The cult classic returns, re-imagined
By Paul Hunter
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has finally arrived on PC bringing with it a slew of updates that makes swing around the city look and feel even better. In this review we'll cover aspectsw like the ultrawide support, upscaling options, frame rates and more.
[Note: This version is focused on the PC and Steam Deck performance - for a review of the PS5 version that includes Story, Gameplay and Presentation details, check out our review of Marvel's Spider-Man 2.]
I tested Spider-Man 2 on a PC rig sporting an RTX 4070, and the upgrades were immediately noticeable. Cranking the visuals to the Very High preset with ray tracing options turned on, the city’s glass and puddles show off reflections that stay sharp even when you’re swinging at full speed. You can fine-tune the reflections, along with shadows, ambient occlusion, and even interiors, then decide how hard you want to push sliders like geometry detail and object range.
DLSS upscaling support is supported, and with DLSS Quality enabled I achieved around 100–130 fps while free-roaming, with Balanced nudging the low end up by a handful of frames. Smaller indoor sections can push the frame rate even higher, and I was averaging 120-140 fps. If you prefer AMD's FSR upscaling that is also supported, as it Intel's XeSS.
There are a few rough edges with this PC port though. I noticed some visual noise surrounding characters, particularly their faces, which can be a bit distraction. I also experienced a handful of crashing and loading issues, but Sony is usually pretty quick to patches issues like these out so hopefully updates will hit fast. All considered, Spider-Man 2 look great on PC and especially if you have a high-end setup.
Turning our attention to Steam Deck, the game is playable but it's important to know the limitations. Playing on the default settings, the fps rarely got past 30, which is certainly a tangible step down from playing on PC or PS5. High-speed traversal across the city can really drag down the hardware, I was getting fps performance in the 20s and even into the teens.
Lowering the settings does improve the Steam Deck performance, although at the sacrifice of visual fidelity. I tinkered around with the upscaling and dynamic resolution to find a suitable balance, so you can get decent performance so long as you're fine with doing a fair bit of fine-tuning.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Insomniac Games, Nixxes Software
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has finally arrived on PC bringing with it a slew of updates that makes swing around the city look and feel even better. In this review we'll cover aspectsw like the ultrawide support, upscaling options, frame rates and more.
[Note: This version is focused on the PC and Steam Deck performance - for a review of the PS5 version that includes Story, Gameplay and Presentation details, check out our review of Marvel's Spider-Man 2.]
I tested Spider-Man 2 on a PC rig sporting an RTX 4070, and the upgrades were immediately noticeable. Cranking the visuals to the Very High preset with ray tracing options turned on, the city’s glass and puddles show off reflections that stay sharp even when you’re swinging at full speed. You can fine-tune the reflections, along with shadows, ambient occlusion, and even interiors, then decide how hard you want to push sliders like geometry detail and object range.
DLSS upscaling support is supported, and with DLSS Quality enabled I achieved around 100–130 fps while free-roaming, with Balanced nudging the low end up by a handful of frames. Smaller indoor sections can push the frame rate even higher, and I was averaging 120-140 fps. If you prefer AMD's FSR upscaling that is also supported, as it Intel's XeSS.
There are a few rough edges with this PC port though. I noticed some visual noise surrounding characters, particularly their faces, which can be a bit distraction. I also experienced a handful of crashing and loading issues, but Sony is usually pretty quick to patches issues like these out so hopefully updates will hit fast. All considered, Spider-Man 2 look great on PC and especially if you have a high-end setup.
Turning our attention to Steam Deck, the game is playable but it's important to know the limitations. Playing on the default settings, the fps rarely got past 30, which is certainly a tangible step down from playing on PC or PS5. High-speed traversal across the city can really drag down the hardware, I was getting fps performance in the 20s and even into the teens.
Lowering the settings does improve the Steam Deck performance, although at the sacrifice of visual fidelity. I tinkered around with the upscaling and dynamic resolution to find a suitable balance, so you can get decent performance so long as you're fine with doing a fair bit of fine-tuning.
The Verdict
On desktop hardware, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 delivers exactly what you want from a Sony blockbuster port: a city that looks even better at high speed, excellent ray tracing options, and high frame rates that makes swinging feel extra responsive. For Steam Deck users, it's best to temper your excitement since currently you're looking at modest frame rates even with fidelity options tuned down. If you’re playing on a high spec PC, this is the ultimate Spidey experience and an easy recommendation.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 details
Platform: PCDeveloper: Insomniac Games, Nixxes Software
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.