Spider-Man 2 was featured handsomely in the September 14 State of Play, thankfully showing us fans everything we should expect about the Insomniac‘s latest title, gameplay-wise. In this live stream broadcast, Spider-Man 2's new gameplay features added over the previous game have been shown in detail, which now makes the release of the sequel much more highly anticipated.

Insomniac's Senior Creative Director Brian Intihar served as the presenter for the video package, which showcased both Miles Morales and Peter Parker, as well as their latest foe from Spider-Man's Rogue Gallery: Kraven the Hunter. Inithar's presentation focused on gameplay changes that fully take advantage of the PlayStation 5 hardware – now possible as the game will launch exclusively for the next-gen console, ditching the PS4 behind.

Spider-Man 2 gets both Queens and Brooklyn

First amongst these exciting gameplay features is a bigger open world. Joining Manhattan Island are the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. This effectively makes the game's world twice as big as the original, which is just fitting for a second game and is timely given how now we have two superhero protagonists in the game. To help players explore the wide new space, Miles and Peter now have access to Web Wings, giving players a whole new and faster way to traverse the open world.

Players will appreciate the diversity in locations that the expanded open world introduces. The locales between the three boroughs have a different feel from each other: from Manhattan's skyscrapers to the more suburban vibe of Queens and Brooklyn, which includes the alma maters of the Spider-Men.

Spider-Man 2 Gameplay with Two Spider-Men

The most exciting new feature of Spider-Man 2 was also featured in this gameplay video from the September State of Play. Switching between Miles Morales and Peter Parker is seamless, similar to how players would switch characters in GTA V, which was possible any time the player was not engaged in a quest. Sometimes, players will be forced to play as one of the two characters when the story requires, but the majority of the game allows the player to play as whoever they want to progress the story. As Inithar noted, this seamless switching between two characters will help players have a more seamless exploration and discovery experience while playing Spider-Man 2.

New Quests and Activities

Players will also be able to enjoy a plethora of new activities, either as Miles or Peter. To help players spot these activities more easily, Insomniac designed visual cues that will get the player's attention wherever these activities are available nearby. Overcoming these challenges will give rewards to players who are skilled enough to complete them. Some of these activities will lead to encounters with more members of the Rogue Gallery, including ones that are making their first appearance in Insomniac's Spider-Man universe like Venom.

Factions and Districts of Spider-Man 2

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Spider-Man 2's larger world also means more enemies to fight. Expanding from the previous game's factions are even more factions. Stopping the crime of each faction will result in progression rewards for the district that the faction controls. Players will gain more rewards and unlockables as they complete relevant quests within these districts. Complete enough and you'd be able to unlock new fast-travel options for that district.

New Suits and Gadgets

The scientist in Parker means that there will always be new gadgets to play with and new suits to swing around in. Spider-Man 2 will feature a lot of new gadgets and suits for players to unlock and use. New to Spider-Man 2 is the ability to upgrade skills for individual suits, making each suit much more customizable compared to before. The game will feature 65 different suits from the comics, movies, and other media, including some new original designs made specifically for this game. Furthermore, players will be able to change the look of their suits as well, leading to a total of 200 different suit designs players can wear in-game.

AR UI Improvements

With the power of modern technology, Parker and Morales are able to equip their spider-suits with Augmented Reality vision that lets them see important information about quests and activities all the time. Their AR app also features a messaging system that allows friendlies to call Spider-Man to ask for help, allowing Spider-Man to swing to their location to assist.

Spider-Man 2 releases exclusively on the PS5 on October 20, 2023

The 3-and-a-half-minute video of Spider-Man 2 gameplay footage from the September State of Play was surely chock-full of gameplay features. All of these new details add to the excitement and anticipation of the new title. Thankfully, fans don't have to wait for long anymore. Spider-Man 2 launches on October 20, 2023, exclusively for the PS5.

Players who want a little bit more snazz for their gaming room might want to buy the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game, or better yet, treat themselves with 19 inches of venom with the Collector's Edition of the game.