Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 action-adventure game based on the 2004 film of the same name. The game is the sequel to 2002's Spider-Man, itself based on the 2002 film of the same name. It was released on June 29, 2004, for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Microsoft Windows, and Game Boy Advance, followed by N-Gage and Nintendo DS versions later the same year. A PlayStation Portable version was released almost one year later, on March 23, 2005. The Game Boy Advance version, developed by Digital Eclipse, was re-released on a twin pack cartridge and bundled with that system's version of the 2002 Spider-Man game in 2005. A tie-in game, titled Spider-Man 2: Activity Center, was also released in June 2004. Published by Activision, the console versions were developed by Treyarch, while the others had different developers and are drastically different as a result.
All game versions closely follow the film's plot, but expand upon it by including scenes and characters that do not appear in the film. Set 2 years after the events of Spider-Man, the game finds Peter Parker struggling to manage both his personal life and his duties as Spider-Man. When scientist and Peter's mentor, Otto Octavius, becomes the diabolical villain Doctor Octopus after an accident, Spider-Man must stop him from recreating a dangerous fusion power experiment.
The game's console versions were positively received, with critics commending the realistic Manhattan setting and web-swinging mechanics. The handheld versions received mixed reviews, while the PC version received negative reviews. The game was followed by Spider-Man 3, itself based on the 2007 film of the same name.
Gameplay The console version of Spider-Man 2 is a third-person action-adventure video game, set in an open world based on New York City and composed of Manhattan, Roosevelt Island, Ellis Island, and Liberty Island. Players take on the role of Spider-Man and complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story.
The story is divided into multiple chapters, each with its objectives, such as purchasing upgrades for Spider-Man or acquiring a certain number of hero points from completing side missions. Pedestrians across the game's map give these side missions. They mainly consist of battling criminals, stopping speeding cars by jumping on top of them and punching them, taking injured people to the hospital, or saving construction workers from falling to their deaths. Each chapter includes at least one story mission related to the main plot.
Players can web swing, crawl walls, and fight enemies using a variety of combos. They can use Spider-Man's "spider sense" to slow down time and dodge incoming attacks, including gunfire. This game version was considered innovative due to its physics-based algorithms that simulate Spider-Man's web swinging in 3D, creating a new game mechanic unlike previous Spider-Man games' traditional jumping or flying. Combat is far more complex, as it involves carefully timing the player's attacks and dodges. After completing the main storyline, a bonus mode inside a warehouse is unlocked, where the player can fight waves of enemies and bosses from the main storyline, as well as an exclusive villain: Calypso.
Microsoft Windows The Windows version of Spider-Man 2 is a level-based beat 'em up. The player can use several combos and web-based attacks to fight enemies, as well as a power move that causes Spider-Man's fists to glow and deal extra damage; it is charged up by defeating enemies. In addition to wall crawling, web swinging is featured in the outdoor levels, though the player can only attach webs to glowing orbs that float in the sky.
PSP The PSP version of Spider-Man 2 uses the same engine as 2002's Spider-Man. Because of this, the gameplay is virtually unchanged, and many locations from the first game are reused, as is its scoring system, which assigns players a score at the end of each level based on various factors, such as the time taken to complete the level and the number of combos used. The player can crawl walls and web swing, though Spider-Man can only move forward in a straight line. They can also lock their camera onto certain enemies and web them.
Plot
Console version 2 years after the events of the first game, Peter Parker is struggling to balance his civilian life with his duties as Spider-Man. This dramatically affects his personal life, as he is frequently late or absent for school and leisure time with his friends: his crush, Mary Jane Watson, and best friend Harry Osborn, who blames Spider-Man for his father's death. While stopping a museum robbery, Spider-Man encounters the cat burglar Black Cat, who manages to escape from him. Black Cat later returns and befriends Spider-Man, helping him fight crime several times.
Spider-Man defeats the supervillain Rhino and is challenged by SFX artist Quentin Beck to partake in a series of "games" meant to prove he is a fraud. After Spider-Man prevails, an embarrassed Beck assumes the identity of "Mysterio" and leads attacks on both an opera and the Statue of Liberty, which Spider-Man foils. He then finds Mysterio's hideout and overcomes another series of challenges, learning that Mysterio is a fraud in the process. However, he is unable to capture him because Mysterio uses illusions.
Harry introduces Peter to Otto Octavius, a nuclear scientist who is trying to make a fusion power experiment, sponsored by Oscorp, which would provide an unlimited power source to Manhattan. Octavius befriends and begins to mentor Peter throughout their subsequent meetings. While handling hazardous materials, Octavius wears a harness of robotic tentacle arms with artificial intelligence. During a public demonstration Peter and Harry attended, a power spike caused the fusion reactor to destabilize. Octavius refuses to shut down the reactor, which goes critical, killing his wife and burning his AI inhibitor chip. Peter, as Spider-Man, shuts the experiment down, destroying it in the process. Later, the arms' AI begins to influence Octavius negatively, and he becomes the villain Doctor Octopus after a confrontation with his former friend and colleague, Curt Connors. Blaming Spider-Man for what happened to him, Octavius becomes determined to retry his experiment and robs a bank to fund it. Coincidentally, Peter is there with his Aunt May, so he suits up as Spider-Man and fights Octavius. Octavius takes May hostage, forcing Spider-Man to rescue her while Octavius escapes with the stolen money.
