No Peter Was NOT Nerfed in Insomniac's Spider-Man 2

[Winter]

This is one of those criticisms that have been said enough times that there are now SEVERAL fans making counter arguments to it and having played this game for the third time I'm ready to throw in my two cents on the argument and the title completely gave it away so let's just cut to the chase.

First up let's focus on the one scene that most people get hooked up on that happens later in the game, Peter getting pinned under a Refrigerator. This is the one moment that just about everyone who holds the argument that Peter was nerfed because he should be able to throw said fridge off him with no effort and clearly shows he's not as strong as he was in the first game. What's funny is pretty much everyone who fixates on this scene ignore a few key details and facts the first of which being PETER DOES THROW IT OFF HIM IN A FEW SECONDS AFTER IT HANDS ON HIM!!!

Seriously go and watch the scene Pete is stuck under the fridge for, at most, 7 or 8 seconds before he throws it off him like it was nothing and there is no sign that that thing landing on him even slightly hurt him. And keep in mind that Peter was pinned down by a terminal in the first game for a LOT longer yet no one brings that up. It also ignores the fact that Peter at this point is tired and hasn't gotten any real sleep, the most he's gotten was when he was knocked out by Venom, which most people would agree doesn't leave you feeling rested and reinvigorated. And soon after he woke up he spent the next couple of hours fighting for his life and flat out states to Connors that he's tired.

And keep in mind that after that conversation with Connors Peter fought, on his own, the second most powerful Symbiote in the game, Shriek, on his own, while tired after hours of fight AND while holding back because Shriek's host was Mary Jane Watson! You know the love of Peter's life whom he clearly doesn't want to seriously hurt and is clearly horrified at even the idea of doing so?

And the argument some put out that MJ was able to easily free herself from the Symbiote which just so happen to ignore the fact that MJ, who is not a willing host to the Symbiote, is clearly fighting against Shriek's hold on her, Peter is actively trying to reach her and using sound to further weaken the Symbiote's hold on her AND the fact that MJ is under the hold of the Symbiote for, at most, 10 minutes. Keep in mind that Peter was bonded to Venom for several days and came into direct contact with the Symbiote meteorite which clearly made Venom more powerful which is nothing compared to Harry who was bonded to Venom for at least 2 years.

Another point that is often brought up is that Kraven was able to so easily stab Peter in the Zoo which leads to one of the most ridiculous complaints that makes me wonder if anyone complaining about Peter being "nerfed" actually played the game. See the main point against this bit is that Kraven is a normal man with no powers and therefore shouldn't have been able to do this. Even if we're generous and assume these people never looked at the optional side interactive items that clearly showed Kraven being able to take on and kill Vulture, Electro and Shocker we see him punching a leg on a stone statue so hard that it broke off and was sent flying across the zoo. And this was the scene RIGHT AFTER Peter got stabbed and it's not in a skippable cutscene this takes place in gameplay and is impossible to miss as it takes place during Harry's brief fight with Kraven.

And that's also not taking into account that Kraven was able to go toe-to-toe with Spider-Venom and Later Venom who could only be defeated by Peter working with Miles AND the Anti-Symbiote. I will also remind everyone that Kraven was able to take on and beat Miles who had just gotten a new power and was still ready to fight without any real help and while that was off-screen it still happened.

And finally that Peter needed Miles to help defeat several of his villains while Miles was able to solo fight a villain with no help. Of course they ignore that Miles also needed help with the same villains that Peter needed help with, was easily poisoned by Scorpion and got taken out by one of Kraven's regular goons who had tricked Miles into saving him. Not to mention, thanks to side quests, Peter solo fought two enemies (Wraith and Shriek) and Miles only took down two enemies (Mr. Negative and Spider-Venom). And it's not like Miles' solo fights are more impressive then Peter's, Wraith is tough enough to fight several hordes of Symbiotes on her own (remember that we can leave a fight or not help her at all during said fights) and again Shriek is the second most powerful Symbiote in the game. And going by gameplay (thank you New Game + and Replay mission) Shriek is actually tougher then Spider-Venom and once, once again, again that was Peter holding back.

And finally to go to the beginning, many have complained about Peter needing Miles help with Sandman when he was an enemy that Peter clearly defeated in the past in this continuity. And again, no one addresses the dialogue in the game which makes it clear that Marko has never been this powerful before. Peter is shocked at the fact that he is able to create, as Peter puts it, Mini-Marko's and it's also Clear that Sandman becoming Godzilla Size to the point that it generates lightning strikes which again Surprises Peter.