Spider-Man 2 is BRILLIANT but Flawed

[@jasonguarnieri4127]

My brother's been dealing with addiction for a long time, so the story hit really close to home. The Anti-Venom suit in particular shows a side of addiction I don't see enough; even if you overcome your addiction, its still going to be a part of you. But that doesn't mean you can't control it. That's where the game shines brightest for me.

[@eugeemz]

I didn't think of that, one of my favortie things is when Peter overcomes the symbiote and realizes he doesn't need it, but here buld would've actually been dead and useless without the damn thing 💀

[@asafakiva1619]

Wishing your brother to be sober and well🙏🏼 And yeah one of the main themes in the game is dealing with addiction, especially on Peter's side since the symbiote is a metaphor of that kind of power and how it corrupts us

[@seearyari]

Spider-Man 3 does it better with the venom / addiction story

[@theanimeunderworld8338]

I was afraid of losing the symbiote suit like in the spider man 3 movie game Glad we kept the powers via the anti venom suit

[@igorbrandao6735]

@@eugeemz I actually think the Anti-Venom suit is the culmination of Peter's actions and beliefs tho He believed in the rehabilitation of villains, even though he knew that just arresting them could generate future consequences. We saw in the scene inside Peter's mind that this is a huge source of frustration for him. Therefore, the symbiote fed this feeling of killing villains and solving problems at once, making him believe that he is a better Spider Man. Li is the result of Peter's belief and his desire to make Li change. Li himself says that he also changed because of Peter. It's a testament that he is indeed doing the right thing, even if he deep down doubts it. Him sticking to the end with his convictions and morals even after all the bad things that happen to him is what granted this power to him. Not only that, but his belief in Miles too, helping him when he lost his father and doing everything he can to make him a better person and Spider-Man.

[@Plexer101]

I like the fact that Harry first says that his reason for creating the foundation is because all throughout his time in the tank with the Symbiot he would only hear his mother say that he needs to "heal the world" and when he fuses again with the Symbiot and visits his mother's grave, the Symbiot talks to him in his mother's voice and again asks him to "heal the world". This indicates that the Symbiot had been planting the seeds of its plan to take over the world in Harry's mind ever since he was in the tank.

[@klaushammer8687]

Very nice observation. I def overlooked that

[@Plexer101]

@@klaushammer8687 Thanks, it's really neat how the writers subtly foreshadowed it

[@Subpar1O1]

I noticed that but didn't consider that it went back as far as Harry being in the tank. It also kind of makes sense that the symbiote was communicating to Harry as a kind of voice in his head pretending to be his mother since he says he still hears her sometimes.

[@Kosmic_animations]

*symbiote

[@ThePonderer]

Outside of the Venom movies, this is the first piece of non-comics media to get me to *really* consider the symbiote as its own character rather than a living plot/thematic device. It’s a real thinking creature with its own motives informing the rest of the cast and I really dig it.

[@Mojj2099]

Spectacular too, Eddie/venom and the symbiote arc is perfect in that show.

[@MrKaiju-sr8wu]

from what I've seen of it, in the 2017 cartoon series, Venom *is* just the symbiote itself, where it makes little difference if it's Eddie or someone else that wears it.

[@ThePonderer]

@@Mojj2099 Spectacular is still my favorite version of the arc, but for whatever reason the symbiote doesn’t really register for me as a “character” when I watch through it.

[@redhotchikapepr8978]

Honestly those venom movies miss the entire point of the character for the sake of “Edge” not to mention they look terrible visually

[@theanimeunderworld8338]

I can't wait to see carnage in later additions. Maybe in the new game or a future dlc story

[@jbcatz5]

The symbiote being used as a healing device comes across like the Venom origin in the Ultimate Spider-Man continuity, which dropped the alien origin but has it be created by Peter and Eddie’s fathers to be a cure for cancer.

[@Nolabray21]

Love how its like 50/50

[@1DAR26]

I believe in Knull story Arc, the carnage symbiote was used to heal Cletus' brain injury.

[@SuperFlik]

I personally read the Venom vs. Miles dialogue about how Miles was taking Peter away from him was more the symbiote talking than Harry. Probably 80/20 in favour of the symbiote

[@Johnny2Cellos]

That's a good read

[@mightymorphingpo2]

@@Johnny2CellosNovember year marvel Spider-Man 2

[@Brandatello]

My biggest takeaway is the fact that even under the control of the symbiote Peter still pulls his punches. It really shows how strong the insomniac spider men really are.

[@Unequal-mop16]

Because of experience and good will. That is why Peter didn't become "Venom" and it had to use Harry's body (which doesn't have the experience and was slightly angry at the time) to fully develop into a new creature.

[@Sagegabs]

​​@@Unequal-mop16I don't think he was slightly angry, having a constant pain in the body makes one really angry, I know it from experience. Having whatever sickness Harry had to endure must have been a lot so that Venom could take complete control in a matter of seconds.

[@Unequal-mop16]

@@Sagegabs That is true but I was mainly meaning the anger that Peter caused: 1. Didn't take off the suit to give it to Harry (which caused him to throw his walking stick at the window) 2. Wanted to destroy the symbiote instead of giving it to Harry to save his life.

[@MegasXRL]

i think the game could had explained a bit more of why venom turns into venom properly on harry... a conversation with dr connors about it would fit well in story, 3 minute cutscene would do the trick. Also, connors could had provided a bit of lore explanation of how antivenom works on peter, acts 2 and 3 felt rushed as fucked. Venom didn't even bothered to explain why his name is venom lol @@Unequal-mop16

[@Sagegabs]

@@Unequal-mop16 Oh then yes I agree, just remember that the symbiote chose Peter over Harry and that's why he couldn't take it off. But yeah, I totally agree with you

[@XrayDVD]

The ideas in the story are super interesting but it needed a longer story to do its themes justice and more room for the emotions to land and the characters to breathe.

[@kwayneboy1524]

I honestly feel like this game could've been longer to fully flesh it out

[@superjlk_9538]

I agree. The game never hit the emotional highs of the first game and nothing is ever as cinematic or dramatic as the opening with Sandman. After getting rid of the symbiote, there needed to be 2-3 more missions. And Miles is just conveniently absent from major parts of the story.

[@kwayneboy1524]

@@superjlk_9538 I feel like we needed more story missions and one mission with Miles and Harry.

[@windowsdotexe4444]

​@@kwayneboy1524yeah like, few more missions with harry between agent venom and peter getting the symbiote, few more before and after the lizard fight so we get to play the symbiote awhile longer, and atleast 5 more with venom so that 3rd act wouldnt feel so rushed

[@BenBoyee]

I feel two things hold this game back from perfection: One is showing more Miles' failure to balance his Spider-Man life and his personal life in the forms of the people he loves. Moreover more of a negative reaction from Hayley, Ganke and Rio. They don't need to outright hate him or shout at him like in the Mister Negative fight, but some more friction between Miles and his civilian social life would be nice. Two: I REALLY wished Venom had more screen time. The last third felt kinda rushed to me. If we had more story sections of Venom infecting the city, or more encounters with him as either of the Spider-Men, I feel it would be a lot better. I know the relationship between Peter and Venom is more the focus here and it makes more sense, but I feel we should've had a solo encounter between Miles and Venom. It could've tied into the idea of balance and second chances that the story otherwise expertly touches upon.

[@tusharrathore6330]

​@@Pierceson-up8fsalso let's not forget for some reason Kraven has 100 (if not 1000) of soldiers at his disposal and hi-tech weaponry. The guy is destroying New York and cops are basically doing nothing. In the first game we have a proper reason for this (city is cut off from the outside world, virus outbreak and every criminal has been released on the street)

[@tusharrathore6330]

@@Pierceson-up8fs also venom just feels weird in this game (or maybe it's just me), for some reason he has power of "knull god of symbiote" and everyone he infact have symbol of knull. The third act feels like a fanfiction mixture of anti venom, web of shadows and king in black storyline with no set up.

