'Spider-Man 2' Is the Best Superhero Story We've Seen in Years

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe became the highest-grossing entertainment franchise on Earth, many fans viewed 2002’s Spider-Man 2 as the pinnacle of the superhero genre. Some still do. Spidey's fight against Doctor Octopus—on top of a moving train!—was light-years above what anyone thought was even possible in superhero films. But somehow, the film's subsequent video game adaptation, 2004's Spider-Man 2, was just as pioneering.

Even though Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas debuted the same year, Spider-Man 2 had something Grand Theft Auto could never compete with. Both titles had an open world, sure, but in Spider-Man 2? Forget walking or driving from place to place—you could traverse New York City as Spider-Man. When you were swinging around the city, you could feel gravity propelling you forward. Spider-Man could go wherever you wanted, pummel bad guys, and get into whatever mayhem your heart desired. For the medium at large, it marked a breakthrough in aerial movement.

Of course, I've thinking about 2004's Spider-Man 2 because of this Friday's release of—wait for it—Spider-Man 2. This particular Spidey sequel is a follow-up to Sony and Insomniac’s 2018 breakthrough game, Spider-Man. And just like Activision and Treyarch surprised gamers in 2004 with a pioneering level of web-slinging immersion, Spider-Man 2 is the adventure where, quite simply, it all clicks. Swinging has never felt more sublime. Every single building corner, construction crane, and traffic light is a jumping-off point. If Insomniac's goal is to simply make me feel like Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 captures that feeling better than any adaptation I've played.

In Spider-Man 2, the combat is brisk and fluid, the stealth missions are arguably even more thrilling than the boss fights, and the story smartly reimagines many of Spider-Man’s greatest comic-book arcs. Ever find yourself thinking that superhero movies are bloated with uninteresting, weak villains? Writers, take notes from Spider-Man 2. Name any baddie from Spider-Man’s main rogues gallery and they're here. Even characters who aren’t a part of the main plot pop up in side missions—sometimes just to end in a big tease for the next Spider-Man game. I won’t spoil anything here, but you'll likely finish Spider-Man 2 feeling like you’ve covered almost every Spider-Man story.

During the game's review period, I blazed through the main story in about 30 hours, and the side missions in roughly five hours. In a world where games like Elden Ring and Starfield demand weeks of your time, 35 hours feels like a godsend. At the same time, though, Spider-Man 2 might've benefitted from an even shorter runtime. Spider-Man characters are packed into the game like sardines—and it’s tough to grapple between my desire for a leaner, more focused story, and knowing that I should feel grateful that I had so much to enjoy for the price of one game.

Still, the plot of Spider-Man 2 will certainly please any web-head. The way characters such as Kraven, Sandman, the Lizard, and Venom all connect to tell one cohesive story will surprise you. in a way that really surprised me. Like its predecessor, though, Spider-Man 2 suffers from poor dialogue. You'll beg the villains to stop lecturing you and repeating points they've already communicated. (Several times.) Just let us kick your ass, Venom!

Another big fear I had going into Spider-Man 2? I worried that Insomniac would turn the franchise into a new Assassin’s Creed, churning out a new title every year with little-to-no changes from the previous entry. Thankfully, I’m happy to report that Spider-Man 2 avoids the pitfalls of Assassin’s Creed. The biggest animal to tackle for a game like this is repetition—and Spider-Man 2 offers enough variance that you'll likely never execute the same activity until you’ve done five other tasks in between. You'll scan for Prowler's loot, pilot a clue-seeking Spider-Bot, prevent a dangerous arsonist from burning another building, take out a criminal base, snap a picture of a famous New York City landmark, and complete various science-based puzzles.

But outside of the countless villains, memorable side missions, and how many Spidey suits you can customize, is an incredibly charming video game. At the end of the day, Insomniac could have easily made a Spidey outing where you just run around and punch criminal look-a-likes. Where switching between Peter Parker and Miles Morales is nothing more than a change of hats.

But Insomniac didn’t make that game. They made a title where New York City feels alive—and you can high-five its residents. You can play as both Spider-Men interchangeably, and they each share an engaging narrative. Peter and Miles interact with one another in the game, as the computer often sends the other hero to fight alongside you. Hitting a button just to hug Miles or do the pointing meme at the end of every big fight? It's icing on the cake. With all the recent depictions about Spider-Verses and alternate dimensions, it was heartening to remember that Spider-Man has always been just your friendly, neighborhood hero. Here, it’s truer than ever.

You Might Also Like

• Kid Cudi Is All Right

• 16 Best Shoe Organizers For Storing and Displaying Your Kicks