Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 offers a dense and thrilling world filled with countless activities and mechanics to master. Starting out can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, players can quickly swing into the action and make the most of their journey. This guide delivers a comprehensive collection of valuable strategies across key gameplay areas to help both newcomers and returning web-slingers thrive.
Seamless Character Switching
Certain missions in the game are locked to either Peter Parker or Miles Morales, depending on narrative requirements. Players approaching one of these tasks while playing as the other Spider-Man won’t need to switch manually. For Side Missions or Activities, there’s an option to swap at the objective’s starting point. In the case of main missions, the game will automatically switch the character when the sequence begins.
Resource Management for Upgrades
In the early stages, it might be tempting to unlock every new gadget or suit immediately. However, it’s wiser to conserve Tech Parts until Suit Tech upgrade trees become available. These trees contain powerful enhancements, and unlocking them requires a substantial investment. Waiting ensures that when resources are finally spent, they go toward the most impactful improvements across Suits, Gadgets, and Suit Tech itself.
Exploring the City Effectively
At the beginning of the game, the map will not reveal collectibles or activities by default. Players must explore and use the R3 scan to uncover new points of interest. Some locations are identifiable by distinct visuals—Sandman’s crystals appear with dust clouds, Prowler Stashes glow purple on rooftops, and Mysteriums are marked with green spotlights.
Optional Crimes, Optional Rewards
Random crimes will occur across New York as players roam. Completing them grants XP and Tech Parts, but there’s no penalty for choosing to ignore them. That said, when the other Spider-Man is already engaged in combat, assisting can lead to greater rewards and even a fun character interaction after clearing the threat.
Customizing the D-Pad
While the up and down D-Pad buttons come with default actions, the left and right directions are blank. Players can head into the Settings menu and assign these buttons to features they find useful—whether it’s activating Photo Mode, enabling Game Speed, or toggling another preference. This adjustment can improve gameplay flow and accessibility.
Mastering Wind Tunnels
Wind Tunnels offer directional assistance for gliding, but players can enter from any angle and travel in either direction. It’s possible to exit and re-enter as needed. Inside the tunnel, control can be mostly relinquished as the wind current handles movement—except in sharp turns, where players must steer to avoid being flung out.
Utilizing Super Slingshots
Orange-lit rooftops mark the locations of Super Slingshots, which serve as one of the most efficient ways to zip across the city. These are especially useful near the East River, providing a swift method to travel between Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. They are also marked with a slingshot icon on the minimap.
Optimizing Swing Speed
For those favoring traditional web-swinging, staying closer to the ground and releasing swings early in the arc results in faster traversal. This horizontal momentum minimizes slowdown caused by excessive vertical movement, enabling a fluid and speedy experience.
Advanced Swing Settings
Players seeking a more hands-on traversal challenge can enable Fall Damage under Gameplay settings and reduce Swing Steering Assistance in the Accessibility menu. These changes add realism and raise the stakes, making every swing feel more dynamic and physically grounded. The chance of taking damage from failed swings adds a compelling risk element to movement.
Skating Over Water
Unlike earlier games, Spider-Men can now glide across water surfaces if they land with sufficient speed. Though momentum eventually fades, jumping before sinking allows players to resume swinging or gliding, enabling continuous movement across aquatic areas.
Taking Combat to the Skies
Engaging enemies in the air is a highly effective tactic. Aerial combat avoids ground-based threats and allows players to benefit from upgrades in the Suit Tech tree that enhance damage while airborne. However, enemies are designed to counter this advantage, introducing aerial threats like Hunter Drones and tools such as grounding nets.
The Power of Parrying
Parrying is a critical skill that transforms combat scenarios. By pressing L1, players can parry nearly all attacks—excluding Crush attacks, marked by a blue spider-sense indicator. Parrying can be upgraded to deliver multiple benefits, such as disarming enemies, gaining Focus and health, and accelerating webbing. Mastering this move is essential for surviving tougher encounters.
Remember the Basics
Amid the variety of new Gadgets and Abilities, the fundamental R1 web shot remains a key combat tool. It’s ideal for pinning enemies to surfaces and accelerates Focus gain, which fuels healing and takedowns. Integrating web shots into combat helps maintain control and momentum.
Aerial Positioning with Air Swap
The Air Swap skill, unlockable through the shared skill tree, allows players to press Circle mid-air and slip beneath enemies. This repositioning maneuver is valuable for evading ranged attacks and extending air combos, giving players more flexibility in aerial engagements.
Combining Gadgets and Abilities
Every Gadget and Ability has strategic value, but combining them can turn battles in the player’s favor. For instance, using the Web Grabber to cluster enemies and following up with a Venom Smash or Spider Rush can neutralize multiple foes efficiently. Later Abilities further enhance this synergy.
Making the Most of Combo Resupply
The Combo Resupply skill grants a chance to earn a free gadget use after a four-hit combo. This perk activates frequently during larger fights, but it’s important to watch for the alert, as the free use is temporary and expires if unused quickly.
Web Lines Redefine Stealth
Once unlocked, Web Lines become a game-changer for stealth sequences. Up to six can be placed at once, and firing a new one will replace the oldest. These lines create new angles for Perch Takedowns and enable silent takedowns that wouldn’t be possible otherwise, dramatically expanding stealth options.