SUPERFLUOUS

MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN 2's PC port is a flawed version of a flawed sequel

- Robin Valentine

In its first Spider-Man game, developer Insomniac already got the most important thing right: the feel of being super-powered. That was most evident in the excellent traversal, which set a new high-water mark for web-swinging, but also in the smooth and agile combat. Where it struggled was in giving you anything interesting to do with all that power, its visually impressive but largely empty open world offering only tired old side activities and filler.

My hope was that this sequel would improve on the wider formula, creating a more interesting New York playground. Instead, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 not only still bears all the same flaws as its predecessor, but in many areas - particularly the storytelling - feels like a step backwards.

The setup is as straightforward as ever. You swing freely around New York, taking on side activities, or main story missions in the usual slick and cinematic vein of modern PlayStation exclusives. The big twist is that, where the first game starred Peter Parker and its spin-off starred Miles, this one has both.