[@bearerofbadnews1375]

Also a lot of the side missions end on cliffhangers like the flame and Chameleon which all scream there will be DLC to resolve these stories.

[@tusharrathore6330]

@@Pierceson-up8fs well the problem is, many just don't understand how venom works and what made him so popular. In the comics (back in the day)it was established that venom (or his race) does not turn people evil, it can only bring out emotions which are already there in the hosts and give them power to act upon it, while copying some of the host's ability and personality traits. In spectacular Spiderman, venom always has Peter's best interest (granted his definition of best interest was kind of screwed) and when venom bond with Eddie, he only brings out his deep and darker desire and gives him the ability to act upon them. But in every media after that (basically games and TV shows) venom is portrayed as this mindless evil goop that only corrupts his host. It no longer have personality other than "me evil, me take over people". In the Avengers cartoon venom is taking over Asgard for some reason, in the Hulk cartoon he is trying to take over all 5 hulk for some reason and in both ultimate and Marvel Spiderman he is taking over the world for no reason other than "me evil"

[@DANBAN119]

Would've been cool if Miles had to fight Peter while Peter was Venom. Gave us more screen time, an excuse to free roam as venom for awhile, AND gave him some scenes and interactions with Miles.

[@hydropizza]

Pretty good analysis Johnny. While I do agree that some parts of it needed more focus, I feel that the story as a whole is pretty good. In particular, I have 2 major thoughts. 1. What you said about understanding Peter's situation and headspace is something a lot of people need to hear. Peter isn't "retiring" or quitting Spider-Man permanently to make Miles look cooler. Peter has simply been through so much crap in the span of 2 years, and he needs to focus on getting his personal life in order before he go focus on Spider-Man duties. 2. I'm surprised you didn't go into the symbolism of Venom representing a toxic friend/relationship. He tries to drive Peter away from his friends and loved ones, drawing out his worst qualities in the process. He hooks his claws into Peter and Harry's insecurities to make them more willing to stay with him. He reacts violently when the people he's abusing try to leave or escape. And he constantly tries to get Peter to return to his side again, while trying to kill Miles, the person he feels "stole" Peter from him.

[@superjlk_9538]

@@FellowTraveler-tu1qvI’m just worried about Peter not being the main character in the third game. Peter is THE Spider-Man. I’ve only ever viewed shared universe Miles as a sidekick or temporary substitute.

[@fizzokla6185]

​@superjlk_9538 I agree and disagree with you on this. Miles is a main character now and is spiderman and always probably will be in this universe but I do agree that Peter is THE spiderman. It's not because he's better than miles its just that he's been spiderman longer and since he's been spiderman so long he doesn't have much identity outside of spiderman especially cause mj and miles are the only people he had left that he cares about. Whereas unlike miles I think if he had to drop being spiderman that he'd be okay because of the community he had behind him.

[@windowsdotexe4444]

​@@superjlk_9538peter being a big maker in normans problems in both of the main games makes it hard for him NOT be the main focus. It'll probably be like miles giving pointers to cindy (who probably wont become silk in time) while norman torments peter's life balancing as goblin

[@t20pIayer]

I think the reason people think peter was nerfed is after harry becomes venom u put into a symbiote nest and its a hard fight giving the player a feeling of withdrawal from the symbiote and the power it gave

[@mra4521]

23:51 this makes me realize it is gonna be so fun (and terrifying) to watch Norman Osborn go full mask off in Marvel’s Insomniac’s Spider-Man 3. Norman is another self-righteous rich man who’s so convinced that he’s the Samaritan. It’s going to be hauntingly beautiful to watch what happens when he decides he’s never was the Samaritan or the priest or the Levite. He’s actually always been the man of ill-intent.

[@gavo7911]

I don’t know if he’s going “mask off.” Norman in this universe just seems like a bogstandard businessman, and we see that all his worst deeds are consequences of the desperation he has to save his son. He’s no saint, but he’s not really a bad person either. At least, not yet. We’ll see what happens when he “tests” the serum for Harry on himself.

[@mra4521]

@@gavo7911 probably what happened in the Rami films to a certain degree.

[@that_deadeyegamer7920]

I think this may be a universe where Norman is just really corrupt and not the goblin, he's already running for mayor, I believe in the ultimate universe he becomes president of the US and just uses his influence for evil instead of the serum

[@mra4521]

Update: I am now convinced it would be better if the gas didn’t do anything besides change his voice and appearance (and standard super soldier powers) a la the original Jekyll-Hyde.

[@JustShin11]

Was this a kingpin reference? Well done

[@adamm6290]

I saw Miles’s new suit online before I got to that part of the game and I was like “sure, some of the suit designs aren’t the best, what’s with the focus on this one?” But then I realized there’s absolutely no set up for it. He just shows up wearing it. No suit montage or anything??? I’m always down for a good “Spider-Man designing a new suit” montage.

[@DrakeAurum]

And the fact that you're trapped in it for much of the remainder of the main storyline.

[@XX_VRR]

And the JJJ podcast about how many times spider-man changed his suit during the invasion lol

[@pea.shooter]

It's the fact it's a brand deal with adidas. That's the only reason it exists

[@Oohaahupthera]

BRO YOU DONT SEE MILES MAKE THE SPIDERVERSE SUIT THE WOLVERINE SUIT THE FON STRIKE OUTFIT SO THATS SSSSSSTTTTTUPPPPIDDDDD

[@adamm6290]

@@Oohaahupthera yeah because the story is never focused on those suits at all. You don’t see them design every single suit, but if we’re supposed to have some big reaction when he shows up wearing it, it would be cool for us to at least see that he’s working on a suit. Peter was shown designing the advanced suit and the anti ock suit which were important to the first game. Miles gets to design his suit in Into the SpiderVerse and it makes that moment really cool. Miles and Ganke work together on his new suit in the Miles Morales game. If we even saw that Miles was designing a suit at all it would’ve been a cooler reveal, but they didn’t set it up at all, so the scene had no impact. Miles doesn’t just show up dressed as Wolverine, if he did that would be weird too. That’s a suit you can unlock as the player. Miles the character chose to create the Adidas suit and the story never explains why.

[@vangazon]

I was actually hoping Tombstone, Li, Felicia, Prowler and Wraith will help the Spidey heroes to clear the Symbiote nests or random crimes involving the symbiotes since the game wants us to believe the villians deserved 2nd chances. The plan of luring out Venom to get the meteorite sounds fine but it could've better if it is just a simple attack on Venom's base tagging other villains clearing the waves of Symbiotes to allow MJ get the meteorite while Miles and Peter goes against Venom.

[@abaddon_9941]

it would've been cool if both helped getting tombstone his powers back, yuri (wraith) reacting to symbiote peter and helping him (or once he has anti venom coming to her help) prowler making it in, but too much to ask for. it would make sense since they're all redemeed characters/in previous game too. A lot of weird decision making only Li shows up to help.

[@kylerlowry1148]

One thing I really loved about this game was that Peter and Harry felt like actual friends. And it hurt when they had to go against each other

[@Farmeryeti]

As much as some of the moments in this entry didn't quite stick the landing for me, I'm so so excited to see what the status quo of this universe will look like come Spider-Man 3's release. That's not to say I'm "done" with SM2 or anything, if the last two games are anything to go by, I'll be playing this for the rest of my natural life. But the way this wraps up it feels very Empire Strikes Backish in terms of being the definitive middle act of what's looking to be a three part story when it comes to these numbered entries in the series.

