Spider-Man 2

 PlayStation 2
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 50
  3. Negative: 0 out of 50
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  1. PSX Extreme
    73
    Just recreating the city and getting the web slinging right is impressive on its own, but they aren’t enough to keep the game from getting stale too quickly. The game can be beaten in less than ten hours, and while that’s only 50% if you haven’t gotten all the bonus hidden stuff, there’s not really anything interesting enough to entice you to keep playing.
  2. GameSpot
    72
    But the game design doesn't take full advantage of the huge city, so instead you'll usually end up repeating the same half-dozen or so tasks over and over again, with some unique challenges thankfully sprinkled in to keep things moving.
  3. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    70
    Even though the battles may occur in the same settings as the ones in the movie, they lack not only the coolness, but also the soul. [Sept 2004, p.86]
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  5. Gamestyle
    70
    It doesn't quite reach the lofty heights that the likes of "Goldeneye" and "Bladerunner" achieved as film/game tie-ins, but what Spider-man 2 does is create one of the best super-hero games of all time.
  6. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    70
    I give developer Treyarch credit for its ambitious GTA-style playground game design, but the errands Spider-Man sends you on are repetitive and dull. Combat is part of the problem; you can buy all sorts of fancy moves and combos, but why bother when button-mashing works just as well? [Sept 2004, p.98]
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  7. Boomtown
    70
    It can’t possibly sustain its ardour, but nevertheless, purely for reasons of bringing Spider-Man to life in the best way possible, this is a spectacular experience.
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  8. AceGamez
    70
    As much fun as swinging around the city and helping random people is, Spider-Man 2 could have been an absolutely amazing title had the developers spent a little more time crafting better missions and crimes to stop and actually giving the enemy some AI instead of patterns to repeat.
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  9. games(TM)
    60
    Spider-Man 2 emerges as not only a movie licence that eschews the ‘fast-buck’ approach, but as an enjoyable game in its own right – which is chiefly a testament to just how compelling it is to have superpowers and a vast city in which to show them off. [Sept 2004, p.118]
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  10. DarkStation
    60
    The game has too many instances where things will be going great and you will be enjoying it and then you will be stuck having to get enough hero points to complete the chapter. The other big downside to the game is the fact that the enemies are more of an annoyance then a challenge.
  11. Edge Magazine
    60
    Spider-Man 2 presents players with a city ripe for action and exploration, but once you swing down out of the clouds and take a closer look at the grubby streets and roads strewn with vehicles, you'll find little to pique your interest. [Sept 2004, p.100]
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  12. The New York Times
    60
    While Spider-Man 2 is quite entertaining during its major challenges, it grinds to a halt when you are forced to wander around saving random people.
  13. netjak
    50
    Probably the worst game of the year, and definitely on my top 20 worst games ever. It was truly disappointing. The bottom line here is that the game was severely rushed.
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Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Best PS2 Game of 2004
13
#13 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2004
11
#11 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2004

User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 278 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 226 out of 278
  2. Mixed: 43 out of 278
  3. Negative: 9 out of 278
  1. cub317
    Sep 4, 2012
    10
    I've played several Spider-Man games, and out of all of them, this one is still my all time favorite. This is exactly what I want from notI've played several Spider-Man games, and out of all of them, this one is still my all time favorite. This is exactly what I want from not just Spider-Man, but also every other comic book superhero. In other words, this game is a free-roaming game that allows you to roam around New York City, do story missions, and fight crime (basically a superhero Grand Theft Auto). I'm surprised that the only other superheroes who've followed this formula are Batman (Batman: Arkham City), and Hulk (Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction). Of course, the question on everyone's mouths is this. Is this idea well executed? The answer is yes. As a matter of fact, it's not only executed well, it's executed perfectly! It really does feel like a superhero Grand Theft Auto. There are several missions for not only the story, but also jobs such as delivering Pizza, and taking pictures for the Daily Bugle. Along with that, in New York City itself, there are plenty of different crimes to fight. They can be anything from saving a person from falling, to stopping an armored car robbery. The control of this game is excellent. It really makes you feel like you're Spider-Man. This is another important thing I think about when playing a superhero game. The control has to make you feel like the hero that you're playing as, and this game does that perfectly too. As for the graphics, they're decent but not perfect. I've seen far better graphics, but I've also seen far worse. The story is pretty much the same as the movie that it's based on, but expanded with extra characters. As a matter of fact, the only thing about this game that I don't like is the voice acting which is flat out terrible. Aside from that, this entire game is amazing, and is overall one of the best superhero games I've ever played (if not the best).… Full Review »
  2. ImUnavailable
    Oct 15, 2011
    9
    A hugely fun game that has plenty of things to see, places to go, items to collect and people to save. Web swinging is exhilarating if aA hugely fun game that has plenty of things to see, places to go, items to collect and people to save. Web swinging is exhilarating if a little irritating at times. Combat is frantic and fast, with numerous moves and combos available. The game expands on the movie by adding new storylines and characters (Black Cat, Shocker, Mysterio etc). Spierman 2 is a great take on the open-world formula as the game transforms New York into a playground.… Full Review »
  3. SSJRhandy
    Sep 25, 2021
    9
    Love it :)
    I actually like it more than Insomniac Spiderman but that one’s great too
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