Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 review – a big, wholehearted fantasy full of conflict and emotion

Sony; PS5
Players can swap between Peter Parker and Miles Morales in a lovingly envisaged whirlwind of superhero violence set in an astoundingly detailed and beautiful New York City

Creating a sequel to a bestselling game is a lofty creative tightrope that would give even Spider-Man vertigo. Stick too close to the original formula and you're considered complacent and unambitious; stray too far, and you risk losing what made the game successful in the first place. With Spider-Man 2, Insomniac has walked that narrow path with the grace of an olympic gymnast.

Once again we're back in an astoundingly detailed and beautiful reproduction of New York City, bigger now, and more alive than ever. Featuring both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, the game lets players swap between the two as Kraven the Hunter invades the city with a plan to free a bunch of supervillains then hunt them for sport. Meanwhile, the alien symbiote behind Marvel's Venom character lurks in the most unexpected of places waiting to pounce.