Art Thoughts: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
This game is a masterclass.
A masterclass in redesign and evolution.
Never before have I played a sequel that refused fan’s demands for removals of sequences but rather showed them why these sequences were essential to the game and rebuilt them into engaging, charming, and most importantly, fun-to-play gameplay.
Every part of this game made sense.
From its stellar voice cast to the story that refuses to let up on the themes, it explores while keeping all these pots going and simmering to the point of perfection. The attention to detail is on a level that is rarely achieved and each sequence made me feel more and more in control of Spider-Man while simultaneously living alongside him and his story.
There was a level of intentionality across the board with this game and it very quickly became clear that not only do these creatives care but they are so invested in these stories that each time they designed an easter egg, set piece, or thrilling Spidey animation, they knew the fans would smile because they are the fans!!
They know it because they live it and it’s so brilliant seeing a game for fans by fans telling the story of two incredibly different yet alike Spider-Men and their journey of pain, grief, addiction, and freedom.
I cannot wait to explore the final chapter of this tremendous series and I know this is just the beginning of Insomniac’s dominance as a tour de force in the video game industry.
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