Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Review – Insomniac’s Tech Shines, but the Story and PC Port Hold It Back

PS5 Release Date: October 20, 2023 | PC Release Date: January 30, 2025 | Developer: Insomniac Games | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Platforms: PS5, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) | Genre: Action-Adventure | Price: The Standard Edition costs $69.99 USD on Steam | Languages: English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and more

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a game that’s hard to sum up in one sentence.

Technically, Insomniac delivered one of the most impressive PS5-era packages — web-swinging still feels like the gold standard, the density of New York is breathtaking, and the combat system is incredibly fluid. But on the other hand, story controversies and a rocky PC port have kept this game mired in debate since launch.

Metacritic media score sits at 90 (145 critics), with a user score of 8.6/10. On Steam, it holds about 42,000 total reviews with an 82% positive rating. The numbers don’t look bad, but the debates around the story, PC port, and certain design choices have never really died down.

Two Spider-Men, One Shared Adventure

The biggest selling point of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is that Peter Parker and Miles Morales share the spotlight as dual protagonists for the first time in a Spider-Man game from Insomniac. You can switch between them at any time in the open world. Their combat styles, skill trees, and story arcs differ — Peter leans toward symbiote-enhanced brawling, while Miles focuses on bio-electric powers and agility.

The story revolves around the symbiote threat, with Venom as the central antagonist. It weaves together multiple storylines involving Peter, Miles, Harry, and Venom, attempting to highlight the tension between the superhero identity and everyday life. Some critics praised the narrative for its blockbuster, MCU-style ambition and emotional consistency with the series.

But this is also where the controversy lies.

Story: Top-Tier Presentation, Polarizing Script

If you’ve spent any time on gaming forums, you’ve probably seen some version of this take: “The presentation is incredible, but the script is a mess.”

That’s harsh, but it does capture the heart of the debate around Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s story. Insomniac’s technical execution remains outstanding — the cinematography, facial capture, and pacing in cutscenes are all top-tier. But the writing itself left many players unconvinced.

Criticism tends to cluster around a few key points:

Some players feel Peter is sidelined. As the series’ primary protagonist, Peter goes through an entire game’s worth of misery, with some fans asking “how much does this studio hate this guy?” Others feel Miles gets too much screen time, to the point of overshadowing Peter.

The villains are polarizing. Kraven the Hunter has been criticized by some players for having “unclear motivations and contradictory characterization.” Venom, despite being the main antagonist, has been described as “rushed and one-note.”

Pacing issues. The latter half feels rushed, while the early portions feel cluttered due to Kraven’s storyline. Overall, some players feel the narrative doesn’t hold up as well as the first game.

Diversity and representation debates. Some players feel that certain character and side-content choices feel overly deliberate, which affects their overall enjoyment of the story.

Of course, there are also players who found the story “tight and emotionally resonant.” Interestingly, positive feedback tends to focus on the presentation and emotional beats, while criticism is more often directed at the script itself.

Web-Swinging Still Feels Amazing, While Combat Continues to Evolve

Put the story debates aside for a moment, and the gameplay and technical foundation are hard to fault.

If you played the first game, you know the feeling — web-swinging through New York is a joy in itself — and that feeling is not only preserved but enhanced in the sequel. The new wing-suit glider lets you stay airborne even in areas with fewer skyscrapers, making exploration more vertical and dynamic.

The combat system retains all the staples — Spider-Sense, dodging, parrying, aerial combos — while adding new layers. The symbiote abilities give Peter a more aggressive edge, contrasting sharply with Miles’s venom powers. Boss fights are also more varied and intense than in the previous game.

The open-world “checklist” feel has been toned down compared with the previous games. A typical run to the Platinum trophy takes around 20–30 hours, with a tight pace that keeps things moving before you start to feel fatigued.

PS5 Is the Gold Standard, but the PC Launch Was Rough

This is where Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 becomes most divisive.

The PS5 version is mature and polished. Metacritic 90, IGN 8, GameSpot 8. Critics have called it “one of the best technical showcases on PS5.” The DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers are also put to excellent use.

The PC version was a different story. When it launched on January 30, 2025, players ran into a host of performance issues: frame drops, crashes, and various bugs. DLSS caused flickering shadows and hair rendering issues, while ray tracing placed an unusually heavy load on GPUs. At launch, the positive review rate dropped to around 50%, sparking widespread criticism of the port’s quality.

That said, Nixxes Software has released multiple PC patches throughout 2026 addressing crashes, performance, ray tracing, and visual issues. Meanwhile, the July 28, 2026 update (v1.005.000) added two new Peter Parker suits, including the Fresh Start suit, plus Enhanced PSSR support for PS5 Pro. With ongoing fixes, Steam reviews have rebounded significantly — the game now holds a “Very Positive” overall rating (about 42,000 total reviews, ~82% positive).

The controversy surrounding the PC launch, however, remains a major part of the conversation around the port.

Is It Worth Buying in 2026?

If you have a PS5: Go for it. It’s one of the best exclusives on the platform, and the technical experience is top-notch.

If you’re on PC: It’s much safer to jump in now than it was in 2025. Nixxes has addressed most of the major stability, performance, and visual issues through multiple patches. Still, if you’re especially sensitive to frame-rate stability, ray tracing, or hardware compatibility, it’s worth checking specific configurations and future patch notes.

The Standard Edition costs $69.99 on Steam, with a historical low around $47. If you’re not in a rush, waiting for a sale is always an option.

Who Is This Game For?

Recommended for:

• Fans of open-world action games
• Players who love web-swinging and free-roaming through a detailed city
• Those who value polished tech, fluid combat, and presentation
• PS5 owners (best experience)

Not recommended for:

• Players with high expectations for tight, cohesive storytelling
• Those sensitive to the game’s political and social themes
• PC players with zero tolerance for any lingering optimization issues
• Anyone expecting a revolutionary leap (this is “iteration,” not “reinvention”)

Should You Pull the Trigger?

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a textbook case of “top-tier tech meets a flawed script.” Insomniac remains at the top of its game when it comes to web-swinging mechanics, combat flow, visual fidelity, and open-world design. But story controversies, Peter’s sidelining, and the PC port’s rocky launch have all kept this title from being universally beloved.

If you’re happy with a blockbuster-style experience built around stunning visuals and spectacle, even if the story has its rough edges, it’s still worth your time. If you’re a narrative-first player, or if you’re on PC and performance-sensitive — wait for patches, wait for a sale, or skip it entirely.

Copyright Notice: All game screenshots, character images, and related materials referenced in this article are the property of Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment, and are used for game introduction, review, and informational display purposes.