Introduction
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a 2023 action-adventure game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, and features a narrative inspired by its long-running comic book mythology which is also derived from various adaptations in other media. It is the third entry in the Marvel’s Spider-Man series, acting as a sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018) and a follow-up to Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020).
The plot follows Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they come into conflict with Kraven the Hunter, who transforms New York City into a hunting ground for super-powered individuals, and with the extraterrestrial Venom symbiote, which bonds itself to Peter and negatively influences him, threatening to destroy his personal relationships.
The gameplay builds on the foundation established by its predecessors, with an emphasis on the multiple play styles offered by Peter Parker and Miles Morales as Spider-Men. The game expands on their existing traversal and combat abilities, including new web-based gadgets and suits that can be unlocked through progressing in the story. It also introduces the former Spider-Man’s symbiote suit, granting Parker unique abilities from his previous playable appearance. As with the prior games, content outside the main story consists of completing side-missions and obtaining collectibles dispersed throughout the game’s open world, with the player able to switch between Parker and Morales to complete dedicated objectives for each of them, each with their own unique abilities.
Gameplay
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is an action-adventure single-player video game played from a third-person perspective. As with the first game, Peter Parker and Miles Morales are the two main characters, with Mary Jane and Venom playable in certain missions, becoming individually playable in accordance with the story as they traverse an open-world New York City.
and fight enemies. Players can acquire new abilities and collect various Spider-Man suits. Peter and Miles can be freely swapped between at any point during free-roam in the game’s open world, and have dedicated missions both in the main story and as part of side content that takes advantage of their individual traits. The game expands upon the prior entries’ open world, allowing players to explore Brooklyn and Queens in addition to Manhattan, which was the main setting of the previous two games.
Building on the combat system of the previous titles, both Spider-Men are able to parry physical attacks, as certain enemy types are impervious to dodging. During traversal, both Peter and Miles’ new suits come equipped with Web Wings, which, when deployed, allow them to glide across the city, with their speed and distance covered increasing when taking advantage of areas such as wind tunnels.
Each Spider-Man’s gadget wheel has been upgraded with additional equippable mods for their web-shooters, such as being able to cast a Web Line across pillars for additional footing during stealth sequences suspended above enemies, and the Web Grabber, allowing multiple enemies to be pulled into an isolated spot for Stealth Takedowns, which can be performed on two enemies at once.
In addition to Peter Parker’s standard gameplay, he is playable when bonded to the Venom symbiote, granting him tendrils that he can use in combat and unique web-based abilities. Both Spider-Men have individual Skill Trees with additional unlockable abilities for both of them once they accumulate enough Skill Points in accordance with their experience level, as well as a third Skill Tree dedicated to shared abilities between them.
Characters and setting
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is set 10 months after the events of Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020). As with previous installments in the series, it features a large ensemble cast of various characters derived from the history of Spider-Man comics and other media. The game follows Peter Parker (Yuri Lowenthal) and Miles Morales (Nadji Jeter), who both became the superhero Spider-Man after gaining superhuman abilities upon being bitten by genetically modified spiders.
Peter serves as a mentor to Miles, who gained his superpowers during the events of the first game, though he struggles with balancing his personal life and duties as the city’s protector. They are supported by several allies: Daily Bugle reporter and Peter’s girlfriend Mary Jane Watson (Laura
Bailey); Miles’ classmate and tech guru Ganke Lee (Griffin Puatu); city councilwoman and Miles’ mother Rio (Jacqueline Piñol); deaf street artist Hailey Cooper (Natasha Ofili); and Miles’ estranged uncle Aaron Davis (Ike Amadi), who previously operated as the Prowler. The character Cindy Moon makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the game’s post-credits scene, along with her father Albert Moon (Tom Choi). The character Delilah, a skilled assassin who serves as the bartender at the Bar with No Name in an alternate universe, makes a cameo appearance during “The Message” side-quest. This version of the character was originally intended to appear in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) before her scene was cut from the final film.
Development
Both the first game and its spin-off title Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020) included implicit teases toward future titles, including post-credits scenes alluding to Insomniac Games’ intentions to introduce Venom into their narrative, as well as feature Norman Osborn and his son Harry in more prominent roles. Intihar stated that Insomniac Games had discussed including the Black Suit as an unlockable costume during the development of the first game, but a meeting with
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and sister title Marvel’s Wolverine were jointly announced by Insomniac Games at the PlayStation Showcase event in September 2021. Bryan Intihar and Ryan Smith serve as the game’s creative and game directors, respectively reprising their roles from Marvel’s Spider-Man, while Yuri Lowenthal, Nadji Jeter, and Tony Todd star as Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Venom, respectively. Speaking on the This Week in Marvel podcast, Bill Rosemann described the game’s narrative as “a little darker,” as well as “the next big chapter.” He likened the story’s tone to The Empire Strikes Back (1980), contrasted with how Marvel’s Spider-Man‘s narrative felt tonally similar to the original Star Wars (1977).