Spider-Man later learns that Mary Jane is getting married to John Jameson and reunites with Black Cat, who tries to convince him to give up on his civilian life to be Spider-Man full-time. The pair then works together to track down the Shocker, who escaped from prison during Beck's initial competition with Spider-Man. They defeat him, but Shocker escapes after injuring Black Cat. Later, Spider-Man stops Mysterio from robbing a convenience store and unmasks him as Beck before taking photos of him for the Daily Bugle. Publisher J. Jonah Jameson uses the photos to make it look like Spider-Man and Mysterio were in cahoots; Peter decides to confront Jameson as Spider-Man but is stopped by Black Cat, who informs him of Shocker's return. After capturing Shocker, Spider-Man tells Black Cat that he must continue living a double life, which she understands, before parting ways.
Requiring the isotope tritium to fuel his reactor, Octavius visits Harry to demand it, who agrees to help in exchange for Spider-Man. Harry tells Octavius to seek Peter, who he believes is friends with the hero. Octavius locates Peter, tells him to find Spider-Man, and kidnaps Mary Jane. Spider-Man confronts Octavius and battles him atop a New York City Subway train. Octavius sabotages the controls and leaves Spider-Man to save the passengers, which he does at a tremendous physical toll. Spider-Man falls unconscious, allowing Octavius to deliver him to Harry. As Octavius leaves with the tritium, Harry prepares to kill Spider-Man, only to be shocked to see Peter under the mask. Peter convinces Harry to direct him to Octavius' lair, as bigger things are at stake. As Peter arrives at Octavius's waterfront laboratory and attempts to rescue Mary Jane discreetly, Octavius discovers him, and they battle while the nuclear reaction swells. Peter ultimately subdues Octavius, reveals his identity, and helps him return to his senses. Realizing the error of his ways, Octavius sacrifices himself to destroy the fusion reactor, while Spider-Man rescues Mary Jane, who is now aware of his secret identity.
Mary Jane abandons John at the altar on her wedding day and runs to Peter's apartment. She confesses her feelings for him and says she will fully support his double life. As they hear police sirens in the distance, Mary Jane encourages Peter to go help as Spider-Man.
Microsoft Windows Nuclear scientist Otto Octavius attempts to make a fusion power experiment, sponsored by Oscorp, that would provide an unlimited source of energy to Manhattan. While handling hazardous materials, Octavius wears a harness of powerful robot tentacle arms with artificial intelligence. During a public demonstration that Peter Parker and Harry Osborn are attending, a power spike causes the fusion reactor to destabilize. Octavius refuses to shut down the reactor, which goes critical, killing his wife and burning the inhibitor chip blocking the arms from his nervous system. Peter, as Spider-Man, shuts the experiment down, destroying it in the process. Later, the arms' AI begins to influence Octavius, and he becomes the villain Doctor Octopus, seeking to complete his work at all costs.
While patrolling the city, Spider-Man spots a van being chased by the police and follows it to the prison, where a riot breaks out. He defeats some of the escaped inmates before Rhino bursts out of jail and attempts to escape, only to become caught in a laser cage set up by the police. Spider-Man fights Rhino, who manages to escape from the cage, but rams into a gas station, causing an explosion that knocks him out. Spider-Man puts out the flames while Octavius retrieves the unconscious Rhino. Later, Octavius attempts to rob a bank to fund a second experiment. Coincidentally, Peter is there with Aunt May, suits up as Spider-Man, and fights Octavius inside the vault. Octavius takes May hostage, forcing Spider-Man to rescue her while Octavius escapes with the stolen money.
Sometime later, as Peter is walking through the city with his friend and crush, Mary Jane Watson, someone steals the latter's car. After telling Mary Jane to wait while he calls the police, Peter, as Spider-Man, follows the carjacker to a warehouse, where he is confronted by the villain Puma. Spider-Man defeats Puma's goons before engaging him in a battle across the city that culminates at a construction site. Puma reveals that Octavius hired him to keep Spider-Man distracted while he kidnaps Mary Jane, then attempts to escape, but Spider-Man captures him. Later, Octavius attacks Oscorp to steal the equipment he needs to complete his fusion reactor. Spider-Man arrives to stop him and must disarm several bombs that Octavius has planted around the building before confronting him. Octavius escapes with the device while Spider-Man is attacked by Rhino, whom he manages to defeat by freezing him with liquid nitrogen. Spider-Man then attempts to pursue Octavius, only to be confronted by the villain Mysterio, who creates the illusion of a floating city.