Highlights
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 focuses on quality over quantity, providing enjoyable activities and missions that contribute to the game's overall story and world-building.
- The removal of the social feed, a charming feature from the previous games, may have been due to it not being widely utilized and the effort required to maintain it.
- While the removal of the social feed is a minor disappointment, as it would have been nice to have, there are more important issues to address like bugs and limited post-game content.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 takes the less is more approach, and for many fans and critics, this was the right path to take. Though some have argued that the game is too short, Insomniac Games took the time to make sure every activity was worth doing as opposed to filling the game with hours of unenjoyable activities. This means that side missions result in things like satisfying villain setup for the future, or an important look at Harlem’s culture. Activities like the Mysteriums are a blast to enjoy, while Symbiote Nests offer excellent gameplay and EMF projects deliver quality storytelling. Still, by focusing closely on making sure every playable segment is fun, Insomniac Games left out a charming detail from previous games: social feeds.
To be clear, there are many phenomenal touches in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Special team-up animations see the heroes awkwardly interacting with Wraith or recreating the beloved Spider-Man pointing meme, while over 10 minutes of dialogue between two Spider-Cat mascots (voiced by Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk) can be listened to. However, it is hard not to miss the social feed, a charming little mechanic from the original Marvel’s Spider-Man that carried over to Miles Morales, yet for whatever reason skipped the latest game.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Missed One Big Opportunity With Venom
Though Venom is great in the limited screentime he has in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, fans wanted more of him, and one sequence should have happened.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Could Have Brought Back The Social Feed
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Citizens Would Have Had Plenty To Talk About
The social feed in the Marvel’s Spider-Man series is exactly what it sounds like, as it allows random NPCs and the wall-crawlers to post about what is happening in their day-to-day lives. The feeds provided some charming interactions, like one between Peter and Aunt May, as well as hilarious discussions about what is going on throughout NYC. Considering how the latest entry in the series features a rampaging reptile, a Symbiote-bonded version of the friendly neighborhood hero, strange hunters, and an alien invasion, there would have been countless opportunities for hilarious posts.
With the social feed even used for a Trophy in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, many fans are likely to remember it. Still, perhaps Insomniac Games removed it because it was not being utilized enough. It likely took a fair bit of effort to write posts from civilians for every major story event, as well as hundreds of other posts that could be spread throughout the feed. If the vast majority of players were only scrolling by these posts for a Trophy instead of regularly looking at them as they played, Insomniac may have felt that its time was better used elsewhere.
While the social feed is nowhere to be found, Insomniac Games certainly did not lose its eye for detail. Missions in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 have their descriptions changed depending on whether players are controlling Peter or Miles, which is a nice touch that adds personality to the menus, though it is not quite as fun as the social feed was.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Has More Important Things That Need to Be Added
While the Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 community has overreacted to certain problems and the backlash is overblown, there are fair criticisms to make about the game. It does feel less polished than the other two games in the series, and even if some Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 bugs are funny, others are more problematic. A lack of stealth missions and post-game content is certainly felt, and while it is good that new game plus is coming soon, many were hoping to see it on day one. A low number of challenging combat opportunities is worth noting too, as when coupled with the relatively low number of side activities - even if they are excellent - many players have run out of things to do. Ultimately, a charming little feature like the social feed being removed is not nearly as pressing as these other issues, but it is still sad to see it go since it helped fans immerse themselves deeper into Insomniac’s world.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
The sequel to 2018's Spider-Man and its Miles Morales spin-off, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a PS5 console exclusive. Insomniac's open-world game features Peter Parker and Miles Morales as dual protagonists, with the two heroes going up against the likes of Kraven, Venom, and Lizard.
