Spider-Man 2

A frustrating disappointment that looks fine standing still but stutters and falls apart in motion, plagued by terrible optimization, frequent crashes, and weak voice acting. The web-slinging traversal and revamped combat actually handle well and feel good, but the broken menace/morality system, constant repetitive city crimes, and an incoherent story drag everything down. It starts out seeming like a normal game and then promptly disintegrates the longer you play.

ZP: repetitive mess; worse than first tie-in.

A polished PlayStation flagship with excellent set pieces, responsive traversal, strong combat with the new symbiote and character-pairing systems, and graphics that push the PS5. Despite complaints that it iterates closely on the first game, the abilities and standout missions deliver a genuine Spider-Man fantasy.

Phenomenal sequel improving on the first in nearly every way.

Excellent sequel that refines traversal, improves combat, and delivers a compelling dual-protagonist experience.

Masterfully balances huge-scale storytelling with intimate human moments in a polished sequel.

Lazy formulaic movie tie-in with outdated graphics and poor mission design; some interesting stealth missions but average at best.

Excellent Spider-Man sequel with amazing web-swinging animations, new power abilities, expanded NYC to explore, though MJ sections feel less creative than before.

GameSpot: excellent loneliness story; Miles standout; tedious EMF missions.