Summary
Last year,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2took the world by storm. The long-awaited full sequel to Insomniac’s 2018 critical and commercial smash hit,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2was another huge hit with critics, taking all of its predecessor’s components and improving upon them in some significant ways. Better web-swinging, better combat, and even a more satisfying Platinum Trophy journey were all just some ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s biggest improvements. But Insomniac’s game wasn’t the first to brandish theSpider-Man 2title.
Released 20 years ago today - on July 04, 2025 - Treyarch’sSpider-Man 2is one of the most beloved games of the PS2 and original Xbox era, and one of the greatest movie tie-in games of all time. Using its source material as only a jumping-off point for a much grander adventure,Spider-Man 2was the first game to really capture that feeling of being Spider-Man, letting players freely swing through a bustling New York City, stopping crimes and saving citizens.Spider-Man 2’s graphics and some elements of its gameplay may be a little dated now, but even 20 years later, there’s still quite a bitSpider-Man 2can teach Insomniac Games.
20 Years Later, Spider-Man 2 Still Acts as a Great Blueprint for the Wall-Crawler
Spider-Man 2’s Focus on Side Villains Needs to Return
InInsomniac’sSpider-Manseries, minor villains – those outside the Sinister Six – are often a bit of a fleeting presence. While Shocker gets one or two missions in the firstSpider-Man, and Tombstone gets a sizable side quest, bothMiles MoralesandMarvel’s Spider-Man 2spend the vast majority of their runtime focused on their primary villains. This feels especially true withMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, where villains like Carnage and Chameleon are only briefly teased at the end of lengthy side quest chains.
2004’sSpider-Man 2, on the other hand, puts its minor villains front and center. Though there are a few Doc Ock fights sprinkled throughout the game, the majority ofSpider-Man 2’s runtime is dedicated to lower-ranked villains like Shocker, who receives multiple boss fights. It would be great to see Insomniac’s universe dive a little deeper into the lesser-known parts of the hero’s rogue’s gallery. Black Cat also plays a pivotal role inSpider-Man 2’s story, appearing frequently throughout to encourage Peter to lean into his darker side, but eventually pushing him closer to the light. Though Black Cat got her time to shine inMarvel’s Spider-Man’s DLC, she was written out ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2quite quickly.
Spider-Man 2’s Goofy Mini-Game Reminds Players to Have Fun
One of the most iconic elements of the 2004Spider-Man 2game is itspizza delivery mini-game, where players need to make a mad dash across New York while an intensely jazzy version of “Funiculi, Funicula” plays. This mini-game is oddly difficult and tonally bizarre, but it does a great job of reminding players of the goofier side of the Spider-Man character, which is something that Insomniac’s universe might benefit from having a little more of.
Spider-Man 2’s Traversal Still Has a Few Tricks to Teach Insomniac
Back whenMarvel’s Spider-Manreleased in 2018, there was a big debate among fans over which game had the best web-swinging betweenSpider-Man 2and Insomniac’s entry.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2has largely ended that debate, going above and beyond in terms of web-swinging mechanics and traversal abilities. But even then, there are one or two traversal elements fromSpider-Man 2that could be used ina future InsomniacSpider-Mangame. For instance, the ability to manually swing off traffic lights and lampposts would be great to see.
WHERE TO PLAY
TAKE NEW YORK FOR A SPIN.From random crime to global threat, the entire city is relying on you to save it.• Do anything Spider-Man can with breathtaking new moves and amazing combos.• Battle Doc Ock, bust street crimes or clash with classic villains.• Go anywhere. Interact with anyone and anything.• Web swing for the first time from street to rooftop across the entire city.• Featuring the voices of Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Alfred Molina.
