A game that likely evokes a nostalgic overload for many,Spider-Man 2thwipped onto PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube in 2004, coinciding with the release of its movie counterpart. A relic of a bygone era of licensed tie-in video game adaptations,Spider-Man 2, at least the home console version, is still regarded by many as an excellent superhero game, even when compared to 2019’sMarvel’s Spider-Manby Insomniac Games. In fact, some long-time fans even believe thatSpider-Man 2has superior web-swinging mechanics than the most recent Spidey venture.
Stripping away the comparisons to contemporary releases,Spider-Man 2does definitely hold up today. There are several key aspects of the game that make it stand out as one of, if not the, best superhero game of all time.
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Thwipping Never Felt So Good
If there’s one mechanic aSpider-Mandeveloper needs to get right it’s the web-swinging. In Insomniac’sSpider-Man, Spidey uses a relatively simple pendulum-like mechanic to give the feeling of forward momentum; when players hold the trigger to extend a web, Spidey enters a downward arc and if players release at the top of the pendulum arc, Spidey is propelled out, gaining speed.This version of web-swingingis extremely user-friendly, only requiring a single button input to make Spidey move. Insomniac’s version also allows players to attach and run across walls and parkour across rooftops by just holding down the same trigger that sends out a web. There’s also a lack of fall damage, meaning that there are essentially no consequences for a mistimed swing.
On the other hand,Spider-Man 2’s home console versionused a physics-based swinging system. Here, momentum really is key. Players needed to time their web releases well to gain speed and end up in the direction they wanted. A combination of triggers, analog sticks, and face buttons were needed to ensure that Spidey didn’t launch himself into the ground. Similarly, attaching to walls and wall-running was a more complex task that also required several button combinations. Also, fall damage was present, so any significant wrong move could be the end of the web-head.
While the more complex controls and more punishing consequences could be a bit of a turn-off for modern players, the sense of satisfaction that came from understanding and adapting to these mechanics made the journey throughSpider-Man 2an incredibly memorable one. This is further reinforced with the game’s numerous web-swinging upgrades that gave Spidey more speed, more tricks, and a boost mechanic. These upgrades imitate and reinforce the player’s feelings that they are learning and becoming a better Spider-Man, a theme and feeling that should be core toany superhero game.
A Surprising Predecessor
WhenSpider-Man 2is brought up in conversation nowadays, the topic almost always reverts back to how good the swinging was. But there’s a lot more to this game than most give credit to, and there’s a surprising amount of groundwork present inSpider-Man 2thatInsomniac likely used for its iteration.
Thecombat inSpider-Man 2is a little finicky and clunky, but it had some excellent ideas that just needed some more time and polish, polish that would later be given in Insomniac’s game. On the surface, the game uses a general brawler type of combat; the face buttons give you light attacks, heavy attacks, web attacks, jumps, and dodges. But it’s the way these inputs and mechanics are strung together that makeSpider-Man 2a surprisingly engaging action game.
Over the course of the campaign, players will unlock a range of web attacks and combo moves. Stringing these uniquely Spider-Man moves together makes for exciting and visually-impressive fights. Players will be throwing enemies into the air, webbing them back down again, flipping over foes, and tying criminals to lampposts, all while dishing out a few gymnastic kicks and punches along the way and using their Spidey Sense to dodge incoming gunshots. When all of these inputs and actions combine, they help to make the player truly feel like the wall-crawler. The game’s slight emphasis on aerial combat is also quite interesting, as Insomniac has since made thatSpider-Man’s key selling point, setting it apart from theArkhamseries of games.
Another area in whichSpider-Man 2laid the groundwork for future iterations was in its decent selection of villains.Spider-Man’s rogues gallery is vast, and everyone has their own personal favorite, butSpider-Man 2had a handful that definitely impressed fans at the time. Over the course of the game’s story, players will come up against Doc Ock, Rhino, Mysterio (many, many times), and Shocker. A deep-cut villain, Calypso, can also be fought in the game’s challenge mode.
While most of the boss fights themselves may have left a little to be desired, with many boiling down to a punch-up in a warehouse/large room, the sheer presence of theseiconic comic characterswas enough to give fans a thrill, especially with most of their portrayals appearing just as cheesy and over-the-top as their on-page counterparts.
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Pizza Time
The subheading says it all. While many players rememberSpider-Man 2fondly for its aforementioned web-swinging, its unique combat mechanics and its range of iconic Marvel villains, there’s a handful that thinks aboutone particular minigamewhenever the game is mentioned: the pizza delivery minigame.
The premise is simple, Spider-Man must deliver pizzas to customers across New York in a specified amount of time. The hook, however, is the absurdity that follows. From the moment players exit the cutscene, Luigi Denza’s 1880 classic “Funiculi, Funicula” begins to play, but it’s a weird midi-like, low-res version that uses thefakest accordion sound effectsever made. The absurdity only continues as the clock begins to run out, causing the classical accordion music to speed up. And acting as a perfect absurd footnote to the whole situation, whenever you accidentally fall or perform an air-trick, Tobey Maguire’s monotone voice exclaims “If I flip these pizzas, Mr. Aziz will flip out.” This is peak game design and might be the greatest reason forSpider-Man 2’s success.
All joking aside,Spider-Man 2was the first true superhero game to deliver on the promise of making the player feel as though they are the titular hero, whether that was through web-swinging, combat mechanics, absurdly memorable minigames, or any other component.
Spider-Man 2is available on DS, GBA, GameCube, PC, PS2, PSP, and Xbox.
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