I just recently finished completing Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2, one of my most anticipated video games of 2023. It was, predictably, fantastic (or should I say, spectacular or amazing?). Instead of an article basically reiterating the point over and over that it was a superb game that exceeded the original in everything but story, I decided to switch things up a bit. In lieu of a review or a QS, I instead will opt to do this Top 10 list of my favorite boss fights across what is currently a trilogy (with hopefully more to come).
Without further ado, let’s jump in!
10) Silver Sable (Spider-Man)
This is an extremely short and not particularly challenging boss fight, but it manages to sneak onto this list almost by sheer novelty factor alone. Despite her prominence in the base game’s story, Sable goes un-fought in the standard campaign. So, when she re-enters the spotlight in the 3rd and final DLC adventure, it was no surprise that the developers found a way to toss in a boss fight against her. As I mentioned, it isn’t very long or hard, but it’s still fun to tango with this acrobatic duel-wielding mercenary, and her no-nonsense attitude pairs well with Spider-Man’s in-battle quips and demeanor.
9) Shocker (Spider-Man)
The original Spider-Man isn’t known for its stellar boss fights, but I had a lot of fun with this one regardless! It takes place in a large, circular, enclosed arena, with most of the battle involving Shocker quaking the ground apart and launching air-wave attacks. Though simple, I found there was a lot of enjoyment to be had in swinging around the place dodging his moves, and Spider-Man keeps up some fantastic banter throughout the fight. And, I mean, this is a fight against The Cushion! The most fearsome and memorable of Spidey foes!
8) Prowler (Miles Morales)
The Prowler is a super interesting character, so as soon as Aaron Davis put in an appearance in this Miles-centric game, I knew this showdown was inevitable. Taking place right before the end game, Prowler tries to stop Miles from pursuing the looming threat over the city, confident that his nephew will only get himself hurt trying to be the hero. It’s an interesting conflict because Prowler isn’t evil at all, just an inherently selfish guy who can’t understand the ‘great power/great responsibility‘ rhetoric that guides Miles’ actions. And this is a comic book video game, after all, so there’s no altercation that can’t be solved with some good old-fashioned fisticuffs!
7) Mysterio (Spider-Man 2)
For completing the optional Mysterium challenge arenas, you are able to see this storyline through to the end with a battle against the magic man himself! Well…sort of. There’s a plot twist involved that shakes things up after the battle. Speaking of ‘shaking things up‘, though, is the way in which this fight plays into Mysterio’s illusion-based gimmicks. You fight inside a NYC-theme snow globe, and then the world gets flipped upside-down, and then Mysterio splits into a bunch of copies, and then the Coney Island Ferris Wheel starts blasting lasers at you! It’s nuts, and well worth the task of undergoing this optional side quest through to the end!
6) Venom (Spider-Man 2)
This might not be the best final boss in this trilogy of games, but it’s a dang good climactic showdown regardless! Spread across four entire phases, both Peter and Miles are tasked with battling the out-of-control Symbiote in order to stop his plans of turning the entire world into an army of mindless goop beasts! The soundtrack is suitably epic in each phase, and there’s some great character dialogue exchanges with everyone present. It’s tough, too, with Venom having some of the fastest attacks in the entire game. You really have to be at the top of your game in order to go toe-to-toe with this fearsome menace, which is fitting given how much of a threat the main story builds him up to be!
5) The Lizard (Spider-Man 2)
I vaguely knew that Lizard was in this game before playing it, but I certainly didn’t expect him to star in two set piece showdowns, as well as a three-phase boss fight. Whether it’s the East River crazy chase, or the pursuit through the sewers and city streets, both Lizard spectacles are some of the most memorable moments in the game. I’m especially a fan of the surprising challenge of his traditional boss fight, as I had a really hard time nailing the timing on parrying and dodging his tail swipes. I also really like when he starts dragging you straight up the tallest skyscraper, all while also having a SUV pulled by a rope alongside you. It’s peak comic book silliness, and I’m all for that in a game that can get pretty dark at times.
4) Wraith (Spider-Man 2)
I’m a sucker for some good optional content, so when you combine a fun questline with a great showdown against your vigilante friend-turned-foe? Recipe for greatness! This two-part tussle is a blast, especially as Wraith’s moves are all aimed around testing your reflexes with your dodges and parries. The atmosphere of the fight is great too, taking place in the fiery crumbling ruins of an abandoned building (and there’s a fun added touch of Wraith coating the area in dust that obscures her location during phase two). The voice work is pretty exceptional, with Wraith and Spider-Man debating the ethics of vigilantism and what it means to take things too far. Also, as to be expected, a great soundtrack.
3) Scream (Spider-Man 2)
If I had made a Bingo card for Spider-Man 2 and what I thought might be in the game, let me tell you that the LAST thing I would’ve expected was a Scream boss fight! But color me pleasantly surprised and pleased-as-punch to have this boss slide in as the second-to-last epic showdown of the game. Scream puts up an incredible fight across a staggering four phases, with some of the heaviest-hitting attacks in the game that demand perfect parries in order to survive. Her gimmick of leaping onto buildings and throwing projectiles from afar keeps you on your toes, providing a boss battle that really uses its environment to the fullest. Plus, of course, the cherry on top is the fantastic character work and voice acting on display, but to go further down that road would be to encroach and spoilers that would ruin the fight’s charm!
2) Phin (Miles Morales)
The final showdown against Phin really blew me away the first time I played through Miles Morales, as it’s a truly fantastic final boss fight in a game series that had had middling to decent bosses thus far. Phin’s last stand deserves all the accolades possible, and should be proud in its accomplishment of providing a very difficult, suitably lengthy, mechanically challenging, emotionally satisfying finale to this game. Through three phases of escalating stakes, Phin pulls out all the stops to see her revenge-driven plan through to completion, and you’ll need to take advantage of every move and opening to bring her down. The soundtrack is top-notch, the voice acting equally so, but honestly most of my praise here has to go to just how good the gameplay is with this showdown!
1) Symbiote Peter (Spider-Man 2)
I couldn’t have put any other boss fight in this spot even if I wanted to (and I really wanted to give the nod to Phin), because this fight just encapsulates everything incredible about Spider-Man 2 and this entire trilogy.
Peter, driven fully into a rage by the Symbiote Suit, nearly kills Kraven before Miles intervenes. Blinded by fury, Peter launches himself at Miles, and we are treated to a phenomenal three-phase boss battle to wrap up Act Two of this incredible game. Peter isn’t the hardest fight in the game, but it’s exhilarating to face off against someone whose moves you know so intimately (and makes the clear case that while ‘hero fights villain with the same powers as them‘ might be trite in movies, it certainly isn’t in games). You’ve got to utilize every trick in the book to one-up Peter, including your web attacks, fancy gadgets, electric powers, and a nearby church bell. The voice acting is out-of-this-world incredible, and the soundtrack (a dark reprise of the main theme) is the stuff of legends.
What a showdown!
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 