Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 reviews have officially gone live – and it appears the game has left a major impression on those who’ve had the chance to jump in. Worldwide reviews are calling it the best superhero game of all time, with particular praise heaped on its strong narrative, wild visuals, moreish gameplay, and how it utilises the power of the PlayStation 5 hardware.
In the five-star GamesHub review, we called it an absolute marvel that eclipses all expectations.
“Insomniac Games has seemingly stretched the capacity of its creative expression to the absolute limit in this adventure, creating elaborate set pieces from the digital realm, reflecting the heightened, bombastic nature of comic book storytelling with phenomenal set pieces, buoyed by solid performances from the game’s main cast, and by a combination of snappy dialogue and a nuanced narrative,” we wrote.
“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a believable epic, in every facet.”
Read: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Review – Swing, Swing
Here’s the rest of what critics are saying about this blockbuster adventure.
VGC – 5/5
Over at VGC, reviewer Jordan Middler labelled Marvel’s Spider-Man “undoubtedly one of the best superhero games ever” thanks to its brimming sense of confidence, and its deft handling of multiple iconic Spider-Man storylines.
“Insomniac continues to take the PlayStation 5 generation in its stride, producing a game that excels from a technical perspective, a storytelling perspective, and a gameplay perspective. By the time we rolled credits on the journey, we had the feeling of walking out of the cinema at midnight, utterly gutted you’re going to have to wait years to the conclusion of this epic saga.”
The Guardian – 5/5
Writing for The Guardian, reviewer Keith Stuart praised Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for its combat and “superhero violence”, and for its heightened ambitions. He noted that Insomniac hadn’t stuck to the formula for this adventure, instead choosing a bolder path, which overall elevates the adventure.
“Creating a sequel to a bestselling game is a lofty creative tightrope that would give even Spider-Man vertigo. Stick too close to the original formula and you’re considered complacent and unambitious; stray too far, and you risk losing what made the game successful in the first place. With Spider-Man 2, Insomniac has walked that narrow path with the grace of an olympic gymnast … it is a genuine pleasure to play something that has been so lovingly envisaged, and which is so true to its source material.”
IGN – 8/10
Simon Cardy of IGN shared similar praise for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, calling it a “Spidey fan’s dream” that effectively brings comic book action to life. Cardy particularly enjoyed the game’s narrative beats and power trip – although as a minor caveat, he did feel the game’s open world activities quickly devolved to repetition.
“As a sequel in a spectacular series, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is both blessed and cursed. Its story of two Spider-Men is a great time and a Spidey fan’s dream to play through as comic book pages are brought to life, elegantly walking the tightrope between light humour and heavier themes. Meanwhile, Insomniac refines a successful formula of combat and web-swinging without revolutionising either in major ways, making them comfy and familiar with just enough new tweaks and abilities to elevate them to fun new heights.”
Press Start Australia – 9/10
Kieron Verbrugge of Press Start Australia focussed largely on the technical success of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 in his review, praising the work of Insomniac, and how the game’s design allows players to grasp a real sense of freedom as they journey. Like Simon Cardy, he noted repetition in the game’s many side quests, but this wasn’t enough to dampen the experience overall.
“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 cleverly pairs its added width and breadth with more depth and meaningful new gameplay and story opportunities. There’s rarely a moment here that doesn’t feel thrilling, enchanting, heartbreaking, awe-inspiring or some combination of it all. Beyond untangling the finer threads of its design or narrative ambitions though, it’s genuinely just the most fun, gorgeous open-world superhero game out there.”
Gamespot – 8/10
Over at GameSpot, reviewer Jordan Ramée noted that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 felt a lot like “more of the same” from Insomniac – but categorised this as a “good thing” as the original Marvel’s Spider-Man was already a phenomenal experience. Beyond this foible, Ramée was full of praise for this sequel’s fresh narrative, impactful characters, and Shakespearian tragedy.
“All in all, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 may largely give us more of what we’ve played in Insomniac’s previous Spider-Man games, but that winning formula is still so damn fun that it really doesn’t matter. The story’s exploration of loneliness is fantastic, creating gripping new narratives for the two heroes, Peter and Miles, as well as the two main villains, Kraven and Venom. Spider-Man 2 unites all four characters in a riveting narrative throughline you’ll want to see all the way through and has the gameplay hooks to keep you engaged the whole ride.”
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launches for PlayStation 5 on 20 October 2023.