[@Alucard-A-La-Carte]

I think a huge part of the addiction storyline's impact came, for me, for how subtly it crept into the narrative. The first time I noticed something "wrong" was when Peter hung up on someone and then immediately began asking himself "what was wrong with them" or "what's their problem? Everything's great for me!" because I was steadily realizing: oh no, the main character is losing his mind. The fact that it was specifically addiction was so unexpected, because I'm so used to comics spelling it out in explicit "war on drugs" language but we never had Curt Connors go: "The symbiote is like MARIHUANA CIGARETTES: ADDICTIVE AND DEADLY!" so the addiction is something the player has to notice for themselves. Hence why so many people mistook it for "bad writing."

[@thepain0032]

I think the main issue with the story of the with Spider-Man 2, while great, the second act of the story after Peter gets his suit just feels rushed? Like it was more building up to venom instead of showing more on how the symbiote was affecting him, the conflicts with MJ and Harry felt like they were just breezed through. I think a couple more missions just going around with the suit and it getting more aggressive around Peters loved ones might have made the story feel more complete, in my mind at least

[@ethyb.]

I have never heard such facts

[@ethyb.]

The second act, arguably the biggest plot of the story and it was sadly underdone. I was personally expecting a similar take to how spectacular spider-man handled the symbiote on peter

[@superjlk_9538]

I completely agree. Everything up until the Lizard fight was great but after that the game goes into turbo mode for some reason. I had the suit for maybe like 3-4 hours of game time? He even has unique dialogue for open world encounters but it just seems wasted.

[@ariesvalliant760]

I really love the final moment of the game I makes me feel like Miles is Peters present for being spiderman Miles saves peter from the symbiote, saves Harrys life even if he is in a coma at least hes alive, and provides peter with the break he desperately needs but he only has miles because of all the good he's done as spider man and as peter helping miles grieve and giving him things to do in the first game and teaching him how to be spider man all comes back in the benefit of peter. Peter was Spider man for the city and miles and Miles gets to be spider man for peter when he needs it too

[@briansisseck5155]

This is basically my take as well. I was surprised when I heard that people were upset that Miles is replacing Peter as Spider-Man. He's not replacing him, it's just that Peter finally gets to take a needed break because it's not just him shouldering the responsibility anymore. For as long as Peter has existed as a character he's been suffering and sacrificing for the sake of being Spider-Man. It felt so cathartic for me to see him hand over the reigns and do something for himself for once. He'll definitely be back later, but if anyone deserves a break, it's Peter.

[@RookE2011]

The Howard mission brought tears to my eyes, truly one of the most beautiful moments in any recent games

[@andresrensen7827]

A lot of good points made in this video overall, but damn dude, that idea about Miles having an emotional moment with Hailey leading to making the new suit would've made sooo much sense. I dislike the suit but I think if we'd been shown an actual reason for it to be made - I would've connected with that and probably also liked the suit itself way more.

[@windowsdotexe4444]

Fun thing to notice is after peter wakes up from the bench the clock says its 9.46am and when he goes to see harry its 4pm so he ignored everyone for the WHOLE DAY

[@yunglordkami]

Your idea on Haille helping Miles to design a new suit would add another layer to their Romance. It's a great idea actually.

[@MrRPGsus]

Regarding the MJ stuff laying ground work, I always saw a lot of the plot beats between Peter and her in the first game to be that. Maybe I'm wrong but I never really saw the way she felt undervalued and eager to prove herself, while Peter was overprotective, something that she or he forgot. I always saw it as something lingering over them. They needed to acknowledge their missteps and apologize (in the first game) in order to grow and become able to date again but none of those things were actually resolved. Then add the Symkaria stuff on top of that and I think the stuff In this game really hits.

[@cheesydawg371]

My absolute favorite part of this game was the Venom vs Kraven fight. Peter vs Kraven was probably the hardest and most frustrating boss up to that point for me and at some point I wondered if Peter was actually gonna kill him. Of course he couldn't so what Insomniac does is give that moment to Venom. You get the satisfaction of killing Kraven without that blood being on Peter's hands.

[@Neurodivergent-j1f]

I love how whatever frustration you have beating Kraven as Peter is released the minute you steamroll him as Venom.

[@BugsyFoga]

Just beat the game on Tuesday, and i overall had a pretty spectacular time with it, can’t wait to see what insomniac does next.

[@theanimeunderworld8338]

Sadly it seems Peter will be be replaced by Miles and now they will need to figure out how to make Cindy Moon unique and replace Peter. Plot wise I see a dlc story with Carnage coming

[@gavo7911]

@@theanimeunderworld8338They’re not replacing Peter, he’s just taking a break

[@kwayneboy1524]

​@@theanimeunderworld8338dude use your brain here, there are too many story elements and lose threads to end on for Peter so he's coming.

[@ProcyonNite]

​@@theanimeunderworld8338How do people hear that Peter is taking a break and immediately think he's retiring?

[@BubblesChika]

@@kwayneboy1524 Kid, use your brain here. Insomniac has blatantly admitted that they're trying to push Miles as their one and only Spider-Man. They're only keeping Peter in the background because they know retiring Spider-Man would heavily tank sales

[@alfreebo1154]

I can definitely understand and even agree with some of your criticisms (particularly Miles and Harry could've had some more scenes together), the finale of 1 is a bit too perfect that I always thought it'd be hard to top. That being said, this game's story and many of its themes through both the main and side missions struck a chord a lot closer for me that it ended up being my favorite, even with my little gripes. I especially love the focus on villain reformation in this game, and stories like Marko & Quentin. I'm extremely excited for all the threads they've left for dlc, Miles 2, Spidey 3, or whatever the future has in store, and have full faith I'll be satisfied again

[@PyroInTheFace21]

"destroy *us*?" The delivery of that line was *chef's kiss*

[@jacksonschofield4135]

I love the use of the portal tech they made for Rift Apart

[@sambbarfuss6689]

Howard’s death hits a lot harder when he says “you’re the only one that’s been nice to me”. We as the players overall hated the Howard missions, and to see we did this to him, and only the character we played as was nice to him.. it hurt

[@CheosgamerX-ik1kq]

Speak for yourself I loved these missions and the more and go out of my way to help him out feeling prouder after every pigeon😊

[@turbkeysamdwich1880]

It’s so great that in almost every past Spider-Man iteration, Harry has been a toxic friend, but in this one, he’s a genuinely good friend and kind person, which I like a lot.

[@mansifacio5458]

The more I think about this game, the more I like it, but one issue that I do have is Miles. I love his character and his story of obercoming vengeance is great, but at times he felt like a plot device rather than a character. It's great to demonstrate that Peter can't do everything alone and has to rely on others for support, but Miles seems to be the one doing that most of the time without he himself needing help. He alone overcomes his hattes for Li, he alone saves Peter at his lowest and he seems to have figured out his work life balance for the most part. It seems like they didn't know how to balance multiple main characters and kinda rushed some of the points. I have other smaller issues with the story, but I love Miles' character and so thought it was a bit too fast. There's still at least one game to go, so I'm hoping for some more focus on Miles and his struggles

[@godssalvation87]

I get what u saying but at the same time miles is in the beginning of his journey he hasnt seen the complete pain you get for being a super heroes an the lost of life like peter has an this game is showing that all that suffering is tearing peter down at this point. So right now miles mind set is to protect his love ones at all cost. That i believe miles has to come to term with his 2 personas in the future.

