The eagerly anticipated sequel, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, is a critical and commercial triumph, the latest success in a long line of open-world third-person action games, and you may be looking for the best games just like it.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 marks a new high point in this gameplay style that goes far beyond the PlayStation 5 library and superhero genre. With that in mind, there are plenty of games for players looking to keep the good times rolling after completing Marvel’s Spider-Man without necessarily having to play Marvel’s Spider-Man or Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Here are the best games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 to check out for a similar gameplay experience, both in and outside of the superhero genre.
Batman: Arkham Knight
For those that played any of the Batman: Arkham games prior to Marvel’s Spider-Man, it’s hard not to see the direct similarities between the two games. Open-world exploration, a combat system revolving around a counter and dodge mechanic, upgradeable skills and gadgets – the list of comparable features between the two franchises is extensive. The series features Batman and his allies defending Gotham City from a cadre of colorful supervillains, with Kevin Conroy reprising his iconic role as the Dark Knight after previously playing him in the DC Animated Universe.
The most recent and expansive installment in the franchise is 2015’s Batman: Arkham Knight, with the streets of Gotham turning into an all-out battlefield between Scarecrow’s army of crooks and the Bat-Family. Like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Gotham is divided into major neighborhoods, with players either gliding or piloting the Batmobile to travel across the sprawling open-world map. Currently available as a standalone title, Arkham Knight will be bundled with its two preceding installments as part of Batman: Arkham Trilogy for the Nintendo Switch in December 2023.
Gotham Knights
This is the last comic book superhero game on this list, we promise, but the comparison between it and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is particularly clear. 2022’s Gotham Knights builds upon the foundation laid by the Batman: Arkham games before going its own distinct way with its gameplay and handling of the Batman mythos. Set in a separate continuity from Batman: Arkham, Gotham Knights explosively opens with Batman dying against Ra’s al Ghul before his four proteges defend Gotham in honor of their late mentor.
Like the Arkham titles, Gotham Knights lets players explore the DC Comics city, navigating neighborhoods with gadget-based movement and vehicles. Just as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 allows players to swap between Peter Parker and Miles Morales, complete with their own abilities, skill trees, and costumes, Gotham Knights gives players the options to switch between its four protagonists with similar features. As an added bonus, Gotham Knights prominently features online play to allow people to bring the Bat-Family on the field and work together to dive into everything from story missions to stopping random crime around Gotham.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
The Assassin’s Creed franchise has been doing citywide third-person open-world action years before Batman – though Spider-Man did beat Assassin’s Creed to the punch with its movie tie-in games. Assassin’s Creed depicts a shadow war between the Order of Assassins and the Knights Templar at different key points of history, battling to steer the course of humanity through the ages. The most recent title in the series is 2023’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage, set in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age in the 9th century of the Common Era.
Just as the Spider-Men primarily flit across the rooftops of New York City, Mirage has fledgling assassin Basim Ibn Ishaq inducted into the Order of the Assassins after many of his friends perish in the escalating conflict. With the franchise’s signature parkour exploration and navigation on full display, Basim gracefully through Baghdad’s four major districts as he accepts his murderous destiny. Mirage hews much closer to the early installments of the Assassin’s Creed series and, with it, closer to the gameplay sensibilities of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
inFamous: Second Son
The inFamous series plays out like a grounded, postmodern take on the superhero genre, with individuals receiving superpowers, avoiding the flashy costumes and idealistic grandstanding. 2014’s inFamous: Second Son for the PlayStation 4 served as something of a fresh jumping-on point for new players, set eight years after the previous game and starring a new protagonist in Delsin Rowe. With the government actively hunting anyone with superpowers, Delsin takes on both soldiers with shoot-to-kill orders and other enhanced individuals roaming the streets of Seattle.
Despite having a vastly different power set than Spider-Man, Delsin navigates the open-world map similarly to his webslinging counterparts. Like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Seattle is divided into districts, each with their own objectives and side missions for Delsin to complete as he defies the government plunging the city into a police state with a morality system judging his actions. For a darker and more mature handling of superhero subject matter, inFamous: Second Son delivers all the thrills that fans of the franchise have come to expect.
Sunset Overdrive
Microsoft has its own exclusive library of titles, including citywide open-world games that reward exploration and the completion of a bevy of side missions. One of the most notable is 2014’s Sunset Overdrive, first released for the Xbox One, feeling like a gameplay mix between Prince of Persia and Jet Set Radio. Sunset Overdrive takes place in a colorful world where people have been transformed into monstrous mutants after consuming a popular energy drink provided by an unscrupulous corporation.
Traversing the primary setting of Sunset City through parkour and ziplining, players immerse themselves in this punk rock post-apocalyptic open-world combating mutants, corporate enforcers, and rival gangs. Along the way, players can upgrade their weapons and abilities to become more formidable and team up with friends online in seamless drop-in co-op to get in on the fun. A game that rewards style as much as exploration and combat, Sunset Overdrive is slick twist on the usual open-world tropes for third-person action games.
