Open-world games are in abundance these days, but getting from point A to point B can often feel like a chore.
There are a variety of reasons for that including bland worlds with nothing remarkable and slow movements. An open-world game can do all else right, but poor traversal can really bog down the pace.
As I’ve played Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, however, I’ve found traversing New York City is an absolute joy.
Ever since I was old enough to hold onto the edge of the pool at the deep end, I’ve dreamed about being Spider-Man. This is funny because I am terrified of heights. Nonetheless, the idea of swinging through the air and sticking to walls was always appealing.
The Spider-Man series has scratched that itch for me and then some. I love traveling from point A to point B so much that I rarely fast travel. Sure, I do sometimes because the map is large so getting from Lower Manhattan to Astoria can still take a bit.
While Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales were both a lot of fun to traverse, Spider-Man 2 takes the top spot thanks to the addition of web wings.
The game requires you to cross the East River and head into Queens and Brooklyn. Trying to web swing is possible, and you can ski a bit on the water, but gliding is the preferred method and much more fun.
The manner of traversal isn’t the only part that makes it enjoyable. I, for better or worse, enjoy collectables and Spider-Man 2 has plenty along each route. From spiderbots to Mysteriums, there is always something to grab as you traverse the city.
Playing in Spider-Man 2‘s open world is refreshing especially given my recent experiences.
I loved The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but I do have to admit Hyrule was a chore to get across without warping to shrines. Even the added mechanics building via fuse didn’t save it though it did help improve traversal over Breath of the Wild.
Another example that was rough was Horizon: Zero Dawn.
Again, another game I absolutely loved but I hated getting across the map. It felt slow at times and while the world was gorgeous, I found the slow pace really hampered the experience.
I’m not saying Spider-Man 2 is a perfect game as it still had its drawbacks. I’m not even saying the game is the greatest example of traversing an open-world though I did thoroughly enjoy it.
What I am saying is Spider-Man 2 made getting from point A to point B a lot of fun. Part of that is it tapped into my nostalgia and another part is the parkour nature of it all. It never felt the same and that was refreshing.
What about you? What did you think of Spider-Man 2‘s traversal system? Is there an open-world game that made traversing its world fun for you? What did it do? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.
Featured Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment (via Games Radar+)
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The game with the massive open world whose traversal has always stood-out to me is Spider-Man 2…from 2004. The silky smooth movement, high skill ceiling, and number of choices made the game.
For somewhat smaller open-worlds, Lost Judgment. The private investigator protagonist gets a skateboard, and even if you don’t have all of the options on the street that you have in the skateparks, it’s a bit like navigating by way of Tony Hawk. It’s an incredibly fun, fast, and creative option. I never felt the need to take the fast travel taxis.