Marvel's Spider-Man 2

About

"Marvel's Spider-Man 2" is a single-player, open world drama game with an interesting plot and good gameplay, featuring splendid graphics. In this game, Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales team up to protect the city from threats like Venom and other Marvel super villains. Players can switch between Peter and Miles, each with unique abilities, and make use of haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to truly feel the power of Spider-Man.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,862 reviews

story318 positive mentions

optimization406 negative mentions

optimization
1,376 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
55%
30%
The optimization of "Spider-Man 2" on PC has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including frequent crashes, stuttering, and low frame rates even on high-end hardware. While some users have managed to achieve stable performance with specific settings, the general consensus is that the game requires significant optimization patches to address its numerous technical problems before it can be recommended for purchase.
- “Overall, I'm not ashamed I bought this game as I know the Insomniac team will do some optimization updates like they did with the first two, and I love the game as well.”
- “This game is without a doubt the best Spider-Man game that players have put their hands on; unfortunately, it needs a bit more time in the oven to be properly optimized for PC.”
- “I’d recommend it if you don’t mind minor optimizations and want to enjoy it.”
- “Amazing game, but dang this is completely unoptimized and runs like dog water at certain points.”
- “The game is poorly optimized; I didn't have any crashes, but I had a few FPS drops.”
- “It's a shame that the performance is so bad, like crashing once every hour bad, because the game is incredible.”
story
948 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
61%
6%
The story of "Marvel's Spider-Man 2" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging narrative and character development, particularly the dynamic between Peter Parker and Miles Morales. However, some players feel the story is weaker compared to its predecessors, citing rushed pacing and a lack of emotional depth. Additionally, performance issues and bugs have detracted from the overall experience, making it difficult for some to fully enjoy the story.
- “The story is well written, the bromance and mentorship of the two spiders is amazing.”
- “The story continues to deliver strong emotional moments, balancing Peter’s struggles with the symbiote and Miles’ journey to define himself as a hero.”
- “The story pulls you in right away, and the character development is on point, with both Peter Parker and Miles Morales getting their time to shine.”
- “The story is absolutely abysmal compared to the likes of Peter going up against the Sinister Six and frankly, that was always gonna be hard to beat.”
- “For a story centered around Venom, I at least expected something entertaining, but like I don't think there's any other way to put it, this game's story is just bad, really bad.”
- “90% of every side quest, every side story, every main mission, it was all just not good at all, there's no redeeming qualities for it.”
graphics
818 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
6%
The graphics in "Spider-Man 2" have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the stunning visuals and attention to detail, particularly in the vibrant depiction of New York City. However, numerous reports highlight significant performance issues, including frequent crashes, graphical glitches, and inconsistent frame rates, especially on higher settings. Players are advised to adjust their graphics settings and wait for optimization patches to improve the overall experience.
- “Spectacular action with fun gameplay combined with stunning graphics makes for an action package that is definitely at the top in this genre.”
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning.”
- “Marvel's Spider-Man 2 immediately impresses with stunning visuals, a vibrant New York City, and fluid gameplay that truly makes you feel like Spider-Man.”
- “Immensely unoptimized, game runs like literal trash, lots of graphical bugs.”
- “Choppy visuals and multiple crashes plagued my play-through and ruined the immersion at some points.”
- “The game constantly crashes even at low graphics settings, this is a terrible port.”
gameplay
536 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The gameplay of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is generally praised for its fluidity, engaging combat, and enhanced traversal mechanics, including new features like web wings. However, many players report significant performance issues, including frequent crashes, bugs, and frame rate drops, which detract from the overall experience. While the core gameplay remains enjoyable and builds on the strengths of its predecessors, the technical problems have led some to recommend waiting for optimizations before diving in.
- “Spectacular action with fun gameplay combined with stunning graphics makes for an action package that is definitely at the top in this genre.”
- “The gameplay is great, it feels refined from the last two games, and I love it, and I'm going to continue playing it.”
- “Marvel's Spider-Man 2 immediately impresses with stunning visuals, a vibrant New York City, and fluid gameplay that truly makes you feel like Spider-Man.”
- “I looked forward to playing this since it was announced and it took only 2 hours of gameplay to destroy my $2000+ rig.”
- “Can't get 2 seconds into the first cutscene without awful visual bugs and audio delay, and the moment I start actual gameplay, it freezes up, sends me flying at mach 2 into a building, then crashes.”
- “I can’t even get through a few minutes of gameplay without my game crashing.”
stability
524 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
2%
82%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent crashes, freezes, and various graphical glitches, particularly during cutscenes. While some players have experienced smooth performance on high-end systems, many others recommend waiting for patches to address these issues before purchasing. Overall, the consensus is that the game is currently too buggy and unoptimized for a satisfactory experience.
- “The game runs great for me and I'm so excited to play Spider-Man again!”
- “I have had literally no glitches or bugs that have caused any major detriment to my gameplay.”
- “Can't recommend enough - runs very smoothly, no glitches, bugs or hiccups and that intro - that intro!”
- “The game freezes all the time and has crashed many times saying my GPU is out of date; I don't know where in the heck it's getting that idea from.”
- “The crashes and visual bugs with both DLSS implementation and the visual glitches are straight up unacceptable for a AAA PC port.”
- “I can't recommend this; it crashes every 10 minutes along with a lot of bugs, glitches, and performance issues, not to mention the lighting and shadow bugs.”
emotional
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is highlighted by its strong storytelling and impactful moments, particularly in the character arcs of Peter and Miles, which evoke a range of feelings from heartbreak to joy. While some players feel the emotional depth doesn't quite match the first game, they still appreciate the heartfelt missions and character interactions that resonate deeply. Despite technical issues affecting gameplay, many reviewers express a strong desire to continue playing due to the game's emotional engagement and overall enjoyment.
