Summary
While The Game Awards 2023 was definitely a night to remember for video game industry fans, it wasn’t the best when it came to actually celebrating those who were nominated, and those who won. Though announcements were plentiful and the show’s pace was brisk,The Game Awards 2023is being pretty heavily criticized right now for the minimal amount of screen time the awards themselves received, with just a handful of trophies being presented on stage and winners only being given 30 seconds for their acceptance speech before being loudly played off. Regardless of the criticism, The Game Awards 2023 still handed out plenty of commendations, though unfortunately,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2didn’t receive a single one.
Nominated for a total of seven Game Awards,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2ended up walking away with nothinglast night, and unfortunately, that’s exactly what fans expected. ThoughMarvel’s Spider-Man 2was an excellent sequel that ticked all the right boxes and gave fans exactly what they wanted, it just didn’t stand a chance against the other players on the field, and history ended up repeating itself.
2018’s Spider-Man Was Up Against Impossible Odds
WhenMarvel’s Spider-Manfirst released back in 2018, it received a pretty great reception, from both fans and critics. A gorgeously realized New York City, some excellent web-swinging mechanics, a great spin on theBatman: ArkhamFreeflow combatsystem, and some of the best performances ever seen in aSpider-Manproject. But all of that just wasn’t enough forMarvel’s Spider-Manto even win a single trophy at the 2018 Game Awards.
2018 was one of the best years in recent gaming history, with it being home to a slew of titles that are now considered all-time greats. WhileMarvel’s Spider-Mandefinitely makes that list, it doesn’t quite reach the higher echelons of it, with several games just simply being better than it. The Game Awards 2018’s Game of the Year category sawCeleste,Assassin’s Creed Odyssey,Monster Hunter: World,Red Dead Redemption 2, andGod of Warduke it out for the top spot, right alongsideSpider-Man. Against this monumental line-up, there was just no way thatMarvel’s Spider-Mancould win.
2023 Was More of the Same for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Unfortunately,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2found itself in exactly the same position in this year’s Game Awards. By all accounts,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is an excellent sequel that really improves upon its predecessors' formula, and fixes a lot of the issues fans had with the previous games in the series. Faster and more varied traversal options, new combat abilities, a gripping story, and some excellent use of next-gen tech makeMarvel’s Spider-Man 2one of the best games of 2023, but it still wasn’t enough to beat out this year’s Game Awards nominees.
This year, The Game Awards' Game of the Year category contained juggernauts likeThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,Alan Wake 2, and of course,Baldur’s Gate 3. When compared to games that have actively revolutionized the genres they belong to,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2just didn’t stand a chance.Baldur’s Gate 3swept The Game Awardsthis year, andAlan Wake 2managed to take home whatever was left, unfortunately leavingMarvel’s Spider-Man 2with nothing. But in a year whereThe Legend of Zeldaonly wins one Game Award,Spider-Man 2was never in for a fair fight, just like in 2018.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.Explore an expansive Marvel’s New York with faster web-swinging and the all-new Web Wings, quickly switching between Peter and Miles to experience different stories, epic new abilities and high-tech gear.Wield Peter’s symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric powers in battle against new and iconic Marvel Super Villains – including an original take on a symbiote-infused Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and more from the Marvel Rogues’ Gallery.
