Insomniac’s “Spider-Man 2,” released on October 20, 2023, to critical acclaim. The game made numerous improvements to the previous games with new skills for the players to use, faster swinging, and most notably a new and focused bond between Peter Parker and Miles Morales.

Insomniac’s first foray into a Spider-Man story, “Marvel’s Spider-Man,” introduced this bond, by having Peter comfort Miles after Mr. Negative kills his dad. He also gets him a job at a homeless shelter called FEAST, and he attempts to connect with him, which is so successful that once Miles gets spider powers, the first person he tells is Peter, cementing their bond for future games. 

This bond continues in Miles’ solo game, “Spider-Man: Miles Morales,” which takes place a year after the events of the first game showing how much Peter trusts Miles by leaving him in charge of protecting New York while he is on a work trip with Mary Jane. 

This game picks up with Miles and Peter working as a well-oiled machine, combining their strengths to stop Sandman and saving people in his aftermath. A wrench is thrown in that machine, however, when Harry Osborn, Peter’s best friend who has been away getting treatment for his genetic illness, returns seemingly healthy and wanting Peter to join him in a new foundation, dedicated to healing the world.

With Peter’s attention being split between this new foundation and a group of hunters led by Kraven the Hunter, a big game hunter who wants his final hunt, Miles is left by himself to be New York’s protector.

Peter gets even more distanced from Miles after being introduced to the iconic symbiote suit, which intensifies his more negative traits, only focusing on Harry and Kraven. He cannot even realize that Miles has been consumed by rage and vengeance once Mr. Negative escapes prison. 

It is only after Miles and Mr. Negative are kidnapped and forced to fight by Kraven, that Peter realizes that he has been isolating himself from his protégé. After a heartfelt fight between the two, Peter removes himself from the suit with the help of Miles and decides to destroy it.

On his way to destroy it, Harry intercepts Peter and takes the symbiote for himself, becoming Venom, and decides that the best way to heal the world is through symbiotes. This choice brings New York into chaos, with rampant symbiotes running around, which brings Miles and Peter back together to destroy all the symbiotes and save Harry. 

This event allows Peter to make a very important choice: the choice to take a break from being Spider-Man and letting Miles take over, a choice that Peter is completely fine with as Miles has proven that he is worthy of the title.

On the gameplay side of “Spider-Man 2,” Insomniac made many refinements to the ability system. Both Spider-Men have abilities unique to them, Miles with his bioelectricity powers and camouflage abilities and Peter with robotic spider-arms and symbiotic abilities. This new system allows the Spiders to have their own unique flair and both be versatile in combat, not making one feel better than the other.

Another interesting refinement of this game is that in certain scenarios, both Spider-Men can be seen fighting crime together. It is a part of a few of the story missions, but it is more prevalent in random crimes, allowing the player to set up impressive combos between the characters.

Overall, “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2,” builds on Miles and Peter’s relationship in a very big way. Both Spider-Men are allowed to flourish in their solo time but together, they are greater.

“Marvel’s Spider-Man,” is available on the Playstation 5 family of consoles. It costs $69.99 for the standard edition and $79.99 for the Digital Deluxe edition which comes with 10 additional suits.