Spiderman 2 Discussion Thread OT

Petekilla

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16 Jun 2023
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Game is really good

Not usually one to talk much about graphics but they really shine here bigtime and the city feels very noticeably more lifelike, vibrant, and colourful than in the previous game.

It's more of the same, with slight enhancements, exactly what I expected. No assist swinging feels better, but there is still a speed limit on web swinging and there are still little quirks I don't like about how swinging works, but in general it's probably the best mechanically Spider-man has ever been.

Everything is fun for me except the boring ass walk and talks, banal third person exposition as gameplay. Somewhere around Uncharted people started thinking that making you babysit a cutscene with the excuse of "we didn't take control away from you!" was elevating the medium. Give me a fucking cutscene, please. It feels like 50% of the missions I've played so far are Peter Parker things and not Spider-man things.

There is a brief segment where I'm tasked with cleaning up my goddamned kitchen while Mary Jane looks through boxes. This is a glorified cutscene. Quite honestly, it is basically the same thing to me as Desert Bus. It's a section of "gameplay" that has one outcome and every now and then you have to prod the controller to keep the scene moving. At least Desert Bus has fail states. This is supposed to be MORE IMMERSIVE CINEMATIC GAMEPLAY, but an NPC will stand holding a car door open for me repeating some lines infinitely while I stand there like an idiot until I read the on screen button prompt informing me to press X to enter the vehicle.

Like increasingly they are making things I would not have expected to be superhero gameplay into gameplay, and making things I want to be cool gameplay sequences into cinematics. One small example I noticed last night was a part where Spidey jumps off a building and is chasing a falling enemy on the way down. I was like, this would be really cool to control in a cinematic gameplay sequence. Sorry best we can do is a QTE but how about a pedal bike ride with Harry?

It's this weird marriage of the absolute best high octane superhero gameplay mechanics ever, and the most inane mind numbingly dull slice of life third person exposition gameplay that all PRESTIGE games seem to have now. Good thing they nail the Spidey gameplay.
The reason for Peter Parker gameplay is because they feel that Peter’s story is just as important as Spider Man’s story. Playing as Peter may not be the most fun, but they do it for narrative reasons.
 
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Nym

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The reason for Peter Parker gameplay is because they feel that Peter’s story is just as important as Spider Man’s story. Playing as Peter may not be the most fun, but they do it for narrative reasons.

No it isn't: see basically every other Spidey game prior to Insomniac's where the gameplay sections were 100% Spidey shit. Cinematic ambitions don't make playing a fucking pedal bike walk and talk any more fun.

Edit: i should clarify. Peter's story obviously is important. But important for me to play in banal gameplay sections? No bro I'm not getting deeper to the heart of Peter by being forced to empty his trash, this is ridiculous shit. Cutscenes are fine, use them.
 

Arc

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5 Sep 2023
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Think it comes down to different strokes. I was absolutely loving on the whole Coney Island thing. The little fun carnival games, the character development, walking around and enjoying the atmosphere. Even choosing my prize at the end.

I didn’t need Spider-Man to show up, because I was having such a chill, fun time, but when he did, it felt like the roof tore off the place.

That’s probably the intention. To weave between Peter Parker and Spider-Man in gameplay, to offer the best representation of the character. It also relaxes the Spider-Man parts for a bit, and lets them breathe and be contrasted, to be appreciated more. I’d argue if you aren’t capturing both sides, your Spider-Man story is missing something, like those old games.

But of course, the specific execution of that is up for debate. I love it so far tho.
 

Nym

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I have no issue with narrative existing and driving the scenarios I will be playing Spider-man in, those used to be called cutscenes and they go in between the gameplay sections. Somewhere along the way gamers felt like they were getting more value because they had to hold the analog stick during dialogue.
 
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Petekilla

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No it isn't: see basically every other Spidey game prior to Insomniac's where the gameplay sections were 100% Spidey shit. Cinematic ambitions don't make playing a fucking pedal bike walk and talk any more fun.

Edit: i should clarify. Peter's story obviously is important. But important for me to play in banal gameplay sections? No bro I'm not getting deeper to the heart of Peter by being forced to empty his trash, this is ridiculous shit. Cutscenes are fine, use them.
Naughty Dog does the same thing. Not everything needs to be fun, if they trying to build character and narrative. Ya’ll want video games to be treated and respected as an art form. But when devs do things to build character and story, ya’ll complain because you’re not mashing on the controller and beating people up or killing everything that you see in other games. I know it’s different taste, but I like patient gameplay that builds up characters.
 
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Bryank75

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I quite liked the bike part.

People loved bikes in GTA SA!


