Gamechanger! Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Unveils Surprising Gadget Overhaul!

Highlights

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 introduces new gameplay features and gadgets, but doesn't explain why some iconic gadgets from the first two games are missing.

The sequel's decision to include fewer gadgets is a significant departure from the original games. Although introducing new gadgets adds variety to gameplay, it seems odd that Peter Parker would willingly abandon useful tools without any explanation. It would be great to have an in-universe explanation or the reintroduction of the old gadgets in a future game.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 greatly improves upon various aspects of its predecessors, but one change stands out. While the enhanced traversal system and new suit abilities are welcome additions, Insomniac has also chosen to alter the available gadgets. Instead of the previous eight unique gadgets with their useful abilities, players are now limited to just five. This change appears quite drastic, and the game does not provide a clear explanation for it.

Considering Peter Parker's technological prowess, it would be expected for him to have a wide array of Spidey-like gadgets at his disposal. Additionally, since he is mentoring Miles Morales to become Spider-Man, it would make sense for him to share these gadgets with Miles. However, what is perplexing is the absence of several gadgets from the original game, without any significant replacements. These gadgets were not useless, yet the studio still chose to take a new direction with the system this time around.

Spider-Man 2's Gadgets Are Drastically Different from the Original's

In Marvel's Spider-Man, players had the chance to utilize eight exciting gadgets during their adventures. Alongside Peter's web shooters, there were other tools available to help him achieve his objectives. Impact Webs adhered enemies to objects instantly, Web Bombs created explosive webs, the Spider-Drone functioned as a charming companion, and the Trip Mine was a handy tool for eliminating foes discreetly. Electric Webs could electrocute enemies, the Concussive Blast knocked adversaries off their feet, and the Suspension Matrix lifted them into the air.

These gadgets played a significant role in Marvel's Spider-Man. However, surprisingly, most of them did not make an appearance in the sequel, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The game trimmed the gadget count to four, introducing three new ones. Although these new additions were enjoyable to experiment with, they were also absent from the subsequent installment.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 includes a total of five distinctive gadgets for players to experiment with. Among these gadgets is the iconic Web Shooters, which has been a staple throughout the previous two games. In addition to this, players can utilize the Upshot, Concussion Burst, Ricochet Web, and Web Grabber to eliminate their adversaries. While some of these gadgets may resemble those found in the original game, they are all fresh and exciting additions to the franchise.

Insomniac Games' decision to introduce new gadgets with each installment is completely understandable. It adds an element of enjoyment when players have access to new tools, rather than being confined to the same mechanics across multiple games. However, from a storytelling perspective, it may seem illogical. There appears to be no apparent reason why Peter Parker, the protagonist of Marvel's Spider-Man, would simply discard his useful gadgets for new ones, other than the fact that duplicating gadgets would not provide the same level of satisfaction in an entirely new game.

One possible reason for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 taking this approach may be due to the multitude of inherent abilities that both Peter and Miles possess within their individual skill trees. Additionally, the Web Line mechanic introduces a whole new level of stealth gameplay, while also offering various substitutions for different gadget functions.

Although this change in gadgets doesn't detract from the overall experience, it does feel slightly abrupt. It is anticipated that the upcoming third game will continue with this trend, thus hopefully Insomniac can provide an explanation within the game's universe for Peter's decision to replace these useful tools. Alternatively, Marvel's Spider-Man 3 could potentially bring back every gadget in a momentous event reminiscent of Infinity War, although this outcome currently seems highly unlikely.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is available now on PS5.