DaRmaZat At the end of 2023, the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PlayStation 5 made waves, thanks in part to its thrilling plot featuring not one but two protagonists: Peter Parker from the first game and Miles Morales from his standalone title. However, if you follow gaming news regularly, you probably noticed that the PC version of the game had a far less smooth launch.
Unfortunately, when Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was released on PC on January 30, the average framerate was undeniably lower than what we’ve come to expect from Nixxes Software’s PC ports. In addition, unexplained stutters and crashes led to an initial verdict that the quality simply wasn’t up to par. Thankfully, I can now bring some more positive news in this review. Every patch released so far has shown steady technical improvements!
Bigger, bolder, more bombastic
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 takes place shortly after the events of the first game and follows both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they protect the streets of New York together. While battling various villains—such as Sandman, who primarily serves as an easy target during the inevitable tutorial—they are unexpectedly confronted by the return of Harry Osborn. Meanwhile, bodybuilder Kraven and his band of Hunters turn the city into their personal jungle, searching for worthy opponents. And that’s still not all: Venom, Scorpion, Martin Li, and Felicia “The Black Cat” all demand their share of the spotlight in this game.
That’s right—this second Spider-Man game aims to be bigger and more spectacular than its predecessors on every front. You can expect some absolutely wild moments. A sequence where a native warrior performs a massive somersault before slicing a steel structure in half with a machete? That could definitely happen. Acquiring a magical staff and traveling through two-dimensional portals straight out of Hogwarts Legacy? Also possible. Yes, Spider-Man 2 unapologetically pushes new boundaries within the franchise. This level of spectacle will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat, in between the quieter sections where you tag along with MJ, bond with Harry, or reflect on past family ties.
Storytelling remains one of the game’s greatest strengths.
Put simply: storytelling remains one of this game’s strongest assets. The cinematography is top-notch, and the pacing is particularly well-executed, with special mention for the flashbacks that bring significant characters from Peter and Harry’s past to life—not just through dialogue, but also through excellent lip-syncing and facial expressions. During these scenes, even the music excels, with a subtle but powerful score that emphasizes the underlying themes.
And yes, the classic clichés are all present: “heroes are just people,” “the importance of family and friendship,” and “never give up on doing what’s right.” Yet, these moments serve as a welcome break—perhaps even the true highlights—amidst all the web-swinging, gadget-play, and the ever-familiar Batman: Arkham-style combat sequences.
Point-based but highly enjoyable gameplay
Navigating the vibrant city of New York remains an art in itself. Switching between Web Wings and Air Tricks, simply moving fluidly and swiftly through the air is a challenge in its own right. Who wouldn’t want to gracefully soar like a bird over Harlem, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Chinatown? In the main missions, you play alternately as one of the two Spider-Men, and to progress through the story, you’ll need to make use of the in-game FNSM app. Meanwhile, you’re free to explore the many side missions with your favorite wall-crawler.
That said, we have to admit: at times, these side missions feel a bit like a grind. This chaotic version of New York is packed with criminal gangs to beat up and various problems to solve. Completing them earns you Experience Points and sometimes even Tech Parts, which are essential for unlocking cool upgrades. Both Spider-Men have access to impressive tech. On one hand, there are gadgets like drones that provide temporary aerial defense. On the other, there are Abilities, such as Web Wings for gliding and the powerful Spider Arms—metallic spider legs that pack a serious punch.
The seamless transition between missions and their variety ensures that you keep playing effortlessly.
Even performing acrobatic mid-air flips rewards extra XP. These Experience Points translate into level-ups, which are crucial for holding your own in combat. Meanwhile, you’ll encounter plenty of mini-games and puzzles. While not always the most original or challenging, the seamless transition between missions and their variety ensures that you’ll keep playing effortlessly.
But… that performance? It has to, and will, improve.
Finally, we come to the biggest weak spot of this release. Despite its stunning visuals, the PC port suffers from inexplicable framerate drops and various stuttering issues, especially when rotating the camera. Crashes also occur, regardless of whether Frame Generation or Microsoft Direct Storage is enabled or disabled.
Upscaling is practically unavoidable, but depending on the selected Nvidia DLSS model, this can sometimes lead to blurry image quality—such as an unwanted film grain effect in certain cutscenes. Additionally, I noticed instances where textures failed to load properly, making everything look overly black, gray, or white, even with maximum Ray Tracing enabled. As a result, some shadows were completely broken. This definitely should have been better, but it’s somewhat reassuring to know that improvements are actively being worked on. Expectations are that performance and stability will continue to improve.
Conclusion
Even on PC, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 remains a spectacular action game with a thrilling story, compelling characters, and highly enjoyable gameplay. Though the PC edition didn’t launch in its best possible state due to performance and stability issues, this will undoubtedly be resolved over time!
Additional Information
Release Date: January 30, 2025
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency via BeyondGaming.
Developer: Insomniac Games, Nixxes Software
Publisher: PlayStation Publishing LLC
Official Website: https://www.playstation.com/nl-be/games/marvels-spider-man-2
Relevant links: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on STEAM