[@nicholassgobero]

I feel like Miles' story is kind of a parallel to Peter at The start of his journey, he's growing more powerful and overcoming The flaws and trauma he has, he's also more hopefull Than Peter because of his youth and lack of experience. That's why he can reach Peter when he started to stray away from that and depend on The symbiote

[@charliecharlston]

one of my favourite details in this game is the venom fake out. where harry had just become venom and the camera pans as if youre about to fight him as peter, but then norman osborn steps in and you play as venom. it uses your knowledge of jow the game signals youre about to fight only to subvert that and instead make you wreak havoc on oscorp. the story and the way it handles harry and kravens terminal illnesses is so beautifully done, and i love the way that peters story w the symbiote is allegorical of addiction. the game is amazing in jts use of point of view, using superheros to tell stories of personal struggle like addiction, illness, work-life balance. the game isnt perfect but it is still probably the best game ive ever played. it brought me so much joy

[@joe5413]

The miles suit feels so icky once you learn it was a tie in with Adidas. Product placement can work like the nikes in spiderverse since it feels incosequential and matches his character but him having abig charecter moment out of nowhere for the sake of showing off the Adidas spiderman workout set* coming this winter rubs me the wront way and i sincerely hope he either gets a new suit between games or at the start of the next

[@galacticmaui2]

I love the story but one issue I had was Peter and Miles lack of mentorship. Peter has been a Spider-Man for 10 years yet is always needing to be saved by Miles from beginning to end of the game. Miles overpowered nature feels unearned.

[@mikzpwnz_3199]

It honestly feels like the symbiote at times is Peter's crutch for Miles' power ups. The fact that they have the exact same gadgets and the iron spider is functionally a handwave to give peter his own ability set before he gets the symbiote.

[@BruceBlack0291]

That was insomniacs intention, Peter weak, Miles strong then replace Peter with Miles like they're exactly doing

[@galacticmaui2]

@@BruceBlack0291 I think it would work better if we worked our way to that point instead of just making it matter of fact.

[@galacticmaui2]

@@mikzpwnz_3199 As far as the story goes I feel thats where his experience should have shined. Imagine the game starts out with Peter saving Miles and by the end Miles has his same moment of taking charge. Would make the transition feel earned as well as give more anticipation for their showdown.

[@ColonelCosmology]

I think you're forgetting the part of the story where Miles is held hostage by Kraven for around 3 missions straight

[@GingerStrawhat]

I really enjoyed the game, maybe not as much as the first one, but I was also wondering if you had any thoughts on that scene between Peter and Norman after Peter explodes at his friends. One of the biggest questions I can't get out of my head is whether or not Norman sees Harry as a commodity/replaceable or if he genuinely loves his son. That sounds odd considering how far he's willing to go for him in these two games but one of the implications I got from that scene and Norman telling Peter that he's like a Son to him is that Norman is trying to find a replacement for Harry. Someone he can be proud of, someone that's strong and someone who wont be taken away like his wife and son were. It's something I can see the comic book version of Norman doing but I'm not sure about this Norman and I'm not sure if I'm just taking it the wrong way like Harry was. Idk I just haven't seen a lot of people talk about that scene. It could also lend to the ending and why Norman is so angry at Spider-Man. He's been told that his son is unsalvageable, beyond saving and Spider-Man brought his son back alive; yet he's angry at us. We pulled off the impossible and brought his son back alive, comatose but breathing. Is he resentful in some way of that? I can't tell. I'm hoping the third game will really give us all these answers when it comes out. Also Idk why everyone thinks Carnage will be the DLC villain, he seems too big for that. And Yuri saying that it could take years before we hear about him indicated to me that he's probably going to be a secondary force in Spider-Man 3, two villains like Goblin and Carnage who have no cares about who they hurt could be a real stress test for Peter and Miles, and possibly Silk if she's playable. And for the DLC, I mean Chameleon is right there, not doing anything except drinking tea and watching us like a creeper, so I think he's more of a DLC villain. But great Vid Johnny! Glad you enjoyed the game!

[@suicunetobigaara]

I get the vibe that Peter is the son Norman wished he had, that insane intelligence. In the flashback it was clear Harry was more artsy, where as Peter was the intelligent one. Norman does love Harry in his way, whether that be because Harry is the last remaining 'piece' of his wife, or whether Harry is an extension of himself, or if he does truly love his son. It could be combination of all three.

[@akira1699]

​@@suicunetobigaaraI agree with this take

[@TheAwesomeDarkNinja]

Spider-Man 2 unfortunately has that "the original was good and the sequel doesn’t surpass it" vibe. It's still excellent though.

[@Lessembarrassingman]

Hey just wanted to say that your analysis of the symbiote removal scene kinda made me realize I’ve been trying to get my dad to quit smoking the WRONG way. I haven’t been very encouraging but instead pretty critical of him every time he tries and fails to quit, and idk I’m probably gonna try to be more helpful going forward. This game rocks, but I straight up would not have come to this conclusion without this videos help alongside it, so thanks.

[@jollama]

Imagine smoking

[@jollama]

Keep being critical. If he keeps failing to quit then he doesn’t value his life, and if he doesn’t value it, why should you?

[@Lessembarrassingman]

@@jollama yeah that’s legit EXACTLY how I was thinking. Like word for WORD I had that exact rant to myself. Do you also have a relative who’s smoking? It started to feel like he was doing it cause he was just lazy or cause he really didn’t care, which of course would be stupid and frustrating. But I love him, and the end goal isn’t to win some argument, it’s to get him to quit. I appreciate the engagement though man. I’m just working through it myself currently and turning towards the media I consume for some pointers.

[@xavier1998]

I saved the Howard mission for very last on my second playthrough. Best decision and I recommend other people do it.

[@theonegoldengryphon]

My one issue with Kraven is actually one that wouldn’t have been as big of an issue, for me, if they brought it up in-game. So, Kraven’s whole deal is that he wants a challenge, right? But like… he goes out of his way to give himself a huge advantage over his opponents. Like yeah, hunters studying their prey is a thing, but Kraven takes it to an almost ridiculous extreme, like taking potshots at Lizard from the safety of a helicopter with explosive arrows, and making a miracle antidote for Scorpion’s venom before even fighting him once. He’s like those trophy hunters IRL that brag about the time they shot a lion, but it was at one of those illegal trophy hunting places where the animals are malnourished and confined to like an acre of land and the “Hunter” just shoots it from a car behind a fence. I feel like the Spidermen could have tried needling Kraven about this discrepancy between his words and his actions. IDK maybe they could have done something interesting with it.

[@BlackJacked]

He wants someone who can beat him even when he goes out of his way to give himself many advantages over his prey.

[@emmyjr1231]

my thing is: we see pete attain balance at the end by giving up spidey. how does miles achieve his? At the start of the game, we see both heroes struggle with both, but seemingly the story glosses over it and just lets miles handle spider work and personal life simultaneously without needing to find balance or scale back.

[@odog3964]

Well he didn’t give up spidey he just taking an extended break so he can focus on getting his life together. Miles says “focus on being Peter Parker for a while”. But true, he didn’t get that balance but I think it’s because he’s still relatively new as Spider-Man, I mean it took Peter 10 yrs before he could fully achieve that and that’s mostly cuz he has a partner that can actually pick up the slack

[@gavo7911]

Miles’ issue with balance was different from Peter’s. Peter had a tough time managing his hero and private life without a support system, while Miles was willingly choosing to avoid his personal life and used his hero duties as an excuse. By the end, Peter realizes he has people who are looking out for him, who can help carry the world when he rests his arms. Miles learns that he has to be more than just Spider-Man, he has to be Miles Morales too.

[@Bip510]

@@gavo7911it’s nice to see this summed up in a nice way. Especially after hearing that going forward insom is planning to have miles as the main spidey so hopefully he does get more fleshed out in the end and him and pete get happy endings. Peter did just need to be more peter parker then spidey and miles was the opposite. It flows well with the story considering it was pushing the idea of Both Spider-Men needing one another both at the beginning and the end.

[@bobbyshewan4229]

I love Johnny’s timing here because I literally JUST got a PS5 and this is the first game I’m getting with it. Wish me luck boys I’ll see y’all in a week

[@CoyoteMonday]

I bought mine immediately after the gameplay trailer dropped, and it was well worth it. Have fun brother 🫡

[@bobbyshewan4229]

@@CoyoteMondayI’m like 2 hours in right now and I’m falling in love. The first game plays like a tech demo in comparison lol

[@mightymorphingpo2]

@@bobbyshewan4229November December Christmas

[@bobbyshewan4229]

@@CoyoteMondayplatinumed a week ago, I pretty much agree with the general consensus here as far as the story but on a gameplay level it’s perfect

[@christianmanka3884]

This game showed so much love and care. It did everything perfectly but it was too short. It needed more stuff too do and needed to explore some characters more.

