Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 PC Review – A Great Port Marred by Optimization Issues

Sony has generally done well in porting PlayStation exclusives to PC, from high-demand and top-notch titles like Returnal, to beautifully optimized God of War games. However, there have been a few stumbles, such as The Last of Us Part 1. Regrettably for Sony, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 seems to share more similarities with the missteps than it does with the home runs. Despite numerous criticisms regarding poor optimization and other issues, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 remains a fundamentally outstanding game. Not only does it live up to the expectations set by its two predecessors, but it even surpasses them.

To start off, let me clarify that I encountered very few performance problems while playing the game. I was capable of setting most of its options to maximum, excluding ray tracing, on my AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, 32 GB of DDR5 6000 MHz RAM, and an AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT graphics card. The frame rates didn’t quite manage to take full advantage of my 144 Hz monitor at a resolution of 1440p, but I was still consistently getting over 60 frames per second. The general open-world gameplay averaged around 70-80 FPS. Although performance wasn’t an issue, the game did crash occasionally during my playtime, which suggests that there may be some technical problems with the PC version of the game.

Initially, I want to mention that the game ran smoothly for me without many performance problems. I managed to push the settings almost to their maximum, excluding ray tracing, while playing it on an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor, 32 GB of DDR5 6000 MHz RAM, and an AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT graphics card.

As I compose this critique, several users have shared numerous technical difficulties they’ve encountered while playing “Spider-Man 2”. These problems include game crashes, video distortions, visual anomalies, and subpar performance. Regrettably, no definitive hardware-related cause has been pinpointed so far, with both AMD and Nvidia graphics card owners experiencing these issues. Furthermore, there appear to be software-related troubles, as users of DLSS and FSR technologies have noted noticeable visual stuttering, particularly in character hair.

The design of the keyboard and mouse controls is impressively considered as well. Yet, I wouldn’t advocate for it over a controller. On the contrary, the game’s compatibility with the DualSense is remarkable, incorporating most of its main features. What stands out to me the most is how the game takes advantage of the adaptive triggers on the DualSense, allowing you to sense the perfect level of pressure for certain quick-time events and prompts.

After wrapping up all computer-related matters, it’s now an ideal moment to delve into Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 in its entirety, approximately a year following its debut. Similar to the preceding two games, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 presents a unique narrative, with this installment centering on Kraven the Hunter. The game initially spends a few hours familiarizing you with its open world setting, offering various side activities and collectibles for exploration right away. Once you’ve adjusted to the new environment, the game serves up its second significant scene, simultaneously introducing Kraven to both Peter Parker and Miles Morales.

During the game’s exciting narrative, there are a few subplots that unfold in a subtle manner; Parker struggles with juggling his daily life and occasional city-saving duties from supervillains, while Morales grapples with various personal matters. These range from everyday challenges like filling out college applications to deeper feelings such as testing the boundaries of forgiveness when confronted by the man who killed his father. Although these side-stories don’t receive extensive attention, they provide engaging, intricate character development within the more dynamic main storyline.

The real magic of “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” unfolds during gameplay. Almost everything from the initial two games has been enhanced and refined in some manner.

It’s noteworthy that many intriguing and subtly complex aspects of the narrative can be found in the B-plots that weave their way through the game’s additional content. These stories often suggest a broader tale unfolding behind the scenes, with elements like mysterious cultist activities or occasional arson incidents hinted at here and there.

In essence, it’s during gameplay where Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 truly shines, with enhancements made across various aspects of the original games. Web-swinging is now more enjoyable due to a variety of new maneuvers to unlock, and even combat becomes more engaging with the inclusion of new powers for Peter Parker. The standout gameplay feature, however, is the ability to glide through the city using the new web wings that both Parker and Morales possess. Despite being able to glide through the New York skyline being enjoyable and intuitive, the wings never make traditional web-swinging feel redundant. Instead, they seem designed to complement swinging, as you can only effectively utilize the heights and speeds required for the wings to function by building up momentum through swinging.

The fighting aspect in Spider-Man 2 has undergone a significant transformation compared to its predecessors, drawing inspiration from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. In this sequel, Peter Parker will actively participate in combat with special abilities that recharge over time, similar to what we see in the game. This new power system offers a diverse set of abilities, such as growing mechanical spider-legs for battle or lifting all enemies into the air for extended combos.

However, it’s worth noting that these fresh abilities seem to make some of Peter Parker’s classic gadgets from the first title appear less relevant. While many of these gadgets are more situational than the new powers, they can also be easily overlooked during intense combat situations.

For those using PC, there could be some technical issues that may require waiting for an update or two to resolve.

As a gamer, let me tell you that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 truly delivers as a sequel. It’s not just larger or better; it’s exponentially so in ways you’d never expect. The main narrative is a masterstroke, managing to evoke powerful and explosive moments for two protagonists at once. Following the high bars set by Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales was no easy feat, but Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 pulls it off with an almost casual grace. The new villains you encounter during the game’s story and side missions are captivating on multiple levels, offering engaging gameplay experiences as well as compelling narratives.

For PC gamers, there’s a potential drawback: you might need to hold off for one or two updates to fix technical glitches. Although not all PC systems are identical, your experience may mirror mine where only a few crashes occurred during gameplay, but it’s important to acknowledge that numerous players have reported various significant problems. Even if you’re fortunate enough to encounter minimal technical issues, keep in mind that having a good controller handy is advisable; a high-speed third-person action game like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 may not offer the best experience with a keyboard and mouse, despite the studio’s attempts at designing an intuitive control setup.

This game was reviewed on PC.

2025-02-03 19:12

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