Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is currently being enjoyed by many PlayStation 5 players, and the game has been receiving its share of love as well as criticism. One of the conversations around the game happens to be a comparison with its predecessor, in light of all the things that are ‘worse’ in the game.
A Reddit discussion around the same has been receiving quite the traction online, with different comments highlighting Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s many parts that are somehow weaker and don’t add to the game’s otherwise delightful experience.
Fans Debate Over Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Features That Could Have Been Better
One of the top comments by user HylianHero17 on the Reddit post talks about three major points they’re not happy with. The first one is the lack of a self-portrait option in the game’s photo mode. This was a key feature in the first game, and endless users posted their selfies while swinging across New York’s skyscrapers. Not having something like that in the game that supposedly succeeds the first one is indeed a matter of criticism.
Secondly, miss the first game’s combat feature, which builds up and rewards the player every time they time their attacks. This hasn’t been the case in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and it has drastically shifted players’ approaches to the game’s combat system. Take it as a difference between aggressive fighting and honing reflexes against enemies. The latter feels more Spider-Man-esque.
Another comment by user Such_Anything2360 also mentions how the gadgets in the first game felt much better than its sequel.
Finally, HylianHero17 mentions one of their larger concerns about the game:
I was really disappointed with Peter’s suit selection, too many movie suits taking up their own spot. I really struggled finding suits for Peter that fit the vibe and were fresh, didn’t have that issue for miles or in any other game.
This one feels as if the studio chose cosmetics over gameplay choices, but that’s also a fair approach when you have so many suits from various source materials that are part of the game’s experience. There’s only so much a player can do to customize a character’s personality, and given that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 isn’t really an RPG, it’s tough to find and keep a suit that matches every change of vibe in the game’s setting.
Another top comment by user _JR28_ spoke about the game’s take on background dialogue and characters that didn’t truly give players their own experience:
Gonna sound nitpicky but podcasts. Most of the time Danika just spells out to the player what they should be feeling or thinking and JJJ isn’t really the funniest either.
A common gameplay design element in many triple-A titles often features a forced narrative around adding ideas to a player’s mind instead of them coming to their own conclusions. The Redditor has accurately pointed out here that Danika’s forced dialogue adds to the broken synergy with JJJ’s okay-ish writing.
Users Point Out a Major Flaw With Venom Being in the Game
Note: Minor spoilers about Venom’s story arc in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Even if you’re someone who hasn’t played the game yet and only followed up with trailers, news, and so on, there’s a high chance that Venom’s presence in the game hasn’t escaped your attention. In fact, many conversations around the game anticipated the infamous character’s presence in the game.
Unfortunately, Venom’s overall narrative arc has received its share of criticism and negative remarks due to multiple reasons. For instance, user Candypants24 made a remark about Venom’s story points in the game:
Didn’t like the VENOM story line… In my opinion,it should have been an intimate arc between just Venom and Spiderman!! The whole symbiote taking over the world story line was a bit cliché…
On the same note, another comment by Blazerizm pointed out how there’s only one proper mission where you get to play as Venom. That’s like exposing players to the ultimate fantasy of experiencing the game’s world as a powerful character but almost instantaneously taking that away, never to give it back.
Considering how hyped many players were about Venom being in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, quite a few are left unfulfilled with his overall presence and addition to the game’s deep world. Was it false marketing or a neglected choice? We’ll never know. In the meantime, it’s interesting to see mixed opinions about the game taking the spotlight on the internet.
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