Indiwire’s review:
“Sony’s Brilliant Video Game Sequel Understands Spidey Better Than the MCU Ever Has”
“so intelligently conceived and absurdly well-polished that it often seems revolutionary just by dint of how spectacular it feels to play, this blockbuster follow-up to 2018’s “Spider-Man” — and 2020’s Miles Morales-centered spinoff — soars above so much of its competition because of how relentlessly it confronts you with the fact that virtually no one could be Spider-Man. Or maybe it’s because the game pretty much allows you to fly around New York from the moment it starts. That’s pretty cool, too.”
“this massive steel playground is also home to one of the most purely enjoyable open-world games ever made”
“ Thanks to the fluidity of the controls, the addictiveness of the sidequests, and the ecstasy of the various combat and traversal mechanics that “Spider-Man 2” either refines or introduces into the franchise, anything you actually choose to do as Spider-Man comes at the temporary expense of 10 other things you might wish you were doing at the same time.”
“ The bliss of actually wanting to do everything available to you perfectly aligns with the moral compass of a superhero who accepts his privilege as an obligation.”
“ It’s a game about the agonies of striking the right work/life balance, and it’s such an addictive time-suck that Spider-Man’s problem soon becomes your own.”
“ While that balance continues to defy what’s possible in even a mega-budgeted AAA game like this one, Insomniac manages to achieve it in virtually every other regard. Combat is a treat from start to finish”
“ Everything blends together with a rare sense of purpose”
“ A quantum leap forward for its franchise”