Despite Insomniac Games’ position as an industry leader, I’ve struggled to understand why its games are so beloved when they often feel so infantile. Ratchet and Clank games have never pried a smile from me, and I found it a chore to complete Miles Morales.
Through Spider-Man 2, Insomniac Games has once again set a new bar when it comes to presenting some of the most polished AAA games of the last few years. With this game, I think I may have figured out why the studio attracts so many ardent fans around the world.
Polished until it shines like a diamond
There’s very little you can say to make an honest argument against the game’s performance and presentation. It offers a good array of graphical options, allowing players to decide whether they prefer framerate or fidelity. Either way, you don’t lose out on too much visual quality, as both modes feature ray-tracing. There’s also uncapped VRR available to make the most of the game performance-wise.
New York is prettier than ever, especially compared to its PS4 predecessor. As you web-swing through the city, you’re treated to impressive reflections on the cloud-tickling towers and streets populated with bustling commuters and congested traffic. It may just be one of the best-looking games on the console at the moment.
Insomniac has even had time to add a few Easter eggs for hardcore Spider-Man fans. A couple of suits reference the Spider-Verse movies, and you can even add comic book special effects to make you feel like you’re living out your favorite Spider-Man comic.
The quality doesn’t let up when it comes to the audio. Although the soundtrack is nothing special, the game utilizes 3D audio so precisely that you’re able to easily pinpoint which direction enemy attacks are coming from. When walking the streets, the sounds of the city are satisfyingly immersive, and when you close your eyes, it’s easy to imagine you’re in the Big Apple.
The game is also one of the best showcases of the DualSense controller’s features since Astro’s Playroom. The adaptive triggers make web-swinging more immersive, and the haptic feedback is so expertly used that you can feel the texture of the street under your wheels during a mission that has Peter cycling.
To top it off, the game just oozes cool. It nails its aesthetic, managing to blend Spider-Man‘s comic book history with a sleek, modern interface. The characters always have something witty to say and even the villains are deliciously devious, making encounters with them unforgettable. All of these features help make Spider-Man 2 a jewel on the PS5’s crown.
Something feels a little hollow
Though there’s plenty of praise that can be piled onto Spider-Man 2, I find myself unable to escape the feeling that though the experience may be a flashy one, it is ultimately superficial and without much depth once you scratch the surface.
Spider-Man’s movements are satisfyingly smooth and his special moves are a visual treat, but the combat is also as shallow as a teaspoon. Even on the hardest difficulty, it’s incredibly easy to overpower hordes of enemies without pressing much but the square button and occasionally R1.
The problem worsens as you progress and by the time your level is in the 30s, you’re capable of taking out entire waves of enemies relying solely on your Gadgets and Abilities. It results in some extremely flashy combat scenes, but it also requires almost no skill.
A similar experience occurs with traversal. Web-swinging is fun, but after a while, it becomes impossible to ignore just how repetitive the landscape is. It’s gorgeous, but the streets lack enough personality for you to learn any routes, and without the splatterings of the sometimes annoying collectibles to find, there would be next to no reason to ever engage with the open world instead of just fast-traveling between missions.
This is not to say that Spider-Man 2 is without its heartwarming moments. The game nails it when it comes to its story which is a reimagining of one of the most beloved Spider-Man storylines. We see Miles and Peter grow as characters, and the depiction of Venom may just be the best yet.
More than the games prior, Spider-Man 2 lets you get up close and personal with New Yorkers who aren’t Peter, Miles, or MJ. You’ll find these moments during the side activities, such as one which has you finding someone’s lost grandpa. When he’s finally located, you get to hear him reminisce over his deceased wife.
Another wholesome moment occurs during a mission that has Miles investigating some graffiti which leads to him spending time with Hailey. The mission is better experienced than explained, but it offers a glimpse of how powerful gaming can be when it is used to help us connect with others.
It’s okay to have fun
My taste in video games is abnormally narrative-centric. I’m constantly searching for games with the best stories and characters, and nothing delights me more than a game that successfully uses the medium to tell its tale innovatively.
This approach has exposed me to some of the best titles the medium has to offer, but it is a route that does not guarantee joy. Some of the games with the best tales deemphasize gameplay, are indies that lack high production value or are emotionally powerful specifically because of how terrible they make you feel. You’re bombarded with gore, grief, and stressful suspense that sometimes comes with no resolution.
With Spider-Man 2, I’m asked to do the opposite. Pretentiousness is set aside in favor of somewhat mindless fun and intense sensory stimulation. The flashy moves and lack of challenge let you feel like a powerful superhero with the entire city as your playground. Some of my most fun moments with the game didn’t come during main story missions, but instead through gliding through New York, as monotonous as it is, and feeling the awesome freedom of flight.
The air streams are nonsensical but they’re exhilarating to ride, the Gadgets are overpowered but it’s fun feeling like goons are nothing but gnats to flick away, and the open world serves little purpose but it may be one of the most graphically impressive showcases on the PS5.
If there’s anything Spider-Man 2 perfects, it’s delivering non-stop awesomeness. Unlike prior Insomniac games, I was smiling for most of my playthrough, and for that alone, it is, to my astonishment, one of my favorite releases this year.