[@AhmadAli-uk3sh]

This game was so good that it brought back my obsession with Spidey and been reading as much of his other comics that I missed

[@ImDemonAlchemist]

This is going to be rambly, but I loved the hell out of Spider-Man 2 (though not unilaterally more than 1 or Miles Morales) and although I don't agree with every point, this video is great and you've really gotten me thinking about Spider-Man 3. Initially I didn't even consider that the Carnage setup was for DLC to 2, I just assumed that he was going to play a major role in 3, along with Green Goblin, but you've really convinced me about DLC. I like the idea of wrapping up the Symbiote storyline (for now, at least) and leaving Norman as the focus of 3. All three of the previous games focused on 2 main antagonists each and I feel like Norman being the main Big Bad of 3 could work really well, given how much he's been the root of the story so far. Also, the whole time through the game, I was really hoping they'd introduce a new Spider-Person and Silk was my pick, so when she showed up, I was incredibly hyped, even as brief as it was. I had just finished thinking to myself that I was wrong and she didn't show up when the game smacked me in the face. I was hoping before for her to be introduced in 2, like Miles in 1, and get her own side game between 2 and 3, much like he did. But the more I think about ideas for 2's DLC and 3, the less I think that'll happen. Although, I would still like to see it. Basically, here's my brief-ish outline for what I want next for this series (aside from Wolverine, which I'm assuming won't be super closely tied): ○Spider-Man 2 DLC •Peter is pulled out of temporary retirement / vacation when Yuri finds Kasady and during the first big mission, Carnage appears and starts causing problems. •Carnage is the focus of the entire DLC. While Peter and Yuri come to more of an understanding of each other, he deals with the aftermath of Venom and Harry's coma. And further conflict between Spider-Man and Norman, as well as Peter and Norman are teased. Maybe Norman is angry at MJ because of her connection to Spider-Man and insults her and complains about her while relying on Peter for emotional support. Peter has to swallow his feelings and be there for Norman, since he feels responsible for Harry's condition. •Cindy Moon is introduced properly and is present in small Miles missions along with her dad, Ablert, interspersed throughout the DLC. •In the end, Carnage is dealt with and Peter puts the symbiote stuff behind him (even storing away the Anti-Venom Symbiote). •It is repeatedly hinted that Cindy has Spider-Powers and by the end of the DLC, Miles fully suspects it. •In a post-credits scene, Miles confronts her about it and she reveals that she does have powers. ○Spider-Man 3 (Act 1) •At the beginning, the only playable character is Miles. •Peter is almost entirely focused on the Emily May foundation, trying to make it sustainable and able to support itself while doing the work that he and Harry always wanted to. He initially funds it by donations, with MJ's help. Maybe she's doing pretty well with her podcast and is able to offer substantial financial support, as well as emotional support. •After the intro mission, Silk becomes playable as Miles steps into the mentor role and tries to help her become her own hero like Peter did for him, struggling while also trying to balance his responsibilities as NYC's main Spider-Man, without Peter. •Miles plays much like he did at the end of 2, with both his Original and Evolved Venom Powers. •Silk plays a lot like Peter (obviously sans-symbiote), but maybe with more of a focus on speed (since I think she's faster, but a little weaker than Peter in the comics?). Also, maybe she has less limited web, since hers are organic. •At the end of the first Act, Peter is forced to accept funding from Norman, despite not wanting to, to continue the foundation as it struggles to survive. In the process, now having to stomach Norman's complaints about MJ and Spider-Man even more to keep his and Harry's dream alive while Norman continues to spiral. •Some conflict drives a wedge between Miles and Cindy while Rio and Albert's relationship is going great and they are considering getting married. ○Spider-Man 3 (Act 2) •Miles and Cindy function mostly independently for a while, while more and more goes wrong in the city. •Doc Ock suddenly reappears and Peter returns to being Spider-Man / Anti-Venom, feeling like he has to handle this himself rather than let Miles and Cindy do it. •Peter plays like he does at the end of 2, with perhaps some new creative ways to utilize the Symbiote, maybe utilizing it instead of Gadgets, which Miles continues to use. •As Doc Ock seems to be the focus, more and more of Norman's transformation into Green Goblin is hinted at. •Now that Peter is playable, Silk starts to gain new abilities or ways of fighting that differentiate her from him. •Doc Ock is defeated, though he hints ominously that more is to come. •You play as all three characters, juggling all their different personal lives and different tasks throughout the city (definitely would be a hard thing to pull off, but I'm confident Insomniac could do it). •Act 2 ends with three major things: Rio and Albert's wedding, Miles and Cindy reconciling and Green Goblin's appearance. ○Spider-Man 3 (Act 3) •The three Spider-People come together to deal with Green Goblin. In the process, Peter discovers his identity and grapples with not seeing what was going on and really being there for Norman, feeling like he shouldn't have just accepted his unloading, but actually intervened to stop him from going down this path. •Green Goblin is dealt with in some emotionally satisfying way. (Not sure about the resolution here). Aaand that's it. I enjoy working through story ideas like this and if I get even one tiny detail right, I'll be pretty happy. Regardless of what they do, I am (as always) excited to see what Insomniac does next.

[@adamdavis1737]

So much about this game is better than the first, but sadly a lot of it is also messier than the first. I would definitely say the narrative and pacing is better in the first game, and then man I ran into a lot of glitches over the span of 32 or so hours. This game made Starfield look polished Luckily nothing was game breaking but it was definitely noticeable Despite those two things, this is one of the best gaming experiences I had this year and is still one of the best pieces of Spider-Man media ever created Eagerly awaiting the option for new game plus 😊

[@callmev3531]

28:12, MJ’s grievances aren’t only to do with Peter’s lack of a job or his inadvertent, but also unavoidable neglect of her as Spiderman, but also her own personal issues in feeling unable to leave Jameson despite hating having to work for him and her feelings of un-fulfillment and inadequacy because of it. The fight is essentially a superheroic version of a domestic dispute, an argument that could have been avoided had the two taken the time talk over their issues before they grew into these metaphorical and literal monsters.

[@MarioGMan25]

I think you could see the Symbiote taking Pete over a 2nd time and getting paralyzed by it as a sort of relapse, but the Anti-Venom suit almost feels a bit disingenuous with the rest of the addiction symbolism, since that suit is what made Pete so "dark" in the first place. Where does the Anti-Venom suit fit in all of this addiction symbolism? Healthy living? Proper healthcare instead of artificial boosts? The Power of Friendship and Acceptance made manifest?

[@Arkus]

Think we could of had a mission that teamed Miles with "Agent Venom" Harry and get them chatting and maybe lay the groundwork for the later resentment.

[@thatcomicandmangafanfromdublin]

The one thing missing is kraven hunting down screwball

[@dadosaid420]

I liked how Spiderman 1 had such big stakes and loses for the characters but for this game ? I atleast wanted symbiote peter do something irredeemable or atleast to lose harry but no felt like they left all their balls in the last game.

[@CosmicRejectsVideo]

The new Miles Suit is actually an Adidas promotion, I am not kidding.

[@vladimircaelum7465]

It's interesting that Lizard is so closely related to the symbiote in this story, since it's basically the reason Connors lost his hand and eventually became Lizard.

[@michalrv3066]

Thank you for great video. It helps with appreciating the story from a different angle. Just one thing, I really don't think Miles helping Peter to remove symbiote is an issue... the only issue is that Peter constantly gets his ass kicked against enemies that he preciously defeated alone but now he always needs saving by Miles... it's really surprising that he defeated Scream by himself in this game.

