Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Uncover the Unexpected Twist in its Surprising History
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 faces a familiar challenge for Insomniac as they showcase exciting new content Despite the overwhelming fan excitement, the game is not immune to its share of odd criticisms
Highlights
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 faces unnecessary controversies and odd criticisms from gamers, with rude comments and hostility being thrown at Insomniac Games.
Previous controversies associated with the franchise, including the well-known "puddlegate," illustrate fans' inclination to overreact and engage in futile arguments. Nitpicking criticisms regarding character design alterations and reused animations are exasperating, as these insignificant flaws are needlessly magnified.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has a lot going for it. It builds upon the success of its predecessors and takes advantage of the exclusive features offered by the PlayStation 5. This allows Insomniac Games to create a truly next-gen experience for players, elevating Peter and Miles' story from a technical standpoint. Moreover, the narrative includes beloved adversaries like Kraven and Venom. Despite these promising aspects, Insomniac Games has unfortunately been facing unwarranted complaints and controversies prior to the game's release.
It is important to note that gamers have the right to provide constructive criticism before a game debuts, as long as it remains respectful. Regrettably, this has not been the case with Marvel's Spider-Man 2, much like its predecessor. Gamers have once again exhibited excessive hostility towards Insomniac Games, leaving rude comments scattered across the internet. This is truly disheartening, as the franchise continues to attract more unwarranted controversy than it rightfully deserves.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Odd Criticisms Are Unfortunately Nothing New
The original Marvel's Spider-Man faced strange controversies, with the most infamous being puddlegate. Gamers online were outraged when a large puddle was removed from the full release, claiming it indicated a significant downgrade in graphics. However, Insomniac simply relocated the puddle and adjusted the lighting, rendering the controversy pointless and embarrassing.
Furthermore, supposed fans have harassed and insulted Insomniac Games developers over the change in Peter Parker's face for the remaster and newer Spider-Man games. Regardless of whether players agree with Insomniac's decision to give Peter a younger appearance to suit Yuri Lowenthal's performance, the excessive outrage surrounding this change is pathetic. The developers received death threats and genuine hatred, which is both terrible and bizarre considering how rarely Peter Parker removes his mask in the story. While there are valid arguments for the old face working better in certain scenes, and for the original model not always looking perfect, the behavior of players is unjustifiable.
Peter Parker continues to face ongoing complaints even years after the adjustment. These complaints are accompanied by aggressive remarks regarding Mary Jane Watson's new character model. Similar to other characters, Mary Jane has undergone a design change for the sequel, including letting her hair down and improving graphical fidelity. Despite a developer from Insomniac Games confirming that it is simply an upgraded version of the previous design, some gamers have reacted with excessive aggression, accusing Insomniac of dishonesty and asserting that every aspect of Mary Jane's face has changed. Furthermore, there have been numerous sexist comments and arguments claiming that Mary Jane's appearance is not attractive enough, with certain fans criticizing her design even more than they did in the first game.
Even before the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2's story trailer, gamers have already attempted to spark controversies surrounding the game. Following the gameplay demonstration, some viewers made the unfounded argument that Insomniac was lazy because the representation of New York City - an actual location - looked too similar to its depiction in previous games. Others complained about Peter Parker's swinging movements, alleging that there were too many reused animations aside from the web wings. However, considering Peter's years of experience swinging through the city, it is logical for his movements to remain similar. This approach also helps in conserving resources, a common practice in sequels. Just as with God of War Ragnarok's boat animation, there is no harm in reintroducing animations that were effective in an earlier game.
Marvel's Spider-Man games, like any other video game franchise, have their fair share of flaws. In the first two entries, one could criticize the lack of villains outside the main story and the simplistic boss fights and repetitive side content. However, some of the criticisms, such as the moving puddle in the first game or the "old" appearance of Mary Jane, seem trivial. With the Marvel's Spider-Man series getting so much right, it feels like these nitpicks are just attempts by naysayers to find something to complain about. Nevertheless, it is frustrating to witness this, as it doesn't really make sense to dwell on such minor flaws - if they can even be considered flaws at all.
The highly anticipated Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will be released on October 20 for PS5.
