Marvel’s Spider-Man vs. Spider-Man 2

When Marvel’s Spider-Man hit the stores in 2018, many critics thought it was the best rendition Insomniac Games could ever give to the wall-crawling-friendly neighborhood superhero. Now that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is out, though, those sentiments are beginning to possibly change, depending, of course, on your outlook on the gradually booming franchise. 

Both Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 have plenty going for them. They both have near-similar gameplay elements while also setting themselves apart, thanks to new changes to the old recipe. The question is, are the new changes for the better or worse? Today, we’re comparing everything from the gameplay to the cosmetics to find out which Marvel’s Spider-Man game did it better than the other.

What is Marvel’s Spider-Man?

Marvel’s Spider-Man is an action-adventure game released in February 2018 for PS4 and later ported to PS5 and PC platforms. The Spider-Man superhero from Marvel Comics serves as the inspiration for the game, which Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment are both publishing.

While the story draws inspiration from the comics, Insomniac penned a brand-new original story for a fresh take on the long-running franchise. It kicks off the usual trajectory: a radioactive spider bites Peter Parker, turning him into a superhuman with spidery abilities.  

Like the comics and film adaptations, Spider-Man takes on the responsibility of protecting New York City from the bad guys. However, he often struggles with keeping his personal life separate from his superhero life to protect his loved ones from harm. 

Eight years later, Spider-Man takes on the villain Mister Negative, working to stop his plans to control New York City’s criminal underworld. Using Spider-Man’s ability to shoot webs and sling himself around New York, players follow Peter’s story while fighting villains along the way.

What is Marvel’s Spider-Man 2?

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, recently released in 2023, is the official action-adventure sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man entry. Insomniac and Sony Interactive Entertainment continue to collaborate on the franchise, releasing the sequel on PS5 platforms.

This time, though, the sequel follows the story of Peter Parker and his mentee, Miles Morales, who featured in his own Marvel’s Spider-Man’s follow-up entry, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020). 

Miles Morales, also bitten by a radioactive spider, follows in the footsteps of Peter Parker. They both protect New York City from the bad guys. However, each one has an individual storyline that picks up where the predecessors left off. 

The duo also goes up against a new villain, Kraven the Hunter. They face new challenges, both internally and externally, as they navigate the balance between personal and superhero lives.  

Story

A bird's-eye assessment reveals Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018) to have a more story-focused gameplay narrative compared to the sequel. It incorporates unexpected twists and turns that take you by surprise and really invest your attention and emotion in the narrative. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023) is more action-focused, so much so that the cutscenes can feel like a drag. It doesn’t necessarily make it a bad thing; rather, it develops a quench of thirst whenever the next action sequence cues in. 

Characters

Easily jumping off the screen, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 allows players to take control of both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, freely switching between the two on the fly. Meanwhile, Marvel’s Spider-Man only featured Peter Parker solo. More is definitely more in this case, as players follow individual storylines and take side missions, some exclusive to each character.

Furthermore, both characters have distinct abilities, so it feels fresh to switch them up. Peter Parker’s symbiote black suit gives him unique abilities, while Miles places focus on his bio-electric skills. This makes the gameplay extensive, with higher replayability chances. You can play as Peter and replay as Miles, each time enjoying a unique experience. 

Villains

Players have a new villain to go head-to-head with. Previously, you had Doctor Octopus and Mister Negative to deal with. Now, you’ll be facing Kraven the Hunter alongside Venom. Besides the change of main antagonists, there are also villains to fight against all across New York City. And while the predecessor had a good bunch to contend with, the sequel adds even more villains to the mix.

Gameplay

One thing is clear upon comparing Marvel’s Spider-Man to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The latter features a ton more explosive action sequences than you can imagine.

Traversal

Traversing New York City feels more exhilarating in the sequel, thanks to introducing the new web wings that make getting around easier and more fun. You can’t help feeling that traversal is faster in the sequel, too, partially due to the web wings. Slinging webs will never get boring, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to switch things up now and then. 

Map Size

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s map is far more expansive than its predecessor. In fact, it’s about twice as large, with new areas of New York City added in the sequel, including Brooklyn, Queens, and the East River. 

Suits

Spider-Man suits have evolved over the years. However, Insomniac Games introduces a whopping variety adapted from the comics and films, too. Previously, players had access to 28 suits at launch and 47 thereafter, pending updates and DLC. Now, you’ll have access to 78 suits with unique costumes for both Peter and Miles. You have symbiote suits alongside adaptations from other franchises. 

Platforms

The most notable difference is the platform. While Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018) was released on PS4 and later ported to PS5 and PC, the sequel stuck its guns to the PS5 platform alone. Still, it’s easy to see a technical improvement in the visuals and performance on the PS5 from faster loading times, no frame drops, and no glitches to speak of, not to mention the DualSense haptic feedback and 4K resolution with ray tracing, which Miles Morales (2020) also incorporated on the PS5.

Verdict

There’s no debate about whether Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 are great games. They’re exceptional, with the sequel polishing on an already absolute thrill of an experience. But the fact is, the sequel adds a ton more new features and makes quality-of-life changes that can’t be ignored. The web wings are a game changer, for instance. Playing as two Spidermen elevates the experience. The PS5 makes it so your playthrough is as seamless and glitch-free as possible. It’s a no-brainer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 does it better on all fronts.

So, what’s your take? Have you picked a favorite yet? Do you have any useful tips for Marvel’s Spider-Man or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 newcomers? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.