Spider-Man 2 Debuts to 'Mixed' Steam Reviews Amid Serious PC Performance Problems

Spider-Man 2's PC port, initially touted for its impressive performance based on its system requirements, has received a mixed reception on Steam. A significant number of players are reporting various technical issues, resulting in a "mixed" user review rating.

Currently, only 55% of Steam reviews are positive. Many users, even those with high-end hardware like RTX 4090 GPUs and the latest drivers, are experiencing frequent crashes. One user reported, "Despite having a high-end GPU and running the latest Nvidia drivers (5.66.36), the game frequently crashes." Another stated the game was "completely unplayable," crashing every five minutes. Several players are demanding refunds due to the instability.

Common complaints include frequent crashes attributed to graphics driver issues, often accompanied by an error message indicating potential problems with outdated drivers, excessive in-game settings, GPU overheating, or game errors. Reviewers are also reporting problems with features like DLSS and ray tracing, alongside lengthy loading times, missing textures, and audio synchronization problems.

Performance degradation, including stuttering followed by hard crashes after extended play sessions, is another prevalent issue. Some suspect a memory leak as the underlying cause.

Nixxes Software, the port developer, acknowledged the problems on the Steam forums, directing users to their support website for troubleshooting guides and urging users to submit logs and crash dumps for faster resolution. They also addressed a specific bug affecting photo-op missions, suggesting lowering graphics settings or resolution as a temporary workaround if the frame rate drops below 20 FPS.

In short, while initial expectations were high, Spider-Man 2's PC launch has been marred by significant technical difficulties. Players are advised to wait for patches addressing these issues before purchasing.