Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 may not be coming until 2023, but fans of the first two games cannot wait to see more of the sequel. The reveal trailer instantly got fans excited by showing Peter and Miles fighting together, with the former using Iron Spider legs and the latter wielding his Venom Strikes. Two villains were also revealed, as Kraven and Venom will seemingly be the main antagonists of the sequel.
While featuring both Miles and Peter in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a no-brainer, Insomniac Games has to be careful not to let one hero overshadow the other. This extends to both gameplay and storytelling, as fans of the original wall-crawler and his successor should feel equally satisfied once credits roll. To ensure that this happens, Insomniac has to approach every aspect of the sequel with care.
A Strong Story For Both Spider-Men
Perhaps the biggest danger with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s narrative is that Peter will completely overshadow Miles. While leaning a bit more into Peter’s story does make sense, as there will be a deep emotional connection between himself and Harry Osborn’s Venom, Miles should not feel like a side character for the entire narrative. One way to ensure that this does not happen is to give each hero unique villains to fight against.
While Peter going head-to-head with Venom throughout the game is the right decision, Insomniac should make Kraven The Hunter Miles’ problem. With Kraven seeking the most challenging hunt, it would make more sense for him to go for Miles, as he has abilities like cloaking and electric attacks that Peter lacks. It would also allow for Insomniac to tell a fresh story, as most of Kraven’s iconic comic appearances have him facing off with Peter Parker.
Aside from giving Miles a main threat in the form of Kraven, making good on the Kingpin teaser from Spider-Man: Miles Morales would be a wise idea. Wraith will seemingly be a major side villain for Peter in the next game, as just like with Venom there is an existing connection between Peter and Yuri to build from. Similarly, Kingpin threatening Miles' family in the spin-off game should come back around, with Fisk serving as a secondary threat for the young Spider-Man. With main and side villains for each character, neither Peter nor Miles should feel like the only Spidey that matters.
Making Sure Miles’ Gameplay Does Not Overshadow Peter’s
Alongside a leaner open world in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, players had the chance to control a hero who had more to his arsenal than his mentor. While Peter Parker has an edge when it comes to experience, Miles being able to unleash electricity and go invisible for stealth sections opened up some exciting new gameplay opportunities. Peter will surely not have Venom Strikes or cloaking in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, though, so Insomniac Games needs to find ways to make sure that his gameplay is still engaging.
The Iron Spider legs seem like one way that Insomniac is expanding Peter’s moveset. While they were a flashy suit ability in the original game, they only added a few new attacks. Since the developer made sure to show them in the very first reveal trailer for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, it can be assumed that the legs will bring far more to the table this time around. Like Miles, perhaps Peter can charge up the legs through combat, eventually activating them to deliver a barrage of special attacks.
With Venom featuring in the sequel, so too will the Symbiote, leading many to hope that it will attach itself to Peter at some point in the story. Assuming that a Symbiote suit for Peter is part of the narrative, it could be another way to level the playing field between Peter and Miles. The black suit could provide tendril-focused attacks and some brutal finishing moves, with Peter’s punches and kicks also powered up whenever he has it on. No matter what route Insomniac takes, it needs to make sure that the older, wiser Spider-Man does not feel weaker than Miles when fighting crime.
Why Peter and Miles Will Likely Thrive in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Fortunately, fans have good reason to believe that Insomniac Games will nail the balance between Peter and Miles. After all, the developer had already done so in both Marvel’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, even though each game only made one of the two heroes playable. Marvel’s Spider-Man showcased the origins of their friendship, with Peter meeting Miles and taking him on as a student. As for Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Peter was featured in the story just enough to not steal attention from Miles’ adventure.
Further, the most recent release from Insomniac Games, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, does a stellar job of juggling its two protagonists. Despite Rivet and Ratchet being two Lombaxes with a shared arsenal of weapons, both characters’ stories feel different thanks to strong writing and varied locations. Seeing them meet up is a joy, too, and though Rivet gets a lot of attention since she is a new protagonist, Ratchet still manages to have a strong arc of his own. Insomniac could use its experience making Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart when crafting the story of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, following in that game's footsteps to ensure that two incredibly similar characters feel fresh and exciting to control.
Given Insomniac’s past work with the Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise and beyond, there is little reason to worry that it will do a disservice to Miles or Peter with the next game. Its versions of the two heroes are beloved by fans and critics alike, and it will be exciting to see where their stories go next. If each has some memorable bosses to battle in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, as well as distinct mechanics that allow their gameplay sections to feel different, both characters should end up feeling equal.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is scheduled to release in 2023 on PS5.