[@ogfortify7674]

So turns out we arnt getting that Carnage DLC🫤

[@Johnny2Cellos]

I suspected but it’s a big bummer for sure

[@John_Doe4269]

The first thing I thought of when they brought out Cindy Moon at the end was "damn, are they going for the clone saga?". Tbh, I wouldn't put it past them to do it - and do it right - since it's probably one of the last great classic Spider-Man arcs that was hasn't appeared yet. Also I was thrilled to see Scream! I definitely did not expect her. Separation Anxiety was one of the first Spider-Man games I ever played, and the multi-coloured symbiotes were always a favourite of mine. Shame we didn't get to see more *singular* symbiote variants, hopefully the Carnage DLC will fix that. I'm still recovering from the fact that they properly introduced Anti-Venom, which I've been a huge fan of since its first appearance!

[@realsanmer]

A little problem with Kraven that I have is that they tell us he's dying, but don't show it: I think adding some extra seconds during his introduction scene showing him coughing blood or something would better set the stakes he has going. I never bought that this absolute unit of a man was getting weaker.

[@nicnacs9779]

5:20-7:06 Really loved your point there cause I saw a lot of people hating these parts of the story while I thought they were some of my favorite moments. Spiderman can be cool on his own but what truly enhances his stories are the moments we get to see behind the mask and see the interactions between characters and situations. Im glad they took the time to let us play and experience these moments so when the big action/emotional moments happen, we actually FEEL a connection with these characters

[@CrackedPropane]

Howard and the Grandpa mission was near perfection I play as Peter on Howard’s mission because to me they have a stronger connection. It’s the best part of the game because it feels more like spider-man than fighting his rogues gallery.

[@theirishsimmer5601]

True

[@hayden3732]

Yeah Venom could’ve used a little more time in the oven. What took me out of the immersion were the invisible walls at time squares,Policeman with a small barricade and a bunch of civilian taking pictures behind. No reaction when you approach them. I would’ve loved to swing around or have more venom story missions. It makes sense for Miles to have a new suit after setting things with Li, alone or inspired by Hailey. It would also makes sense in the epilogue,starting a new chapter with a new suit. The way it was delivered was…just wrong and the reasoning is terrible because he already went trough that Arc in the last game. On top of that IN THE MIDDLE OF A ALIEN INVASION ! I actually like the Suit (aside from the hair showing) especially the second variant. I just wish it was better executed. For some reason I didn’t see Howard’s death coming, when I finished the mission “ he died !? How did he die ?”. I guess old age or illness. I can overlook the bugs and missed beats in the story, because I really liked most of the story.

[@illuminoeye_gaming]

while most of your comment is pretty spot on, i must say that not seeing Howard's death coming from the **obvious** flag of him setting the birds free is a little :/

[@jessicapinkman-hd4bw]

when i first booted up this game it took forever to load up

[@TheAmazingMoose-Man]

How does Johnny always have the EXACT same opinion on Spider-Man stuff as me. It’s so wild, feels like it’s just me talking every time. Love the Spider-Man vids🔥🔥❤️

[@RexOrsin]

I love this game to death and, if it wasn't that rushed, then it would've been one of the best video games of all time in my opinion. By the way, what are your thoughts on the Symbiote Invasion concept as a whole?

[@thatguywithwings3792]

Funnily enough, as much as I adored this game, my biggest takeaway when I completed it was how badly I wanted a Venom mi-qual. I feel like they set up enough points by the end of the game to hint that it's planned, but I think it'd kinda be a missed opportunity if they didn't, it just feels like it'd make the most sense as a side/spinoff game

[@UltimateTS64]

Really great video, left a like, but a couple things I've thought about: 1. I personally believe that Miles feeling separated from the story is intentional. As Peter begins to ignore Miles due to him having more of an attachment to Harry and the symbiote, Miles becomes more and more frustrated and distracts himself from the pain by chasing down Li. It also ties into Peter lacking balance as he's overloaded himself with stuff to do to hide from the pain he still feels from the events of the first game. This connects to Aunt May's quote about how doing too many things made her not able to do anything well, which for Peter would be that he's being a bad mentor and friend. It makes the player see how Miles feels about Peter ignoring him and deciding that leads him back to Peter. At the end of the Miles and Peter fight, he talks about how Peter ignores his calls, which kinda shows that feeling we experience with Miles as well. I agree they could've done a better job driving the point home, but if you really think about it, it makes sense.😊 2. Harry was Venom back in the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon on Disney XD, so he's been Venom before, just most people don't know about it.

[@duckydae]

most definitely agree, a harry and miles mission would’ve been incredible.

[@kingwzrd15]

I didn’t mind the new (miles) suit design too much I didn’t understand the hate, but after I found out it was pretty much just a colab suit with adidas it kinda left a sour taste in my mouth

[@kdubbss0583]

It’s kinda crazy how so many reviews of this game were in such bad faith and disingenuous. My ONLY complaints are: I wish the story was just a little longer, like an hour maybe, and no NG+ at the time of release. Other than that, this are minor nitpicks. The game was so much fun that my jaw was on the floor when certain story beats happened. I can’t wait for three.

[@carlpacquing2575]

Outside of the Spider-Men and Harry, Martin Li's character arc was definitely my favorite!

[@stringman994]

While I don’t necessarily disagree that more build-up of Miles and Harry would have helped, I think another important to remember is that some of what Venom says is from the symbiote, and Miles DID get in between Peter and the symbiote. I interpreted Venom’s personal hated of Miles to be the symbiote’s while Harry just viewed him as Peter’s pesky friend

[@kwayneboy1524]

Yeah it seemed it was mostly the symbiote that hated him while Harry found him alright but I felt he needed a mission with Harry

[@VeggiePun]

Harry and Kraven actually have a lot in common. They're both sick and want to leave a mark on the world. Whether that's a warriors death, or healing the world. They both want to do something they perceive as important

[@chaosv1123]

The biggest issue that I have in this game is the time frame for the main story. In the overall story they had to: - Focus on Miles dealing with the feeling of vengeance and acceptance plus his conflict with being Spider-man and being Miles Morales - Peter having to deal with the sense of being overwhelmed by his responsibility and sense of expectation to do aunt May proud even though he already has, spiderman also dealing him the short end of the stick when it comes to trying to balance his normal life and pay for things and venom bringing he worst in him - MJ (having more or less a similar character as the first game) - Harry's rise as a potential hero and fall becoming a villain - Kraven's last hunt - Martin Li realising the real damage he caused and how he should change There's a lot happening in the main story not to mention the side quests. Ultimately, everyone needed slightly more screen time to get me fully invested in the story overall. I loved the scenes with Harry and Peter but there should've been just slightly a bit more discussion on how Peter deals with his responsibilities of being spider man with Harry and thm genuinely doing a lot more heroism together icing Miles out. This would've made the overall venom subplot with Pete a little more streamlined (because we see Peter's morality and overall sense of responsibility as spiderman and venom leaning into it thus making him more aggressive and isolated). There's a lot more I want to speak about but I've already written a mini essay and I don't even know if anyone would bother reading this.

[@grantspencer7717]

Great video. You were able to articulate some of the things I felt about the game but couldn’t put words to 👍

[@Onyx474]

Honestly have seen all animated series and played most spiderman games and I just hated the story here personally. It started off okay but then tried to do way too much at once. I already found it ridiculous that with how smart peter is he doesn’t instantly question harry’s suit and is just okay with him having it. Ignoring that there is just no drama between any characters. An aura of positive energy oozes out of everyone and is makes it so there is just no drama to be had . You barely even feel why peter is suddenly angry over nothing and he says a couple mean (yet true) things and well it’s meant to be an arc . By the time we can even process anything he already loses it . And once MJ starts spoutint nonsense and peter starts apoligizing i was losing my mind. If MJ is going to take entire kraven bases on and then follow two spiderman into a symbiote base as an equal, there’s no way i can ever feel scared to lose the character. Noone is ever in any real danger . The whole miles feeling insecure doesnt get enough time to cook so miles barely has anything to do in this game he could have straight up been taken out so then at least we could get somewhat of a decent peter story. There was barely any side missions with 80% of them being for “specific audiences” and no repeatable endgame content. Game took 16 hours to platinum in highest difficulty. Feels like web of shadows had way more impact in even less time . Multiple spidey villains get straight up killed and our characters barely even react. But this is almost perfect? Idk man.