In January 2022, Brittney Morris, who previously wrote the Miles Morales tie-in novel Wings of Fury, joined the writing team on the game; and in June freelance artist Davison Carvalho was hired to serve as the game’s art director. Carvalho had also served as a concept artist for various Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. That November, actor Scott Porter, who voiced Harry Osborn throughout the Research Station activities in the first game, revealed that he was recast in Marvel’s
Spider-Man 2 to accommodate the character’s more prominent role in the story, addressing potential issues such as the age gap between himself and the character as “they decided to go photorealistic.” Actor Graham Phillips was later announced to take over the role of Osborn from Porter during San Diego Comic-Con in July 2023.
Release
Alongside the standard edition, a Digital Deluxe Edition was made available for the game. This edition features two sets of five unique suits for Peter Parker and Miles Morales, designed by guest artists from PlayStation Studios and the wider entertainment industry. It includes additional frames, stickers for the in-game Photo Mode, and two extra skill points for ability unlocks. A Collector’s Edition will be distributed through participating retailers and PlayStation Direct. It contains a download
voucher for the Digital Deluxe Edition, a steel bookcase, and a 19-inch display statue depicting the Spider-Men fighting Venom. All pre-orders, regardless of edition, come with early unlock bonuses: the “Arachknight Suit” for Peter Parker and “Shadow-Spider Suit” for Miles Morales, the Web Grabber gadget, and three additional skill points.
To commemorate the game’s launch, Sony Interactive Entertainment distributed a special edition PlayStation 5 console bundle themed after the game on September 1, 2023. It is a variant of the standard PlayStation 5 sporting custom face plates and a unique DualSense controller design based on the imagery of the Venom symbiote wrapping itself around a red gradient adorning Peter Parker’s Spider-Man emblem.
Insomniac Games art director Jacinda Chew remarked on this design being evocative of the various ways players experience the symbiote taking over Peter in the game’s story, describing it as a “constant push and pull for dominance whether it’s internal or external and the outcome is not certain.” The console comes with a digital voucher for the game’s Standard Edition for pre-load ahead of launch. The face plates and special DualSense controller are sold as separate accessories for existing owners of both the disc-based and Digital Edition PS5 consoles.
Reception
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 received “universal acclaim” from critics, with 97% of critics recommending the game.
Significant praise was directed towards the narrative and characterization of the primary cast. Gene Park, writing for The Washington Post, applauded the development and increasing tension between Peter Parker and Miles Morales, as well as the former’s friendship with Harry Osborn, noting that it was pushed as far as possible in a fashion that was “satisfying to watch.”
Matt Miller from Game Informer highlighted the story’s effectiveness at deriving from philosophical concepts associated with heroism against villainy, recognizing the game’s ability to pull from “questions about returning from a dark place and having another chance, no matter past mistakes.” Miller also praised the game’s effectiveness as an installment in a larger trilogy of games, able to standalone but is “made better by experiencing its entirety.”
In their 10/10 review of the game, Inverse‘s Hayes Madsen directed praise towards the developer’s seamless blend of ongoing narrative with the game mechanics, exemplifying the use of flashback sequences to teach the player about fundamental mechanics such as stealth and puzzle-solving, as well as the game’s variation between quieter character-building, the minigames, and hallmark set-pieces during action sequences.
Sales
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 sold over 2.5 million units in the first 24 hours of release, making it the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game using the first 24 hours as the metric, and over five million units within 11 days. In the United Kingdom, it was the best-selling retail game during its week of release, becoming the fourth-biggest physical launch of the year. It was also the fourth best-selling video game in the US in 2023. As of February 4, 2024, the game has sold ten million units. As of April 20, 2024, the game sold over 11 million units.
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | PS5: 90/100 PC: 76/100 |
| OpenCritic | 97% |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 9/10 |
| Digital Trends | 4.5/5 |
| Easy Allies | 9/10 |
| Eurogamer | 4/5 |
| Famitsu | 38/40 |
| Game Informer | 9.5/10 |
| GameSpot | 8/10 |
| GamesRadar+ | 5/5 |
| Hardcore Gamer | 4.5/5 |
| IGN | 8/10 |
| PCMag | 4/5 |
| Push Square | 8/10 |
| Shacknews | 10/10 |
| The Guardian | 5/5 |
| Video Games Chronicle | 5/5 |
| VG247 | 5/5 |
| VideoGamer.com | 10/10 |
Accolades
Time placed the game third on its list of the best games of 2023.Both GamesRadar+ and Empire placed the game fourth on their lists of the best games of 2023. The game won as IGN‘s Game of the Year (by readers’ choice) and several awards (including PS5 Game of the Year) at the PlayStation Blog Awards.
