Spider-Man 2’s Greatest Triumph is its Empathy for All
Spoilers for most of the side activities and arcs in Spider-Man 2.
At the core of Insomniac’s Spider-Man games resides a powerful sense of hope. Hope for a better future, in a broad sense; but even more so, hope for people as human beings capable of good. An earnest optimism for the future of humanity built on love, compassion and empathy for all - an unrelenting hope that the future can be brighter, if only we extend the hand of kindness to others.
A Rogues Gallery
Though the outward draw of Spider-Man 2 is undoubtedly the flashy set pieces and formidable foes of Kraven and Venom, a whole host of the infamous rogues gallery weave their way through Peter and Miles’ next chapter. Though instead of just being traditional mini-bosses on the way to the Big Fight, discarded once their role is fulfilled, most are given the opportunity to grow beyond their grievances and their super villain personas.
The humanity of these characters is reinforced by the spider-crew at every turn. It’s not Tombstone that became a mechanic, it’s Lonnie. Dr Connors is a brilliant and dedicated scientist first; The Lizard is a moniker reserved only for when the creature is rampaging through the city. Quentin Beck only begrudgingly leans on the Mysterio branding because he’s pushed to by his business partner; all he really wants is to bedazzle folks with wonder and awe.
Several others are afforded the same treatment, but the one that hits closest to home is Uncle Aaron. His life as the Prowler closes out during Miles’ 2020 solo venture, with “stashes” around the city becoming one of Spider-Man 2’s handful of collectibles. Retrieving them all leads to Miles panicking that Unc is returning to his old ways, stealing from his own family - only to find that no, he’d just moved into the apartment upstairs with the help of Miles’ mom.
Despite the culminations of the major antagonist’s arcs being the crescendo to Spider-Man 2’s story - with all the bombast and budget that goes along with that in tow - it’s Miles’ inner turmoil surrounding his “arch-nemesis” Mister Negative that is the most stirring. Miles is conflicted all throughout the game when it comes to Martin Lee, thanks to the escaped convict’s role in the murder of Miles' father. Rather than bottle these emotions as is typical of your traditional superhero, Miles discusses his struggles with his loved ones, helping him come to a place of understanding when the time comes to test his resolve. And it’s Miles - not the superhero Spider-Man, but the compassionate young adult Miles - that helps put Lee on the correct path.
There is no such thing as being a villain for life - exemplified through the inept J. Jonah Jameson’s very explicit “once a criminal, always a criminal” stance around reform, rehabilitation and reintegration of the incarcerated - in Spider-Man’s eyes. Everyone is a human being, worthy of a second a chance.
Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man
As is the case with all of Insomniacs Spider-Man games, the closer you get to the community, the more heart you will find. The best sections of the entire game - the FNSM app requests and Miles' lower stakes main missions - embody this philosophy to the fullest.
While Peter is generally more focused on the bigger picture threats, Miles continues the mantle of being the local hero making the most difference to those in need. Using Spider-Man’s mechanics, traditionally reserved for traversal and combat, in subtler ways - helping a student ask his boyfriend to prom at Brooklyn Visions Academy, or uncovering the truth regarding the theft of exhibition pieces from the cultural museum in Harlem, for example - produce tangible and immediate good for the lives of those in this community.
Out of the FNSM requests, Miles specific “Graffiti Trouble” is easily one of the most memorable. Miles’ crush Hayley recounts her resolution of the issue before you even arrive, through a wonderful gameplay sequence exemplifying the actions of a fiercely good young woman. Not only does she help a local florist, but befriends a lonely soul frustrated with their own work. Later, Hayley talks on the Danikast about creating a coalition of artists to look out for one another; where a sole artist can feel alone in the world, a collective that works together compounds on the good it does for others.
“Find Grandpa” and “Monster In Queens” are both genuinely heartwarming little stories, where Spider-Man uses his abilities and resources to simply help a random soul. Any thug-beating in these sequences is secondary to the main thread of doing a kindness for a stranger - making the world a better place, one small act at a time.
“Howard” feels like a culmination of these small acts made across multiple games. A returning character from the original 2018 freshman release, a discussion with an old friend who has one last request for Spider-Man is the most emotionally devastating sequence in the entire franchise. Howard sums up your actions with a final phrase - “That sounds nice… Thanks. Not many folks have been kind to me in my life…"
Through the little things, Spider-Man 2 argues that the best thing you can do for the world is, simply, just to be kind. Not only do people appreciate it more than you will ever know, but the effects of that kindness will ripple out farther than you can imagine.
Believing in the Good in People
Spider-Man’s core heroism isn’t the flashy goon beatings or the fancy web swinging. It’s his purity of heart - that unyielding optimism that at everyone’s core, there is good inside. It may be buried for a time, but if we can extend a hand of kindness to those in need, it will shine through, given the chance.
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