Marvel's Spider-Man 2 PS5 Review: Two Spider-Men, One Epic New York (2026)

Be Greater. Together. Marvel's Spider-Man 2: developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment: launched October 20, 2023 on PS5 (PC followed January 30, 2025) and remains the definitive superhero game on PlayStation. You play as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales: swapping between them anytime across an expanded Marvel's New York: as Kraven the Hunter turns the city into a hunting ground, the Lizard resurfaces, and an original take on Venom threatens everything they love.

On PS5 it launched at $69.99 Standard / $79.99 Digital Deluxe (in 2026 the physical PS5 disc is often found at $30–50 on sale), needs about 98 GB: and delivers ~15–20 hours main story, 30h+ for completionists. Reception: ~90 Metacritic-class acclaim, 4.72/5 from 262K PS Store ratings, 18M+ copies sold: the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever (2.5M in 24 hours).

Key Takeaways

• Is it worth it in 2026? Yes. The best superhero open world on PS5, now regularly discounted on disc. See why 262K players rated it 4.72/5, check today's price below.
• Age / kids: ESRB Teen (blood, drug reference, mild language, violence) / PEGI 16. Not for young children, a great gift for teens 13–16+ playing with parents' guidance. No sex or nudity; some crime missions reference drugs; rare words like "pr*ck" and "a*s".
• Do I need to play Spider-Man 1 or Miles Morales first? No, but it's better if you do. The game recaps the essentials; veterans get far more emotional payoff from Peter, Miles, MJ and Harry.
• How long to beat? ~15–20h main story, ~30h+ with sides and collectibles. A full weekend adventure plus weeks of New York cleanup if you want it all.
• PS5 specifics: single-player only (1 player, no co-op or multiplayer), DualSense haptics + adaptive triggers, PS5 Pro Enhanced, Game Help, 3D Audio. ~98 GB install.
• Buy it if you love superheroes, own a PS5, or want a guaranteed-hit gift for a teen. Wait if you only play multiplayer, or want a PC version (available separately since Jan 2025).

Full Specification Table

Feature	Spider-Man 2 PS5 (official)	What it means for you
Title / genre	Marvel's Spider-Man 2 · Open-world action-adventure superhero	Insomniac's flagship; single-player only, 1 player
Release date	October 20, 2023 (PS5); PC January 30, 2025	Three years of patches, the PS5 version is polished and complete in 2026
Platforms	PS5 (reviewed) · PS5 Pro Enhanced · PC	Buy the PS5 disc for collecting, resale and no-download convenience
Protagonists / story	Play BOTH Peter Parker (symbiote abilities) and Miles Morales (bio-electric venom powers); swap anytime	Two skill trees, two storylines, one connected New York: best of both heroes
World / map	Expanded Marvel's New York: Manhattan + Queens + Brooklyn; web-swinging + Web Wings gliding	Nearly double the first game's map; traversal is pure joy
Camera / gameplay	Third-person; acrobatic combat, gadgets, stealth, boss fights, side missions	Easy to learn, hard to master, spectacular even for casual players
Length	~15–20h main story · ~30h+ completionist	One great weekend; two if you chase every suit and trophy
PS5 features	DualSense haptics + adaptive triggers, PS5 Pro Enhanced, Game Help, 3D Audio, fast loading	Feel every web-zip and symbiote slam; near-instant fast travel
Rating / languages	ESRB T (Teen) · PEGI 16 / USK 16 · Subtitles incl. PT-BR, EN, ES, FR, DE, RU	Teens 13–16+ with parents; not for small children
Editions	Standard $69.99 · Digital Deluxe $79.99 (extra suits, photo-mode items, skill points)	Standard is enough; Deluxe only for suit collectors
Scores / sales	~90 acclaim · PS Store 4.72/5 (262K) · 18M+ sold · 2.5M in 24h record	Rare consensus: critics and players agree, a modern classic

Main Characteristics

Two heroes, one story: Peter brings raw symbiote power. Brutal tendril slams and surge abilities that feel dangerous and addictive, while Miles counters with bio-electric venom blasts, chain lightning and invisibility. Missions hand you the right hero at the right moment, but free roam lets you swap freely, and each has his own upgrades, suits and side arcs (Peter with Harry and MJ; Miles with school, family and his community).

Expanded New York + best-in-class traversal: Queens and Brooklyn join Manhattan, packed with crimes, photo ops, Mysteriums and Spider-Bots. Web-swinging is faster and more physical than ever, and the new Web Wings let you ride wind tunnels across the East River, crossing the whole map without fast travel is genuinely fun, which almost no open world can claim.

Villains and story with weight: Kraven opens the game by turning New York into a hunting ground for superhumans, the Lizard delivers a horror-tinged blockbuster chase, and Insomniac's original Venom is the emotional core, a threat born from friendship, not a cameo. Side content (Kraven's bases, symbiote nests, MJ missions) feeds the theme: what power costs.

DualSense and PS5 Pro presentation: adaptive triggers tighten with every web-shot, haptics thump with symbiote hits, and 3D Audio places the city around you. On PS5 Pro, fidelity and performance modes both shine with steadier frame rates and richer ray tracing. Near-instant loading means failing a swing combo costs you seconds, not minutes.

Spider-Man 2 vs Miles Morales vs Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart. Which PS5 Exclusive First?

Game (PS5)	Style	Length	Heroes	Best for
Spider-Man 2 (2023)	Open-world superhero epic	~15–20h	Peter + Miles	Best all-rounder; buy first in 2026
Miles Morales (2020)	Smaller open-world origin story	~8–10h	Miles only	Shorter, cheaper intro, play before SM2 if possible
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021)	Family-friendly dimension-hopping shooter	~11–14h	Ratchet + Rivet	Younger players (E10+) or co-op-free family fun

Pros and Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Marvel's Spider-Man 2 worth it on PS5 in 2026?

Yes. It is the definitive PS5 superhero game: dual heroes, expanded New York, a Venom story worth the hype, ~90-level acclaim and 4.72/5 from 262K players. With 18M+ sold and physical discs often $30–50 on sale in 2026, it is the best value PS5 exclusive for action fans.

Is Spider-Man 2 OK for kids and teens?

For teens 13–16+ with parents, yes, it is one of the best teen gifts on PS5. For young children, no: ESRB Teen / PEGI 16 for blood, violence, drug-reference crime missions and mild language ("pr*ck", "a*s"), plus dark symbiote themes. No sex or nudity.

Do I need to play Spider-Man 1 or Miles Morales first?

No, the game recaps the essentials and works standalone. But you will enjoy it far more knowing Peter, Miles, MJ, Harry and Norman from the first two games. Ideal order: Spider-Man Remastered → Miles Morales → Spider-Man 2.

How long does it take to beat? Is there co-op or multiplayer?

~15–20 hours for the main story, ~30h+ for everything. There is no co-op or multiplayer, strictly single-player for 1 player, even though you control two heroes. No online required beyond patches.

Standard vs Digital Deluxe, which edition should I get?

Standard ($69.99). Digital Deluxe ($79.99) adds only extra suits, photo-mode frames and a couple of early skill-point unlocks, no story content. Suit collectors grab Deluxe on sale; everyone else saves the $10.

Physical or digital? What about PS5 Pro and PC?

Physical PS5 disc in 2026: often $30–50 on sale, resellable, collectible and ~98 GB installed either way. The smart buy. Digital suits convenience at full price. On PS5 Pro you get steadier performance with richer visuals. PC (Jan 2025) needs a strong rig; for the couch + DualSense experience, PS5 remains the pick.