| Date | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Golden Joystick Awards | Ultimate Game of the Year | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Nominated | |
| Best Lead Performer | Nadji Jeter | Nominated | |||
| Yuri Lowenthal | Nominated | ||||
| Best Supporting Performer | Laura Bailey | Nominated | |||
| 14th Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Best Original Song in a Video Game (“Swing”) | Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II, Eian Parker, Ian Welch, Olu Fann, Benji, and EarthGang | Won | ||
| Music Supervision – Video Game | Alex Hackford, Scott Hanau, and Keith Leary | Nominated | |||
| Music Design – Trailer | John Paesano | Nominated | |||
| The Game Awards 2023 | Game of the Year | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Nominated | [81] | |
| Best Game Direction | Nominated | ||||
| Best Narrative | Nominated | ||||
| Best Audio Design | Nominated | ||||
| Best Performance | Yuri Lowenthal | Nominated | |||
| Innovation in Accessibility | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Nominated | |||
| Best Action-Adventure Game | Nominated | ||||
| Player’s Voice | Nominated | ||||
| 2024 | New York Game Awards | Big Apple Award for Game of the Year | Nominated | [82][83] | |
| Statue of Liberty Award for Best World | Nominated | ||||
| 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Game of the Year | Bryan Intihar, Ryan Smith, and Jeannette Lee | Nominated | [84][85] | |
| Action Game of the Year | Won | ||||
| Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction | Bryan Intihar and Ryan Smith | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in Animation | Bobby Coddington and Danny Garnett | Won | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction | Jacinda Chew, Davison Carvalho, and Johnson Truong | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design | Paul Mudra, Jerry Berlongieri, and Dwight Okahara | Won | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in Character | Miles Morales – Nadji Jeter, Jon Paquette, Ben Arfmann, and Lauren Mee | Won | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition | John Paesano, Scott Hanau, Keith Leary, and Rob Goodson | Won | |||
| Outstanding Technical Achievement | Doug Sheahan, Mike Fitzgerald, and Jess Scott | Won | |||
| 51st Annie Awards | Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in a Video Game | Insomniac Games Animation Team | Won | [86] | |
| 22nd Visual Effects Society Awards | Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project | Jacinda Chew, Jeannette Lee, Bryanna Lindsey, Alan Weider | Nominated | [87] | |
| 24th Game Developers Choice Awards | Game of the Year | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Nominated | [88][89] | |
| Best Audio | Nominated | ||||
| Best Design | Honorable mention | ||||
| Innovation Award | Honorable mention | ||||
| Best Narrative | Nominated | ||||
| Social Impact Award | Honorable mention | ||||
| Best Technology | Nominated | ||||
| Audience Award | Nominated | ||||
| 20th British Academy Games Awards | Best Game | Nominated | [90][91] | ||
| Animation | Nominated | ||||
| Audio Achievement | Nominated | ||||
| Game Design | Nominated | ||||
| Music | Nominated | ||||
| Performer in a Leading Role | Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales | Won | |||
| Yuri Lowenthal as Peter Parker | Nominated | ||||
| Performer in a Supporting Role | Tony Todd as Venom | Nominated | |||
| Technical Achievement | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Nominated | |||
| EE Game of the Year | Nominated | ||||
| Artistic Achievement | Longlisted | [92] | |||
| Golden Reel Awards 2023 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Game Effects/Foley | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Won | [93] | |
| Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Game Dialogue/ADR | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing – Game Music | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Nominated | |||
| 2025 | 67th Annual Grammy Awards | Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media | John Paesano | Nominated | [94][95] |
| Game Audio Network Guild Awards | Audio of the Year | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Nominated | [96] | |
| Best Audio Mix | Nominated | ||||
| Best Cinematic & Cutscene Audio | Won | ||||
| Best Ensemble Cast Performance | Won | ||||
| Best Game Foley | Won | ||||
| Best Game Trailer Audio | Nominated | ||||
| Best Voice Performance | Jim Pirri as Kraven the Hunter | Nominated | |||
| Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales | Nominated | ||||
| Tony Todd as Venom | Nominated | ||||
| Dialogue of the Year | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Won | |||
| Creative and Technical Achievement in Sound Design | Nominated | ||||
| Sound Design of the Year | Nominated |
Notes
- Ported to Windows by Nixxes Software
- As depicted in Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018)
- Based on 151 reviews, 143 (95%) of which are “positive”, 1 (1%) is “mixed”, and the remaining are unscored
- Based on 166 reviews
- Voted #3 out of twenty nominees for Ultimate Game of the Year
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