Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Review: 4 Ups & 2 Downs
1. Some Side Missions Are Let Down By A Repetitive Structure
Side missions at least fare better than collectibles in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 - particularly the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man app requests, as well as those that make use of actual Spider-Man villains, like Mysterio - but it's disappointing to see Insomniac defer to familiar structures for some of them. Kraven's Hunter Blinds serve essentially the same function as the Kingpin's construction zones from Marvel's Spider-Man, where you have to take down set pockets of enemies holed up in various locations.
Other side missions - like the Hunter drones Miles has to take down - also follow the same pattern in each encounter, while crimes in progress haven't really received that great a shakeup either. While not enough to take the shine off the whole experience, it is unfortunate that Insomniac hasn't been able to crack this big, repetitive Mysterio fishbowl after the previous two titles faced similar criticism.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Is Still A Phenomenal Sequel
Despite some open-world disappointments, the 22 hours I spent bringing my first playthrough of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 to completion was largely a total knockout. If Insomniac's last few PlayStation exclusives hadn't already cemented the studio at the forefront of the industry, then its latest effort surely must. It is an assured, epic step forward that leverages all the pathos and adventure of Marvel's comics without getting mired in the tendrils of nostalgia, and in turn delivers one of the most compelling and epic Spidey gaming adventures of all time. There are some frustrating oversights away from the main story, but Marvel's Spider-Man 2 can still happily take its place as one of the best PlayStation 5 exclusives released thus far.
Final Rating - ★★★★½