For sure.
I think the story is much tighter in 1. 2 I think has too many forced conflict moments for me that it's cheapened by the end.
I also think weirdly Peter can just do more in 1s combat. Yeah you get Symbyote which is a glorified rage button. But I think the gadgets added more to encounters.
I feel like bosses as well.
Insomniac for years has fallen victim to just circling the boss, shoot, and jump when needed. And that felt like almost every encounter in 2. 1 had this a bit as well but not nearly as much.
Peter is just worse than Miles in every way in 2 and it SHOWS. Plus they brought back the useless Mary Jane sections no one wanted back. Kraven is not an interesting enough villain to carry 2/3's of the entire story. The side content is way less interesting, etc.
I liked the Mary Jane stuff from there first game and would have much preferred a game focused on Kraven as the villain. Instead they had to throw in the Venom symbiote nonsense that’s never been good or interesting.
Most of Kraven happens off screen and by the time things ramp up they just kinda change the villain? I know it's to make Venom seem like a bigger threat but it feels like a lot of wasted time
For sure. And I hate to be that guy but if Venom is making the entire city symbiotes with big alien towers and stuff where the fuck are the Avengers or Shield and stuff?
I think ISM1 and 2 is a very BotW and TotK situation where there's a conversation that can be made for both. Like calling one strictly better feels like it does the other a disservice because they take such different approaches to many things, even if one has "more stuff".
In terms of story definitely. Spider-Man 2’s is less engaging so I haven’t finished it yet. The gameplay is better traversal-wise but I kinda prefer the combat in 1? Idk maybe my thoughts will be more organized once I finish it in a year.
I think most people outside of the critic sphere prefer the first game; that's what I've gathered personally anyway. The launch day experience for me was watching a bunch of people super excited to play it and then writing long complaint essays after a few hours in.
I definitely prefer the first's story. I liked the movement, swinging, and combat of the second one a lot more though. The extra options make it somewhat difficult for me to go back to the first game and Miles Morales.
Spider-Man 2 while fun just sorta felt samey to me and I didn't care for the story as much
(I'm not really into superhero stuff in general but at least 1 was interesting enough for me to see to the end)
I did but I still think 2 overall has better gameplay. The map and story are much weaker. The map ironically despite featuring the original is much more empty while the original felt packed and littered with things to do or see. Story I think is just flat compared to the more engaging original.
The second game is not BAD, but I platinumed it and haven't felt the urge once to pick it up again, while I've meanwhile reinstalled the first game on my PC since.
Despite 2 feeling a fair bit better in traversal, I'm inclined to agree in liking 1 over 2. I liked the story and writing more in 1, and the game just felt fresh and exciting, while 2 pulled back a bit in most areas and felt like a safe sequel more than anything. It's hard to describe in 300 chars
I've played all three, but I prefer the Spider-Man 2, but it's also the only one I haven't completed, so do I really? But in all honesty, it took me a while to beat the first Spider-Man that I delayed Miles Morales, but MM took no time for me to beat (it's short, though, but that's better for me).
I did too, the story was just tighter and more impactful. I don't think Spidey2 was able to juggle both Peter and Miles as effectively as it could, some whiplash. I also appreciate Peter's relationship with Otto more than Harry. Not saying it was bad, but I resonated with it more
Yep. Really liked the Peter and Miles stuff the game starts with but what I was worried about came true and the game starts relying on the Venom nonsense and like with anything to do with Venom it got to be unbearable. Still haven’t gotten around to finishing it.
The second one felt like it lacked direction and sometimes I felt like I had less options in combat. It’s good but I think it speaks volumes that I prefer going back to the first game even now
I personally did. I really liked how that game is set up for you to 100% it as long as you’re doing stuff while traveling to the next objective and I felt like the second game kind of lost that in its structure. Still really enjoyed 2 tho and I don’t consider it a massive fall off or anything.
I also really liked the combat in the second one, but I think it felt like it was lacking when they moved to the modern action game cool down style system for gadgets. Also, I think maybe there was just some diminishing returns with the world which is great, but it’s also the 3nd time it’s been used
I think 1 has a more cohesive narrative and a great scope, but 2’s gameplay, QoL updates, and immersion make for hell of a sequel. It’s like I want to replay 1 for its story but I also know it’ll go back a little in terms of gameplay flow (not that it’s entirely a negative, mind you).
But let me ask a question: Is there such a thing as trimming too much fat in a game? As much as I adored 2 and the stuff that it did, I do feel like it could’ve used a little more in terms of spreading out story beats from one another. Like I was surprised I beat its main campaign in a weekend.
In some ways, but then 2 is much better in other ways (though I wish they'd done a bit more to differentiate the two Spider-Mans. Maybe keep the gliding to Miles and give Pete some new swinging maneuvers or something
It's definitely the stronger story. I honestly cannot remember large chunks of Spider-Man 2's plot. That being said I do remember liking it's gameplay a lot more, especially the MJ sections compered to the first ones.
As much as I hate to say it (since I prefer him as a character) I think the plot would've been stronger if more time was devoted to Peter and Miles was left out. He just takes up too much time despite not doing much.
I do! I loved all the improvements on web-slinging and combay. But I ended the game being kinda bored (The same thing happened with GOW Ragnarok) but I can’t quite pin the reason. Maybe because the dual protagonist story didn’t work very well for me.
Pretty sure it's most people. I would say that SM2 is more fun to play thanks to Miles and all the new gadgets, but if I had to pick one to re-play I would definitely go for the first one since I has better pacing and story in my opinion.
I haven’t played the second one, but I have completed the first one multiple times and is among my favourite games of all time. I liked Miles Morales too, but it felt like a bridge between 2 big adventures, so it ended up not particularly excelling in any regard, just an overall fun experience.
Absolutely. I think because I had more expectations for what a sequel would do, especially with the Venom storyline, and ended up disappointed by the end. Whereas I was more pleasantly surprised by Insomniac’s story and take on the characters for the first game.
Comments
I think the story is much tighter in 1. 2 I think has too many forced conflict moments for me that it's cheapened by the end.
I also think weirdly Peter can just do more in 1s combat. Yeah you get Symbyote which is a glorified rage button. But I think the gadgets added more to encounters.
Insomniac for years has fallen victim to just circling the boss, shoot, and jump when needed. And that felt like almost every encounter in 2. 1 had this a bit as well but not nearly as much.
i just find the... not origin story, idk the correct phrase rn, the evolution of miles as a character and i love the snowy environment
very cozy christmas game
Spider-Man 2 while fun just sorta felt samey to me and I didn't care for the story as much
(I'm not really into superhero stuff in general but at least 1 was interesting enough for me to see to the end)
Miles Morales > 1 > 2
I'm not ready for a third game.
I think no DLC really has hurt the game too
Felt like 2 was very on the safe side
Where does that one rank for you lol
I think I like 2 better than 1 though.
But I did like God Of War 2018 better than Ragnarok, which kinda fits this idea of "preferring the game that isn't supposed to be as good" theme.