[@wildatlanticplay7906]

Yeah I agree story just had no drama like the game with Peter and Otto. Peter should of question the suit aswell

[@roysmith4863]

that howard mission got me a little emotional I won't lie

[@kevin-2.1]

I love the intro of the game, I also would like to suggest that they would make Peter not weak in this game. Also love the things Peter gets to do as Peter Parker, just like a normal person can do. Love to see the characters interact with one another, and to see the struggles they have 👍🏻👍🏻. I wish that in the mission where Mj runs from Peter in the tunnel, insomniac wouldn’t make Peter in the symbiote to be so clumsy. Miles is going on a journey to become his own Spider-Man & showing growth to move forward. As for the Miles and Symbiote Peter fight, I agree that Peter realize his addiction and decides to tear his suit off. In the middle of they’re fight, a reference to Spider-Man three. As for Kraven’s crew, it is not like him to have a crew of his own. But this is a game and to keep the gamers entertain. And the end Kraven did his wish to die at the hands of his equal. Kraven’s crew suck big time, I mean Mj can sneak by them and taser them! As for Harry and Venom, too bad it wasn’t Eddie but it’s still good. Really build up the tension between Harry and Peter. And to play as Venom 🤩 in the ps5 game station! I was also surprised they make him grow wings🪽, as for Scream I like how they design her. As the for ending of the game, I agree that Peter should take a break at being Spider-Man and focus on his relationship and helping on Harry’s mother’s dream. Ps glad Mj quitted the bugle.

[@mink1337]

For me the best way to play the Howard mission is with Peter because I feel like they just have a bigger connection than miles

[@IzukuKun-ow4rx]

I feel like the reason why people say he was nerfed is cause his skills and power's seem inconsistent as he gets beat down a little too much in ways that I feel he would have easily avoided. His spider sense only went off when he was already about to get hit and he struggles a little too much in certain situations. Now I know it's meant to show Peter is having a tough time as Peter and spiderman and we know spiderman is always meant to suffer and get beat up,but I definitely feel like they made him weak so Harry and Miles can seem stronger,I'm not against them getting more spotlight,I just wish they handled Peter a little better when his spiderman.

[@builttoscalevideos]

I think the only problem for me was that the main quest felt a little too “Boss Rush”-y to me, like yeah, I get it, we’re hardcore git gud dark souls players who need huge health bars and 3 phase fights, but all you really have to do is freak the AI out enough until you can just juggle them in a corner. Having the main quest feel more like a Boss Rush mode definitely works, but I feel like little tweaks could have made it a tiny bit better, like what if instead of fighting each boss in just one arena for 3 phases, we instead fight in one arena, then when the healthbar drops, they flee, and you need to chase them through the city and rescue civilians for a bit, before you land at the NEXT arena where you play the next health bar phase of the boss fight. Having it all take place in just one location in such a huge city every time just feels really constricting, and it really ignores one of the major things that makes these games fun, and that is the webswinging. Think how the Rhino Fight plays out in “Miles Morales” you’re constantly switching locations while you fight him, that to me really **feels** like Spiderman. And on the topic of how constrictive the game feels, I really hate the “You’re leaving the mission” message that pops up. When you’re webswinging to the next location. It’s super immersion breaking starting to webswing one way only for the game to suddenly pause and say “you’re going the wrong way”, like, I dunno, maybe let ME ascertain whether I’m going the wrong way or not. And if you want to add some urgency to the mission, then maybe add a time limit for me to get to the next objective, so then I can realise I’m going the wrong way a bit quicker, but pausing the game out of nowhere to tell me just feels really jarring. I didn’t feel fully “free” in the game until the main quest was over. Overall I wouldn’t say these things ruined the experience for me, it just feels like one of those “two steps forward, one step back” situations to me. It’s just little things that I’d personally tweak for future games

[@alliesangalli1757]

28:11 This criticism is an interesting one to me, because I feel like it showcases how this story maybe falls short on its own, but works really well as a sequel, at least for me. They don't really touch on Peter and MJ's relationship problems in this game, but that's basically their entire story in the first game, seeing how much baggage their relationship has and how much improvement needs to be made to make it sustainable for both parties. I like that the sequel takes that opportunity to use a less vocal approach to their relationship issues. We already know the troubled history Pete and MJ have, so, when Scream reveals the negative thoughts that MJ has been holding back from Pete, it's sudden, but the first game has already given us the context to those feelings. Even if things seem great on the surface, relationships require frequent active work to succeed, and that work requires communication. It's only through MJ finally sharing these feelings with Peter that the two are able to work together to be better partners for each other, and in turn make positive changes in their individual lives too.

[@docroy4317]

agh I just wish they took more time with this game. It could’ve been greater

[@rihasanatrofolo2472]

I still can't over the decision to keep the new spiderman face. The old one looked like an older Peter, this new one looks like a 16 year old

[@spencerbacon]

I do agree I think this game tried to go epic but the foundation couldn’t hold it.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

It was totally worth the wait! This was SO great! Your content is awesome! Huge fan of both You and Spiderman! 🕷️🕷️🕷️🕸️🕸️🕸️🕸️🕸️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@thegreatacolyt1277]

Spider-man 2 is GREATER

[@cliffordmac]

The Howard mission got me to cry. And it's been so long since a game had got me to do that. Spiderman 2 is the game we needed but don't deserve.

[@akiriith]

My main disappointment was actually that you never get closure / balance for MILES. He was struggling with college and making time for Hayley, his mom said ALL he thinks about is how to better help Peter as Spider-Man. Miles also feels VERY unbalanced. So I thought "be greater together" would be taken literally and Peter and Miles would alternate who would be Spider-Man for that while. Because while Peter found his balance, Miles clearly hasn't. He's been pushed even further into being primarily Spider-Man... What about HIS work-life balance?

[@andrewferri7732]

So... Brilliant video essay, this game was quite good. Although it doesn't reach the heights the first Spider-Man game did back in 2018, it had a lot of brilliant ideas, especially with Harry being venom to make the story have more personal stakes. I like that he struggles with balance in his life- yes. do agree that Peter was nerfed in this game though, and I feel like you can see it in certain ways. Everyone loves a hero that struggles, that's why Spider-Man is popular. However, there were so many moments where Peter was simply incompetent or physically weak where he never would have been in the first game. I understand that they have to make him vulnerable for the story to progress, but some of the moments and mistakes he makes (in combat and such mostly) just for miles to save him or the plot to happen is plain silly. (Moments in the intro fight, getting pinned by a refrigerator, etc). But yes I agree, the emotional vulnerability was necessary.

