Customization

It wasn't the first game to do it, but Spider-Man 2 serves as the gold standard for how to do it right. Completing small random missions, story missions, side missions really any mission awarded you points in which you could spend to make Spider-Man stronger. You could increase his jump height, his damage protection, his strength, web-slinging abilities, and unlock new skills and moves. There was a ton of options andyou could complete the game with a Spider-Man that fit your style of combat. Personally, I liked to max out my jumping ability and run around dodging until I could get a clean hit in.

The beauty of it was there was so much to customize you would complete the game and still have stuff you never unlocked in his customization! Truthfully, I think this game heavily influenced the Prototype series because if you've played that, they are almost identically similar.

Huge Open World

Sandbox gaming was still a new concept and everyone was doing it. Previously superhero games were level based and definitely felt restrictive as to what you could do. This game let you sling around an impressively sized Manhattan with little to no boundaries. Truly incredible for the era it was released in.

The Game Continued After "The End"

I remember when I realized I was nearing the ending of the games story. I screwed around and slung around Manhattan putting off the inevitable, but eventually squared off against Doc Ock. I stopped the reactor, watched the credits roll and...the game continued? I was dumbstruck.

I checked my save to see if maybe I hadn't just been transported to before the boss battle happened again. Nope, he's still defeated and I'm still in the game with more missions to complete. The game (technically) is everlasting. After completion, you take on more random events and fight harder enemies and are still able to upgrade your character. That alone should put it near the top of every gaming list!

So obviously I got a lot of love for this game based in nostalgia and what it meant to me, but I accept my opinion is not law. If you have a better movie video game let me know in the comments.