The 10 best side missions in Spider-Man 2, ranked

There are a bunch of side missions for you to complete in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. But are some more worth your time than others? There are a few interesting side missions that you definitely want to play through as soon as you can.

Here are the 10 best side missions in Spider-Man 2 ranked!

10 best side missions in Spider-Man 2

10) Finding Grandpa

A short but sweet mission that you can get from the FNSM app involves bringing together a woman and her grandpa. You’ll have to finish the main story mission “Suit is Sandy” before you’re able to start this, and you can do so as either Peter or Miles.

A woman will ask you to find her grandfather, who has gone missing. You’ll scan objects at a nearby park and follow a path that will locate the old man, bringing the two of them together for a very heartfelt reunion. There’s a lot of reminiscing of the good times and many good vibes to go with it.

9) Rooftop Fireworks

There’s always someone getting into trouble during a typical day for Spider-Man. As either Peter or Miles, you can take on a side mission that has you helping two brothers who are injured by fireworks. You’ll have to finish the “Roll Like We Used To” story mission first before this one opens up.

After helping one of the brothers get to a hospital, Spider-Man can trace the recreational explosives back to a group of thugs that are located at the nearby docks. What follows is an old-fashioned Spidey brawl that climaxes with a big explosion of fireworks, leading to some happy onlookers and very sad thugs on the ground.

8) Monster in Queens

A side mission for Miles Morales will have you helping out an old blind lady who lives in Queens. To start it, you’ll first have to finish the main story mission “Wings of My Own” for it to appear in the FNSM app. After speaking with the old lady, Miles will go on a hunt for a creature that has been terrorizing the old lady from her backyard.

But things aren’t what they seem. What Miles discovers isn’t what he expected, and he is taken on a goofy chase that leads to a new ally and a brawl with the Hunters. After everything is said and done, you’re treated to a cute moment when Miles finally returns to the old lady to tell her what happened.

7) The Flame

If you want to tackle a series of objectives that bring in more Spider-Man characters, then you’ll want to jump into the missions involving The Flame. These missions are exclusive to Peter Parker and have him teaming up with a familiar ally to take down a cult gathering in New York City. The entire quest line is a series of smaller side quests that make up a greater narrative.

The Flame missions will have you taking on multiple groups of enemies in stealth sections and all-out brawls. But it’s the story about the significance of the cult and who is the brains behind their operation that will pique your interest. 

Everything leads up to a very big payoff that teases the origin of a very popular Spider-Man villain who may appear down the line.

6) Graffiti Trouble

One side mission that is very interesting is one that doesn’t fully involve Peter or Miles. After you complete the story mission called “Funky,” you can head over to a flower stall in Little Odessa as Miles Morales for a side story. Miles will meet up with his friend Hailey, who will tell him a story about what happened while he was out being Spider-Man.

The mission has you controlling Hailey as she searches for the cause of random graffiti appearing in the area. As Hailey, the game’s audio will be very different because of her deafness, which adds a different layer to how the side story is delivered. Emoticons will display how others are feeling, including a feline friend Hailey encounters.

Hailey will end up helping a young artist trying to discover her passion for making art. The entire sequence has a few mini-games that will let Hailey spray graffiti on walls, complete with shaking the controller to refill an ink canister. It’s a heartwarming story told differently, which puts you in the shoes of an entirely different character from the main story.

5) The Mysteriums

Mysterio makes his presence known with a number of Mysterium locations throughout New York City. These are challenges that will test your fighting prowess, while also rewarding you with extra experience and resources. But there’s more to them than that.

There are nine Mysteriums that appear on the map after you complete the story mission “Master Illusionist.” If you manage to complete all of them at least once, you’ll unlock the final one that pits you against the master of illusions himself. You’ll come face-to-face with a giant Mysterio and tons of his minions in a reality filled with illusions that pack a powerful punch.

The battle and rewards you get after completing the side quest are well worth the trouble of going to each Mysterium. You’ll be treated to some new cutscenes to watch, and even a Smoke and Mirrors spider suit for Miles Morales to equip.

4) Photo Help

A fun and nostalgic side mission focused on Peter Parker will take you back into the past. After you complete the story mission “Science Buddy,” you can meet a young new photographer named Mina in Midtown. She’ll tell Spider-Man about her ambition to become a great photographer after being inspired by the first big front-page shot that Peter Parker took of Spider-Man.

The mission will have you flash back to Peter trying to get hired at the Daily Bugle when he had to impress J. Jonah Jameson. You’ll ride a bike through Central Park, fight a few bullies, and scream loudly through the New York City streets along the way—all in a desperate effort to get a very special picture to Jameson that will make or break Peter’s career as a photographer.

The entire mission is a great throwback to some of the origins of Peter Parker that we never got to see in the first Marvel’s Spider-Man game. For Spidey fans, it’s a great trip down memory lane.

3) The Brooklyn Visions Academy

In a quest line that is exclusive to Miles Morales, you’ll have to swing over to the Brooklyn Visions Academy to help out some students in need. It’s a very tongue-in-cheek series of events that involves senior pranks, rescuing kidnapped students, and even getting two people together for the homecoming dance. For Miles, it’s just a taste of the college lifestyle.

What makes it all worth it is the reward at the very end. Upon completing the last mission, you’ll be rewarded with a new suit for Miles Morales, the Boricua suit. It’s a spider suit with a big Puerto Rican flag on the front of it, allowing Miles to showcase his heritage while swinging through the city of New York.

2) The Cultural Museum

Miles Morales gets a rundown of Harlem’s musical history in two missions that will take him through different sections of the city. A robbery of musical artifacts affects the Harlem Cultural Center, which happens to be searching for an investor to stay afloat. It’s up to Miles to find the mission instruments and investigate the cause of the robbery.

The finale of this side mission is almost a tour of music history. Much of it connects to Miles’ love of music, but also his deep connections to the people who reside in Harlem. It’s an interesting story with a little observation of the culture that feels authentic and heartfelt.

1) Howard

This is one of the most emotional missions that you’ll undergo in Spider-Man 2, and while the objective to complete it isn’t hard, it’s the gut punch at the very end that gets everybody. You’ll have to first complete the story mission “Science Buddy” in order for this to become available in the FNSM app, otherwise, it won’t appear.

This mission involves the old man named Howard, who appeared in the first Spider-Man game. You can do this mission as either Peter or Miles. First, it starts with a conversation with Howard at the dock and eventually leads you to swing through the city with his flock of birds.

After visiting a few spots with the birds, you’ll have to return to Howard back at the docks. We won’t spoil what awaits, but make sure you have some tissues nearby.