[@solaireflair2815]

Whereas the first game dealt a lot with themes of balance and duality, this game focuses a lot on second chances. The Prowler gives up his life of crime and helps his nephew clear out his old stashes for tech that Miles could use. Dr. Connors previously worked at Oscorp where he helped find a cure for Norman Osborn’s son (which seems to have been the inciting incident for his transformation into the Lizard), but seems to now be helping out at the Emily-May Foundation. Mysterio is creating virtual reality entertainment centers around the city. Tombstone is working at the Go-Kart attraction at Coney Island. Martin Li is actively atoning for his past crimes and Miles gives up his quest for vengeance against Li, allowing him to correct his past wrongs. In all of these instances we see past supervillains trying to move past their crimes and become better people. And the Symbiote gives both Harry Osborn and Peter Parker a literal second chance at life. However, another major theme of the game is cooperation. Numerous times we see both Spider-Men being propped up by not only each other, but also the important people in their lives, and even their past foes. The game is telling us that we are made stronger by our relationships with others. The tag-line for the game is even “Be Greater, Together”. And this ties so nicely with the idea of the Symbiote. The Symbiote, and by extension Venom, are two entities working together in unity. However, this unity is the idea of cooperation taken to its extreme as it becomes total dependence. As you’ve pointed out, Peter’s need for the black suit is very much like an addiction. And for Harry, he needs to wear the Symbiote to keep himself from succumbing to his disease. But something also interesting is that when Peter is wearing the Symbiote Suit, he becomes increasingly frustrated with the people trying to help him, constantly saying that he can handle things on his own. The relationship between Peter and the Symbiote is meant to be toxic, with it disrupting his personal relationships and trying to have Peter all to itself; creating a nice antithesis to this idea of cooperation. The Symbiote also ties back to the first game’s theme of balance by causing an extreme imbalance in Peter’s life; it gives him even greater power, but inhibits any feeling of responsibility. It also goes against the idea of second chances. There’s a nice moment when Martin Li and Miles are exploring Peter’s mind where they see an image of the Sinister Six killed by the Symbiote. Peter believes that people can be redeemed and can make the right choices for themselves, but his Jungian Shadow tells him that it would be much quicker and easier to simply kill these criminals, which is what the Symbiote taps into. Venom is Peter’s Shadow, a dark and monstrous reflection of what he could become if he doesn’t keep himself in check. There was also a very brief moment during the Lizard fight where Peter brings out four tentacles on his back, which just so happen to be in the exact same orientation of Dr. Octopus’ tentacles, which acts as a nice visual metaphor for Peter succumbing to his darkest impulses, just like his mentor from the first game.

[@SilasSeiler]

Shout out to who made Johnny's ending rap, that slaps and I listen to it every time

[@ethandeboer103]

I was looking forward to this review! I also had a couple issues with this nearly perfect story, so I was excited to hear your thoughts

[@maxhalo369gaming4]

My hopes for the future of these games are A big DLC for SM2 that wraps up the Symbiote story and has Carnage as the big bad, it would also be a good way to gradually introduce Cindy Moon and maybe show us her origins assuming she doesn't already have powers in this universe. A Silk spin off game much like the Miles game that lets us really get to know Cindy and her struggles and foes. Spiderman 3, the big final chapter with you playing as Peter, Miles, and Cindy, maybe being able to switch between any of them at will or maybe just switching between Miles and Cindy with Peter being reserved for certain missions.

[@MoonlitWenny]

Mechanically the only problem I had was getting used to a Spider-Man game that requires blocking, but narratively? I not only really liked how they set up Harry's relationship with Peter and MJ, but also that as a part of him wanting to be a hero, he also DID actually try to bond with Miles at least once, which came up during their final battle. Even though we all knew Green Goblin was gonna have to happen, the justification for it feels like what made Harry hate Spider-Man in the Raimi movies, and so a bit lackluster, bordering on silly? (To me at least). That he begged Spider-Man to save Harry while Dr. Connors was RIGHT NEXT TO HIM saying Harry couldn't be saved, only to want to kill both Spider-Men because Harry's in a coma but still alive? It hit weird for me. That said, I hadn't considered how those two side quests could hit if you use Miles for them. I stumbled across both as Peter (since the mild mishandling of Miles in the narrative meant I was *usually* Peter). With the grandfather, Peter asks him for advice on how to propose to somebody, but with Howard, you can hear him trying not to cry afterwards when you swing away from the ambulance. But with the grandfather, it sounds like Miles had more of a connection with him than Peter, while with Howard, Miles KNEW him, but wasn't as close to him as Peter was. It was interesting to see the other side through your video!

[@deathma5939]

I feel like the Howard mission hits harder if you do it as Peter since he's known him the longest

[@alphawmusic]

I respect the take that you- and many others- have about Mile's role in the overall main story. But I actually think that his more minor role works really well. Balance is definitely the thing Peter struggles to achieve, and we see that beginning when Harry shows up. Its further amplified by the Symbiote; he's straight up isolating himself from everyone. This is a bit of an oversimplification, but the Symbiote takes the worst parts of you and amplifies them. This includes Peter's inclination to try to do it all and, ultimately, fail to achieve balance. In addition, Miles' role also makes his own side missions and stories that much more rewarding. He is missing his mentor, but we still get to see him continue to grow into his own, similar to what he had to do in his own game. I do agree that there are some things that could have been given a stronger foundation such as the tension between Miles and Harry. But I would still put the story of this game on the same pedestal as the first Spider-Man. As always, enjoyed hearing your thoughts. You always have wonderful things to say that really make me think; even on the topics I feel more confident on my feelings of like Spider-Man.

[@NinjaKage100]

I didn't think Miles new suit was that bad at first, but then learning it was literally an ad for Adidas merch soured me on it a lot.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Binged your previous videos For this Johnny! SO HYPED! You're the best 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@BunchyPanther42]

I really enjoyed the 3rd act, I love how they really went all out with what the symbiotie has to offer story wise. It all hit for me

[@sunsetvibe1063]

I thought it was a very interesting take on the Symbiote to have it develop a conscience by witnessing other people’s experiences. Because when Harry was Agent Venom, the suit had no problem. Harry was just fine with it. That is until it was given to Peter. Which is when all of Pete’s trauma is unloaded onto the Symbiote & is what causes it to become a monstrous being. Cause when the Symbiote ends up back onto Harry. The suit has taken what it learned about anger & hatred from Peter. Which it couldn’t learn from Harry as Agent Venom given his pretty mellow state at the start of the game. And then it applies Pete’s emotions to Harry’s resentment towards Peter. Because of Pete, the suit starts to encourage Harry’s desire to heal the world but through means of spreading itself because that’s how Peter encouraged it when he had it. This version of the Symbiote is more like a drug then any previous version. Because in the end, a drug is harmless until it has human emotions to amplify. The Symbiote had no intentions of taking over the world until it was corrupted by the strong hate filled emotions of the humans that were using it. E.g. just look at the fight with Scream. The Symbiote would have no reason to encourage Mary Jane to say what she does in that fight if MJ didn’t have those thoughts bottled up inside her to begin with. The Symbiote just helps bring out those parts of MJ instead of making her think that way.

[@therandomness6403]

He mentioned Howard so it’s a 10/10 video 😭 catching those damn birds will forever be ingrained in my mind

[@markburns7854]

Brilliant but flawed is the best way to describe this game

[@Bobbiloff]

You really echoed a lot of my feelings about the game well, great video man. I think the moment to moment enjoyment of playing Spider-Man 2 is fantastic, and the pacing is spot on. Not to many collectibles and distractions from the main narrative. The Peter with the symbiote part for me is just 10/10 absolutely amazing, and how it really portrays the symbiote and Venom as a much more terrifying threat which I've always preferred it to be. It does feel rushed towards the end after the Kraven vs Venom fight, and I think the scene where Harry actually turns into Venom is to fast, like we literally just got it off and straight away he's Venom. I would've loved to have a moment of us understanding that the Symbiote feeds on Harrys resentment more and gives it time to mutate. Just a slight pause where Peter is like "we did it" before the final act kicks in. I also thought some things became contrived like MJ and Peters talking during the Scream fight and sometimes the whole thing that MJ puts herself in extremely dangerous situations without needing to. Like it's not a weakness of her doing the detective work but not being able to fight 50 kraven goons, I really dislike when stories attribute strength in combat as the only form of power or value a character can have and in this game they take it to far with MJ imo, just being incredibly reckless. But all in all really loved the game, just needed to simmer the last act a bit more for me and it would've been a full on banger.