- Spider-Man 2 was one of the Game of the Year contenders at The Game Awards.
- Despite being nominated in 7 categories, this release failed to win a single award.
- Most fans suggest that the game was too safe of a sequel to win any meaningful awards.
Spider-Man 2 was held in high regard after it showcased the technical strengths of the PS5 to deliver a fun experience for fans of this Marvel character.
Thanks to a plethora of positive reviews and 5 million sales, Insomniac’s latest release was nominated for seven titles at The Game Awards 2023. Much to everyone’s surprise, it flunked in every single category.
While this was upsetting for some, several fans are now agreeing that Insomniac played it too safe with the sequel.
Why it matters: Traditionally, sequels are not expected to be revolutionary compared to their predecessors. However, these reactions suggest that Insomniac took this idea too far.
Taking a quick look at various Reddit threads, the top comments are filled with criticisms of Insomniac’s safe approach for Spider-Man 2.
While this release introduced new mechanics like instant character switching, a bigger open-world map, and Venom, most of these had already been implemented in past games numerous times.
The release was also criticized for a surprising number of bugs, with many claiming that it was pushed out too quickly. Looking at the comments, it appears fans have a clearer picture of the game after the launch excitement wore off.
Some have claimed that Spider-Man 2 should not have been nominated for Game of the Year and Best Narrative, with a more surprising game like Lies of P deserving this nomination instead.
Other fans pointed out the similar narrative structure between the two Spider-Man games. Since Insomniac’s first game was lauded for practically saving the character in the gaming industry, it appears the studio was happy to offer a similar experience the second time.
On the brighter side, this failure has sparked hope that Insomniac will not disappoint with the third game. A lot of this IP’s potential remains untapped, so fans are hoping Spider-Man 3 will be the deserving finale of a great trilogy.
For all its criticisms, Spider-Man 2 was still among the most successful games of 2024. It became the best-selling game of October in no time, bringing joy to millions of fans across the globe.
Like everyone else, we hope the third release is a massive step up over its sequels, catapulting Insomniac and its Spider-Man IP among the best in the industry.
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[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