Pee Wee Herman Bicycle GIF
 

Falcs

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23 Jun 2022
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Naughty Dog does the same thing. Not everything needs to be fun, if they trying to build character and narrative. Ya’ll want video games to be treated and respected as an art form. But when devs do things to build character and story, ya’ll complain because you’re not mashing on the controller and beating people up or killing everything that you see in other games. I know it’s different taste, but I like patient gameplay that builds up characters.
The way it's done in Uncharted is that conversations are happening while you're still climbing shit. Walking from point A to B and talking is pointless, and totally overdone in modern games. Just make it a cutscene.
 
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Gamernyc78

Gamernyc78

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28 Jun 2022
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The way it's done in Uncharted is that conversations are happening while you're still climbing shit. Walking from point A to B and talking is pointless, and totally overdone in modern games. Just make it a cutscene.
I agree, it's the worst part imo of these games. Breaks up immersion for me.
 
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Nym

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Not everything needs to be fun

lol I would say that yes all gameplay in a superhero game should ideally be fun. You want character building bullshit put it in a cinematic between the levels/missions like we used to do. I don't gain anything by being in control of banal slice of life sequences, you yourself are telling me this isn't fun so what the fuck am I doing playing it instead of being able to skip it if I want. There is nothing wrong with either narrative character building elements, or cinematics. The problem is making long boring narrative sections require meaningless player input.

There are so many cinematics I see in this game with actual cool action happening that I wish they had tried to find a way to give me some control of, rather than spend time on bike rides and kitchen cleaning and whatever else is in store for me, that could just be a cinematic and convey the same narrative information. I can put up with a bit of that like a brief cinematic walk and talk through Doc Oc's lab or something, but it's just getting out of hand imo. It's a game not a movie or book and I would personally prefer it if the gameplay ratio of superhero stuff to dull stuff was skewed further in favour of the fun gameplay.

It's weird too because they let you skip all cinematics, QTES, and even some of the puzzle gameplay. I would legitimately appreciate an option that lets you autoplay sections where you don't have a suit on. I don't mind watching the content honestly, I resent that I'm being forcibly dragged through an unfun mechanical experience.
 
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Gamernyc78

Gamernyc78

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lol I would say that yes all gameplay in a superhero game should ideally be fun. You want character building bullshit put it in a cinematic between the levels/missions like we used to do. I don't gain anything by being in control of banal slice of life sequences, you yourself are telling me this isn't fun so what the fuck am I doing playing it instead of being able to skip it if I want. There is nothing wrong with either narrative character building elements, or cinematics. The problem is making long boring narrative sections require meaningless player input.

There are so many cinematics I see in this game with actual cool action happening that I wish they had tried to find a way to give me some control of, rather than spend time on bike rides and kitchen cleaning and whatever else is in store for me, that could just be a cinematic and convey the same narrative information. I can put up with a bit of that like a brief cinematic walk and talk through Doc Oc's lab or something, but it's just getting out of hand imo. It's a game not a movie or book and I would personally prefer it if the gameplay ratio of superhero stuff to dull stuff was skewed further in favour of the fun gameplay.

It's weird too because they let you skip all cinematics, QTES, and even some of the puzzle gameplay. I would legitimately appreciate an option that lets you autoplay sections where you don't have a suit on. I don't mind watching the content honestly, I resent that I'm being forcibly dragged through an unfun mechanical experience.
Yeah I need fun in my games in order to attract me, if not why play? Even the Sims tht attract me are because they are fun to me.
 
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kuzon

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23 Jun 2023
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Do you guys think we'll get another Spider-Man Mile Morales 2 before Spider-man 3?
 

Nym

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I agree, it's the worst part imo of these games. Breaks up immersion for me.

I'm also getting pretty tired of these multi phase boss fights. I did the first Li boss fight last night, and after a 3 repeating phase fight, you do an on rails flight section chasing him while he talks, then have more arena combat stuff as the boss speaks lines. At this point in the fight, I was sick of it honestly, so I started skipping the cutscenes that happen after the boss has spoken his dialogue, and after you skip that cinematic.....it dumps you into another fight just like the one you just did. FOUR FUCKING TIMES. And you can't even actually beat the enemies - they just infinitely pour in while the boss talks at you. Like holy shit man. At one point I was just doing the swing kick over and over again waiting for the next time I could press skip cinematic. I was absolutely in awe that they make you do that 4 times after a 3 phase boss fight. It's technically an 8 phase fight.
 
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SLB1904

Actually born in 1904!
22 Jun 2022
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Yuri side missions... just do it lol
I'm not there yet but oh boy it gets interesting