The game is excellent. Spoilers ahead…
I love that they expanded upon what worked in the first couple of games (Spiderman and Spiderman: Miles Morales), including the story, which I’ll talk about in a second. The addition of the Web Wings just added to the freedom I felt, as I was swinging and gliding through the Burroughs of New York City. I also really like the addition of meeting up with other heroes/vigilantes for team-ups not only during the mission but also during the dynamic crime alerts. Combat was fluid and snappy and definitely was one of the fun things about the game, instead of hindering gameplay. I loved the homage to Chadwick Bowsman with both Spidey costumes (Peter had one as well), and you better believe I unlocked ALL of the costumes for both Peter and Miles.
I love that the story from the first two games is continued. It was a bit of a fallout story about the effects that life-or-death situations can have on the psyche of those who have to make these unbelievable decisions in impossible circumstances. The journey of Morales from a superhero in training to a full-grown Spiderman felt very earned throughout the events of the story. Also, the story of Peter coming to accept that there will be some people you can’t save, no matter how hard you try was very heartfelt, bittersweet, and poignant. Also, Adding Venom to the mix really kicked up the action and danger of the situations throughout the story. Though I’m glad that Harry is still alive, the Venom of Spiderman 2 is different and more visceral in many ways to the one we see in the MCU/Sony Spiderverse. This Venom only cared about his own preservation and ultimately making a new home for him to rule. The redemption of some of the villains from the first two games showed that people can change when given a chance, motivation, and encouragement. Kraven was awesome. He was a brutal, grimmy and murderous as I remember him in comics and to a degree on the Spiderman and Friends cartoon/anime of my youth. All he cared about was the hunt and dying to his strongest prey. I don’t like this incarnation of his character died not only to Cancer, but to Venom, but the his last fight was a glorious end for him, in his mind. Using MJ and Hailey (Miles’ love interest) again for some of the missions really encapsulated just how hard and dangerous playing at superhero can be, when doing them sans superpowers. I really loved that for Hailey’s mission, they had little to no sound for the majority of the mission, because she is deaf. For some (if they’re paying attention), it gives the players a little taste of what hearing-impaired people go through on a daily basis without being preachy about it, and I hope it left said players thinking about how maybe they’ve responded to hearing or sight-impaired people in their daily lives. I liked the side missions as well. They really enhanced and fleshed out the main scenario nicely. Lastly, with the hints of possible Carnage and Silk sightings, as well as Black Cat still out and about, I’m glad they left the door open for another game, or a Miles Morales like spin off, or whatever they plan to do.
On the whole, this game rocked in every way possible, and it is another example of what a AAA company can do when they set out to make a really good game and series, but I honestly I don’t expect anything less from Insomiac at this point. They had already hit it out of the park for me with the Infamous series, so this is just another feather in the cap. Knowing that the Marvel’s Wolverine game is coming from them, I can’t wait to play it, and I most definitely recommend this series of games.
9.5/10 (-.5 for the four game crashes I encountered while playing the game, and for killing off Kraven, who is one of my favorite characters in the Marvel pantheon.)
