"Peter and Miles’ relationships are put to the test."
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 continues Insomniac’s critically-acclaimed franchise and it looks to be a much darker story for the popular superhero.
Now partnered with Miles Morales, who gained his own set of Spidey powers, the two heroes take down criminals across New York.
But a mysterious symbiote latches itself onto Peter Parker and makes him stronger. It also changes him, threatening to destroy his personal relationships.
This happens while battling a new assortment of villains, including Kraven The Hunter and Lizard.
A PlayStation 5 exclusive, Spider-Man 2 has been touted as one of the most anticipated games of 2023.
Ahead of its October 20 release date, we explore the game and what it will offer.
The Story
One of the strongest aspects of 2018’s Spider-Man was its story and characters.
Insomniac gave the popular Marvel hero a fresh new spin while still being faithful to the source material.
And based on the trailers, it seems as though Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is going to follow its predecessor’s footsteps closely in this regard.
While a clear story showcase has not been revealed, a synopsis reads:
“Nine months after the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, we find Miles still enlisting Peter’s help, but when the mysterious symbiote appears, Peter and Miles’ relationships are put to the test.
“Peter begins to change as he gains symbiote powers, and Miles, Mary Jane, Harry, and the rest of the friend group must help Peter while also facing the impending threats from a cast of new villains like Kraven, Lizard, Sandman, and Venom!”
The plot appears to have a much darker tone than its predecessors, which potentially makes for an epic, and possibly tragic, climax.
The Villains
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is going to be bursting with bad guys for Peter Parker and Miles Morales to go up against.
There are at least three major villains and multiple smaller ones confirmed to appear throughout the game‘s story.
Venom
The first villain to be confirmed was Venom.
At the end of the first official teaser trailer, he appeared from a dark alley as Peter and Miles looked on.
But creative director Bryan Intihar revealed that Eddie Brock will not transform into the hulking villain.
It is heavily implied that Harry Osborn will be taking on the symbiote as a host, having been teased at the end of Spider-Man.
If this is the case, it will bring the game in line with the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon.
Kraven The Hunter
One of the web slinger’s most feared villains, Kraven The Hunter believes that his current prey is no challenge for him.
He and his mercenaries turn up in New York with a mission to take down many of the threats throughout the city, such as Spider-Man himself and Curt Connors, aka the Lizard.
Lizard
The Lizard has had a fearsome makeover for Spider-Man 2, full of spikes and teeth.
With a much more animalistic appearance, the Lizard’s look is a far cry from Rhys Ifans’ portrayal in the 2012 film The Amazing Spider-Man.
During the extended gameplay footage, the Lizard is being chased by Kraven The Hunter while Peter and Miles desperately try to stop him.
Mister Negative
Mister Negative was one of the main villains of Spider-Man and was involved in the death of Miles’ father Jefferson Davis.
A dishevelled-looking Martin Li appears in Spider-Man 2‘s story trailer as Miles confronts him.
But in the official launch trailer, he turns into Mister Negative and battles Miles so it will be interesting to see how this foe fits into the sequel.
Sandman
Sandman was unveiled as another villain in the official launch trailer and he is the biggest he has ever been.
Real name Flint Marko, Sandman has the ability to turn himself into molecules of sand and manipulate them at will after an accident.
The official launch trailer shows Peter and Miles battling Sandman, who is as big as a building.
However, it is unclear what his motive is for going after the Spider-Men.
New Suit Abilities
One of the most anticipated features of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the ability to switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales.
While some missions will have players controlling a specific Spider-Man, players will be able to swap between the heroes instantly anytime while free-roaming.
On top of their distinct personalities, Miles and Peter also have their own set of unique abilities, with Miles’ powers revolving around his bio-electricity and Peter’s centring around the inclusion of the highly-anticipated Symbiote suit.
Based on the trailers, the Symbiote suit will give Peter some brutal abilities.
With the black suit equipped, Peter will be able to launch foes into the air and slam them into the ground with Symbiote tendrils, parry oncoming hits with a Symbiote shield and seemingly have increased health and attack power.
For Miles, he will be able to launch waves of bio-electricity, capable of stunning both an individual foe and a whole group of enemies with chain lightning.
Both Spider-Men will also share a bevy of new gadgets and abilities such as Web Wings that let them glide across the skies of New York City, to a tightrope web that can be used to get the drop on unsuspecting foes during stealth.
There is also a whole host of suits for both characters, meaning you can truly make the game your own.
Expanded New York
Another highly-anticipated feature is an expanded version of New York.
On top of the usual mainland Manhattan that was seen in both Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Spider-Man 2 will feature both the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, essentially doubling the size of the previous games’ map.
Spider-Man games have very rarely taken players outside of Manhattan, so Spider-Man 2 including both Queens and Brooklyn is likely going to be very special for Spidey fans.
This will pave the way for even more Easter eggs, references and side missions.
According to Insomniac, Spider-Man 2 will feature seamless transitions for most of its side missions, with players being guided to one by a point of interest such as a Kraven drone or a mysterious sign in the sky.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 looks to an immersive adventure with a darker story that is bound to come with surprises.
The stakes have never been higher for Peter and his friends.
With 2023 coming to an end, Spider-Man 2 has the potential to be the game of the year.
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