- “The story continues to deliver strong emotional moments, balancing Peter’s struggles with the symbiote and Miles’ journey to define himself as a hero.”
- “Mission with Howard and that missing grandpa were heartbreaking... but the mission with young Pete riding to the Daily Bugle and that with the robo dog and that blind lady were fun!”
- “From heart-pounding battles to small moments of emotional resonance, every corner of this game is crafted with love and attention to detail.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding amusement in quirky moments like bicycle missions and unexpected glitches, such as cars flying into the air. However, the frequent crashes and long loading times for cutscenes detract from the overall comedic experience, leading to frustration among some users. Despite these issues, many appreciate the lighthearted elements and the game's ability to evoke laughter amidst technical challenges.
- “Missions with bicycles are funny and show the humorous side of Peter.”
- “Couple of weird moments with bikes and cars flying up in the air when going over a bump (it's hilarious and makes the game better).”
- “Purely what can be attributed to a few non-major graphical glitches that were either really funny or fixable by tweaking some settings.”
- “This game crashes so many times it's not funny.”
grinding
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
29%
58%
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be quite tedious, with many players noting repetitive side missions and annoying mini-games. While some appreciate the reduction of grind compared to previous titles, others feel that certain missions still require excessive effort, leading to a mixed reception regarding the overall grinding experience. A few players even suggest that extensive grinding may require an unrealistic time commitment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Several game-breaking bugs that need tedious workarounds.”
- “Some of the side missions can feel a bit repetitive or tedious, but that’s common in most open-world games.”
- “Has some of the most annoying and tedious mini-games in any video game I've ever played.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
73%
14%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and enjoyable, while others criticize its integration and performance issues, such as audio desynchronization and glitches. Overall, the sound design is rated around 6/10, with some users expressing a preference for turning off the music due to these problems. Additionally, there are comments on the music's cultural representation, suggesting it may not resonate with all players.
- “I recently spent 150+ hours completely eradicating crime in the 4 Batman Arkham games which are the definition of stylishness and masculinity, have amazing characters, voice acting, story, and music.”
- “+ good music and sound”
- “⬢ audio & soundtrack ⬢”
- “The music stopping and obstacles disappearing in a cutscene, very long loading screens, and very bad performance.”
- “🔹 Sound design: 6/10 (only because I turned off the music).”
- “I have a 1660 ti and an i7-8700, I'm above minimum, the intro cutscene audio is desynced, constant visual glitches, textures and lighting are atrocious, NPC models loading weird and slingshotting around, NPCs floating in invisible desks in a shot they aren't supposed to be in, freezing while music plays in the background, transition into gameplay freezes and blackscreens me while still playing audio and constantly vibrating my controller.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as solid but somewhat limited, with players noting that New Game+ offers only minor enhancements rather than significant improvements. While the gameplay is praised, some users express a desire for more substantial content to encourage multiple playthroughs, and there is anticipation for potential mods to enhance the experience further.
- “Other than that, it is a solid game with very solid gameplay and replayability.”
- “Great replay value (even though you don't have your 100%/NG+ like me), really good graphics and I'm now just waiting for the mod community to do their thing.”
- “Replayability is mid as you only get minor things in New Game+ which does improve gameplay or anything significant.”
- “Replayability is mid as you only get minor things in New Game+ which doesn't improve gameplay or anything significant.”
- “Even when those ports had issues, they were playable; this is not.”
- “Just please do the stuff I did to make it more playable.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
13%
13%
Character development in Spider-Man 2 is generally praised, with both Peter Parker and Miles Morales receiving significant attention that enhances the narrative. However, some players feel that certain narrative choices detract from the overall experience, appearing more as agenda-driven than organic development. Despite these criticisms, the game's engaging story and character design are highlighted as strong points, though technical issues like crashes and glitches hinder the overall enjoyment.
- “The story pulls you in right away, and the character development is on point, with both Peter Parker and Miles Morales getting their time to shine.”
- “While I respect diverse perspectives in media, I feel that some narrative choices here seemed more like agenda-pushing than organic character development.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The atmosphere in the game has been praised as a significant improvement over previous installments, enhancing the feeling of being the "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man." Players appreciate the meticulously crafted story and engaging boss fights, which contribute to a more immersive experience. However, some users expressed frustration with technical issues that detracted from the initial atmospheric introduction.
- “As a Spider-Man fan, this is perfect. It's a huge improvement from the first game in every possible way while also building on and retconning what has been previously established in the earlier games. I find the immaculately crafted story and boss fights to be amazing, and whether it's the atmosphere or the stories, I felt so much more like your 'friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.'”
- “+good atmosphere”
- “+good atmosphere”
- “I would have had some understanding if the crash happened during gameplay, but not in a bloody freaking video that is meant to introduce you to the game and set the atmosphere on first launch!!!!”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy for the PC port has been criticized as a cash grab by PlayStation, with users noting the lack of advertising and the delayed release nearly a year after the PS5 version. Additionally, the last-minute disclosure of PC specifications and frequent crashes have further fueled dissatisfaction among players.
- “Not surprised this was a cash grab by PlayStation, as they put the release just about a year after the game was released for PS5.”
- “No wonder they did zero advertising for this PC port... crashing every 10 minutes.”
- “And the way Nixxes and Insomniac handled certain aspects, like putting PC specifications to the very last day and limited advertising for it, raises questions about their commitment to the PC community.”