and then they kept swinging they just added the left and right trigger thing. It's still pretty much the same tbh.
I agree with everything you've said, thanks for typing it out for me. The web swinging is wonky and absolutely un masterable. There's no level of advanced learning for it really. What you see is all you get, you just have to manage to not run into damn buildings and go completely haywire!
There's so much potential here, and I agree with you about SM2. For those who say it doesn't age well, I'm sorry you have no idea what your talking about. The web lines in that game were completely dynamic as if they were real webs.
I also hate in asm2 how there's just animation missing when you shoot your web, there needs to be an additional split second of Spidey extending his arm out. Sometimes the web looks like it spirals it of your back. There's really no way to make this web swinging LOOK fancy, or put your own spin on it. Yes I want my modifiable mid-air summersaults and spins back!
What's the damn X or Triangle button do while your swinging? Nothing. So put that button to use and let me push it in mid air to pull off some tricks. The catapult just flat out sucks, so unintuetive. It's nice once you get Spidey in the air, but a pain to use on the fly. SM2 had a completely manual catapult, do people remember this? Fire one web at any building, then fire your second web and your building of choice... Get a pendulum swing going and boost back, let go, and you launch in the opposite direction, to start a brand new webswing WITHOUT any loss of momentum.
I hate how you sometimes just come to a complete stall in asm2, it doesn't make any sense lol. The momentum should be carrying you smoother into another webline. Argh.
With that said, I'm still enjoying it. I love Spidey games, I'm just terrified for their future. I'd LOVE this game if I KNEW we would be getting a proper spider-man 2 successor. But with beenox.... They just do enough to get by. Not pushing the envelope like Treyarch did with SM2. That's all I want.
Very uninspired lately IMO.