Spider-Man 2 gives players all sorts of options on how to handle combat. Each Spider-Man has their own unique skills, a combined list of upgradeable gadgets, and some shared combat abilities that affect basic attacks and dodging.
Throughout the main story and while completing the side content of the game, combat will be at the center of most of what players do. While there are a few differences between the two Spider-Men, there are a few tips that can apply to both for players looking to master combat.
10 Use Your Gadgets
Quickly into the game, players will be introduced to a few of the new gadgets that are in the game. The basic web-shooters, of course, return and are always equipped to R1. Along with the web-shooters are four additional gadgets that can be equipped and used during combat.
Gadgets are great for crowd control, as players are often outnumbered in a fight, and just about every gadget affects multiple enemies at once. Use gadgets often to either distract enemies and knock them off their feet for a few seconds or bunch them up for a powerful AOE skill followup.
9 Chain Long Combos
Spider-Man 2 will keep track of how long a combo of attacks goes for, only being broken by getting hit by an enemy attack or not attacking an enemy for a few seconds. There are multiple skill and Suit Tech upgrades that begin to reward players greatly for chaining together combos.
Getting longer combos can start to regenerate abilities back faster, along with healing players with every few attacks. Aiming to keep a combo going will also help players play defensively and worry about every dodge so as to not get hit and keep the combo going.
8 Knock Enemies Into The Air
Both Spider-Men have a skill and gadget that knocks enemies up into the air. Enemies up in the air are defenseless and open to devastating combos that can juggle them with long combos before they fall back to the ground.
While enemies up in the air are easy targets, they are also not a threat for a few moments. Knocking a group of enemies up into the air is a great way to isolate a specific enemy on the ground to take them out, or vice versa.
7 Ultimate Abilities
Both Spider-Men have very powerful ultimate abilities, but the charge-up on these can take quite a while. Ultimate abilities can trivialize even difficult encounters and should be saved for situations where their effects are most useful.
Before beginning main missions or attacks on Hunter Bases, it’s best to free-roam for a bit and build up the ultimate ability so that it’s ready for a potential boss fight. While these abilities are incredibly fun to use, be sure to use them sparingly at the beginning of story missions, as they may be needed a bit later.
6 Web Up Your Enemies
The first and possibly the most used gadget players will get are the web-shooters. These gadgets are always equipped and regenerate uses very quickly. Being one of Spider-Man’s iconic gadgets, these have multiple uses in combat and can be very effective against even some of the strongest bosses in the game.
When used against just about any enemy, a couple of web shots can temporarily web up an enemy’s arms, leaving them open to attacks. Should a weaker enemy be webbed up when they are lying on the ground or when close to a wall, they will be webbed up completely and knocked out for the rest of combat.
5 Use Your Abilities Wisely
Both Spider-Men have various abilities that carry over from their first games. As the story progresses, each character will further unlock new and more powerful abilities that can be further upgraded and, mixed and matched to make the perfect ability set.
Abilities are very powerful and will need to recharge between uses, making it important to maximize their effectiveness when used. Be sure to properly line up or bunch up enemies to get the most out of an ability, such as comboing a web grabber gadget with any AOE ability.
4 Back Off And Reposition
Just about every fight in the game will have Spider-Man outnumbered and surrounded by enemies. In a fight, some enemies will pose more of a threat than others, and it’s important to take out the bigger threats first.
Sometimes, it’s worthwhile to use web-slinging or the web wing to move around combat quickly and get to the position of ranged enemies to take them out first. The web strike attack is also great at moving to and attacking a specific enemy.
3 Dodge And Parry
New to Spider-Man 2 is the ability to parry attacks instead of just dodging. While dodging is still very worthwhile, it’s important to learn how to parry, as it can become even more useful once mastered.
Some attacks in the game can’t be dodged and will need to be parried instead. Parrying an enemy can have Spider-Man follow up with some devastating hits and can quickly turn the tide of a fight.
2 Throw Objects
Throwing objects is an incredible option in combat, as it not only hurts a group of enemies but can even slightly protect Spider-Man during the windup. Whenever an object is webbed up to be thrown, it will stun and damage any enemy hit, no matter where it’s at in the throwing process.
This means objects can be pulled to hit enemies in the back and can damage a group of enemies around Spider-Man as he spins it around. Throwing objects while in the air also has a much quicker windup and is an excellent option for damaging tougher enemies.
1 Save Your Focus
Focus is built up by attacks, parrying, and dodging. Focus is then used to either heal Spider-Man or perform a finisher on an enemy. Through a few Suit Tech upgrades, players can up the amount of focus bars to three.
Due to the different uses of Focus, it’s important to use a bar wisely, as focusing only on finishers can leave players without any healing options. In more difficult fights and boss battles, it’s best to save Focus bars as backup healing in the chance Spider-Man is hit by a devastating attack.