You think you know the roster. Most people do. They see the red and blue, the black suit, and the giant teeth of Venom and figure they’ve got the Spider-Man 2 characters list all figured out. But Insomniac didn't just play the hits this time. They went for something much messier.
It’s not just about who’s under the mask. Honestly, it's about what the masks are doing to the people underneath. You've got Peter Parker essentially going through a mid-life crisis at 25, Miles trying to write a college essay while fighting a guy who can turn into a skyscraper of sand, and Harry Osborn just... trying to stay alive.
The Dual Protagonist Problem
The biggest shift is obviously the split between Peter and Miles.
Peter is tired. You can feel it in Yuri Lowenthal’s voice. He’s struggling with mortgage payments and the ghost of Aunt May. Then the symbiote shows up. It doesn't just give him cool tendrils; it turns him into a jerk. A total, Grade-A egoist. Watching him push MJ away is honestly harder than any boss fight in the game.
Miles Morales is the anchor. He’s the one actually holding the city together while Peter is off being "the best Spider-Man" in his own head. The dynamic between them isn't just mentor and student anymore. It’s a partnership that almost breaks.
And then there's the suits.
Why Harry Osborn Matters More Than You Think
Most versions of Harry are just "the best friend who eventually goes crazy." Here, he's the emotional core. He’s the reason the plot even moves. When Harry comes back from his "treatment," he’s glowing with health and optimism. He wants to "heal the world."
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The tragedy is that his cure is the villain.
Venom isn't just some alien monster that crashed in Central Park. In this universe, Venom is Harry’s lifeline. It’s his medicine. When Peter takes the suit, he’s literally taking his best friend’s life support. That’s dark. It adds a layer of personal betrayal that most superhero games just don't have the guts to touch.
The Rogues' Gallery: More Than Just Punching Bags
The villains in this game aren't just there to fill out the 20-hour runtime. Kraven the Hunter is a terrifying force of nature. He’s not looking for money or power. He’s looking for a glorious death.
He spends the first half of the game basically cleaning house.
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- Vulture? Dead.
- Scorpion? Executed.
- Shocker? Gone.
Kraven treats the classic Spider-Man 2 characters like a grocery list. It’s brutal. It raises the stakes because you realize no one is safe. If he can take out the guys Peter has struggled with for years in a cutscene, what’s he going to do to a Peter who’s losing his mind?
The Redemption of Martin Li
If you played the first game, you probably hated Martin Li (Mister Negative). He killed Miles' dad. He terrorized the city. But his arc in the sequel is one of the most surprising bits of writing in recent gaming.
He’s not the main villain here. He’s a broken man looking for a way to atone. The scene where Miles has to decide whether to kill him or help him is a masterclass in tension. It shows how much Miles has grown compared to the first game. He’s not just a kid with sparks anymore.
MJ is Actually Useful Now
Let’s be real: the MJ missions in the first game were... polarizing. Some people hated them.
In Spider-Man 2, she’s basically a super-spy. She’s been training with Silver Sable. She has a stun gun that can take out Kraven’s elite hunters. She even gets her own "villain" moment when the symbiote bonds with her to become Scream.
Seeing the resentment MJ has been bottling up come out through the Scream symbiote is fascinating. It’s not just "alien madness." It’s real relationship issues magnified by a space parasite.
The Chameleon and the Future
There are some deep cuts here that casual fans might miss.
If you do the side missions, you find out Kraven has a half-brother. Dmitri Smerdyakov. Better known as the Chameleon. He’s lurking in the shadows, watching, waiting. It’s a classic tease for the next chapter.
Then there's Cletus Kasady. He’s leading a cult called "The Flame." If you finish that questline, you see him get away with a red symbiote. We all know what that means. Carnage is coming.
Actionable Insights for Players
If you’re diving back into the game or starting a New Game Plus run, pay attention to the dialogue changes when Peter is wearing the Black Suit. The way he talks to Ganke or Danika Hart becomes increasingly dismissive.
- Switch often: Don't just stick to one Spider-Man. The random world encounters where the "other" Spidey shows up to help you are some of the best moments in the game.
- Check the photo ops: They give a lot of backstory on how the city has changed since the first game and the Miles Morales spin-off.
- Don't skip the Emily-May Foundation tasks: They seem like fluff, but they provide the closure Peter needs for his arc.
The game ends with Peter stepping back. He’s "retiring" for a bit to get his life together. It leaves Miles as the primary Spider-Man. It’s a bold move, but after seeing the toll the symbiote took on Peter’s soul, it feels earned.
Go back and look at the character bios in the menu. They update as the story progresses. They reflect the shifting alliances and the mental state of the heroes. It’s a small detail, but it’s what makes this version of New York feel alive.
Focus on upgrading the "Shared" skill tree first. It makes switching between the two feels seamless because their gadgets stay equally powerful. This is the best way to keep the flow of the game consistent regardless of who you’re playing as.