Ps5 Spider-Man 2 might be PlayStation's Worse Exclusive. Here is why.

Step right up, folks, and I'll spin you around my head about Marvel Spider-Man 2—a game that put a grin on my face like Peter Parker on his first web-slinging outing, but left me scratching my head worse than Miles Morales trying to figure out a Rubik’s cube during combat. Platinumed the game, played through the new game plus mode, so I can confidently say this game is a riot. mostly. But let's talk about how some "woke" design choices and some pesky bugs turned this superhero romp into a circus—and not the cotton-candy good kind.

First off, I loved Spider-Man 2. Web-swinging across New York is every bit as exhilarating as it was before, and the story hits all the right emotional notes (hi, Venom enthusiasts!). The combat is tighter than Spidey's costume, and the new game plus mode had me itching to replay it faster than I could say "thwip." But just as I thought I'd found my perfect web-slinging heaven, the game threw in some curveballs—or, rather, glitchy web bombs—that left me

stuck in frustration.

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Let's discuss gameplay. Where the basics are there, there are some decisions that feel like the devs trying to fix what ain't broke. Interfering with street crime was a thrilling challenge in the previous titles, but here it's been streamlined to the point where I barely feel like I'm playing a game—babysitting burglars rather than apprehending them, to say nothing. And don't even mention the post-game content. Once the story is finished, you're just sort of buzzing around the city with nothing much to do beyond stopping the occasional minor shoplifting. Where's the meaningful endgame, Insomniac? I require more than a victory lap!

Then there's Mary Jane, who apparently went straight from journalism school to Black Widow's boot camp. Listen, I'm one of the few individuals who actually liked her missions in the first game, and I'll give the Spider-Man 2 enhancements credit for being silky-smooth. But when MJ's dispatching goons like she's been snacking on Avengers superpills, I couldn't help but laugh—and not in a good way. The senior creative director's hand-waving over fan criticism about MJ's overpowered state hit me like a giant "we know better" middle finger to gamers. Newsflash: if MJ can single-handedly defeat a gang with her stun gun, why on earth does Spidey ever even arrive on the scene? And don't even get me started on the QuickTime events in her missions—no risk, no consequence, just a button-mashing minigame. If I screw up, just have a goon club me over the head and be done with it!

Now, let's swing on over to the actual villain here: the suits. Or, rather, one suit that had me wondering if the devs had gone completely crazy. I'm talking about the new Miles Morales suit—a collaboration with Adidas that looks like it was designed by a marketing executive who's never touched a Spider-Man comic book in their life. Not only is it an eyesore, but it also has a gliding mechanic that makes zero sense for a character whose whole shtick is sticking to walls and swinging on webs. What's next, Spider-Man on a skateboard? I know, I know—corporations love their cash grabs, and "woke" inclusivity means tossing random features in to seem progressive. But this ain't it, folks. It's not empowering; it's just. bizarre. And don't even get me started on the fact that most suits are now purely cosmetic. What happened to the suit powers in the original game? I miss my web blossom more than Peter misses Uncle Ben.

Oh, and did I mention the bugs? Because Spider-Man 2 is perhaps the buggiest game I've played all year. From AI not noticing my diversions to being stuck inside buildings like I'm trying out for a ghosting role, the bugs didn't relent. I once swung into a crime scene to discover. nothing. No thugs, no victims, just me and my spandex like idiots. And then there was the game crash that sent me back to my PS5 home screen faster than you can say "with great power comes great responsibility." These aren't game-breaking issues, but they sure did make me question whether Insomniac tested this thing with their eyes closed.

So what's wrong? Marvel Spider-Man 2 is still a damn good time, but it's tainted by some baffling choices—MJ as overpowered, a do-nothing Adidas suit, and a plethora of bugs to populate a Sinister Six dedicated to bugs. The “woke” insertions read like appeasement to corporate checklists rather than fanboy/girl appetites, and that's a shame because the core game burns brightly. If Insomniac can drop the gimmicks and retain what Spidey fans love—swinging through cities, wisecracking, and heroic combat—I'll be first in line in seconds for the third one. Thanks for flying with me on this knotted mess of ideas! Until later, keep on swingin', and maybe don't wear the Adidas getup—it's a felony even Spidey can't stop. Excelsior!

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