The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is stuck so far in the shadow of better superhero games that it’s difficult to see anything which makes it stand out from the crowd. While the traversal of the open world remains really enjoyable – in spite of some shortcomings – the rest of the release comes off as an inferior copy. While there’s nothing horribly wrong with the experience, there’s just not enough here to recommend it, especially when there are more engaging and polished experiences readily available.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 continues to swing with energy, but you can see some of the strain peeking out of his suit. Between the glitches from rushed development and some unnecessary gameplay segments (go…away…Peter!), it's not nearly as good as Beenox's other efforts. Here's to hoping that for the next game, Activision lets this team run wild on something inventive and new. Certainly couldn't hurt this web-slinger's chances.

Essentially picking up where the last game left off, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 does little to push the series forward, instead choosing to play it safe and reheat the same gameplay structure. That said, there's still a fair bit to enjoy here, especially if you missed out on the first Amazing Spider-Man. Thwip.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 doesn't take any real steps forward from its predecessor, and is made a further mess from its jarring world-building and frequent technical difficulty. This is a dull, drab, uninspired commercial of a game for a wreck of a film; as one of the most iconic pop-culture figures of the past 50+ years, Spidey deserves better. Considering his current direction and handlers, though, don't count on that happening any time soon.

During the moments when things run smoothly, there’s the semblance of a good game, and we’d be lying if we didn’t admit to having fun quite often throughout our playthrough, but it’s all far too buggy and rushed to recommend with a clear conscience. If you’ve been a fan of Spider-Man games during the ups and downs of the franchise, this is something you may be able to squeeze some enjoyment out of, though even then we suggest waiting for the inevitable sale before taking such a big risk.

Still, I had fun playing this game. While I can wholeheartedly say that paying $60 for what Beenox crafted here is definitely over the top, I wouldn’t recommend against picking it up in the $20-$30 range. It is still fun to swing around the city, and some portions really shine, but a full-fledged, full-price experience Amazing Spider-Man 2 is certainly not.