Highlights
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 features iconic set pieces that rival those of the first game and its half-sequel, with every mission feeling like an iconic moment.
- The game borrows a mechanic from Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, where players teleport through portals during a thrilling chase sequence with Black Cat.
- This chase not only showcases the game's advanced technology on the PlayStation 5 but also highlights the potential of first-party exclusives to push boundaries.
From the get-go, it's clear that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is upping the ante in some major ways, with its opening set-piece being one of the best in the entire series. Not only setting the stage for the Spider-Men's dynamic, Spider-Man 2's Sandman intro is electrifying to experience, with some jaw-dropping, suitably comic book-esque moments. But that's far from the only memorable moment in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and there's one that feels like it's been ripped right out of another excellent Insomniac title.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2's Black Cat Mission Borrows One of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart's Best Mechanics
While it was a tad too short, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart was packed to the brim with memorable moments, impressive visuals, and satisfying mechanics, all of which came together to create one of the few truly next-gen-feeling games on the PlayStation 5. In all the marketing leading up to its release, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart's titular gimmick was really emphasized, and for the most part, it lived up to expectations. Many of Rift Apart's most beloved moments see players fly through rifts, teleporting to different spots on the map.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 borrows almost this exact mechanic from Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, and while it's only for one mission, it's used to great effect. A few hours into Marvel's Spider-Man 2, players will take control of Miles Morales as he tries to track down fan-favorite antihero Black Cat. Miles eventually locates a Black Cat safe and learns that she's planning to steal an artifact known as the Wand of Watoomb from the Sanctum Sanctorum. Already, this is a pretty amazing concept for a mission, with it being the first truly substantial connection between Insomniac's Spider-Man world and the wider Marvel universe, but it gets even better.
After taking out some of Kraven's thugs, Miles sees Black Cat escaping the Sanctum Sanctorum, Wand of Watoomb in hand. As Miles tries to chase her down, Black Cat uses the Wand to open up a series of portals, and players are forced to follow Black Cat through each one, in gameplay very similar to Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. These portals teleport the player across New York, and even to an unknown icy region, as well as throw various obstacles at the player such as rubble and even a whole subway train at one point.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is filled with excellent chases, but this one with Black Cat may be its best. While most Spider-Man 2 chases see players follow their target in pretty much a straight line while things blow up around them, this Black Cat chase requires players to pay close attention to when they should be zipping through portals, and the constant variation of locations keeps players on their toes. Much like Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart before it, this chase in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 really feels like it's pushing the PlayStation 5's technology to the max, and that's exactly what a first-party exclusive should be doing.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is available now exclusively for PS5.
