Both Marvel’s Spider-Man and its follow-up Spider-Man: Miles Morales are considered some of the webslinger’s best video game appearances, and for good reason. Insomniac not only focused on making Spidey feel good to play as by introducing excellent combat and web-swinging mechanics, but the stories of Peter and Miles were told incredibly well. While the sequel will undoubtedly thrive thanks to the game having two full Spider-Men to play with, there is one way to make it even better.
While nothing is confirmed as of now, it would make sense that players switch between Miles Morales and Peter Parker throughout the Marvel’s Spider-Man sequel. However, this character switching should not stop there. In past Spider-Man games, players could control other Marvel heroes and villains, a feature that allowed for different movesets and gameplay to be added to the mix. While this should not be taken to an extreme like some Spider-Man games have done in the past, as the story should remain tight and focused on its lead heroes, introducing one more playable character to the mix can benefit the sequel. For an example of how to do this tastefully, players need look no further than Ultimate Spider-Man. Like that game, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 should make Venom playable.
Capitalizing On Venom’s Popularity
Before Insomniac revitalized Spider-Man games, fans looked to releases like Spider-Man 2 and Ultimate Spider-Man as examples of how to get the hero right. While the former nailed web-swinging, the latter took an approach to the character that saw him ripped straight from the page. A cel-shaded art style and comic book panels in cutscene gave the game a sense of style, with the 2005 title getting a boost from the excellent comics it shared a name with. What truly made the game special, though, was how it handled Venom.
Throughout the Ultimate Spider-Man story, players switch between Spider-Man and Venom, with the latter having an entirely different moveset from the friendly neighborhood hero. While Spidey’s agility is on full display and he can use his webs in combat, Venom zips around the city using tentacles and boasts a brutal fighting style. He can grab enemies, jump incredibly high, and throw vehicles at enemies. An interesting and terrifying mechanic saw Venom consuming civilians and enemies to regain health, which was a necessity due to his health constantly being drained. Venom was also fully playable in the open world after the story was complete, a nice touch that helped make the game even more unique.
Venom has always been one of Spidey’s more popular adversaries, as the Symbiote storyline has led to several great moments throughout the webslinger’s history. Beyond that, his introduction has spawned the creation of other memorable, symbiote-based characters like Carnage. In recent years, Venom has peaked in popularity, with the success of the 2018 movie introducing the monster to a whole new audience. With that film set to get a sequel, and Venom all-but-guaranteed to be the villain in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, capitalizing on the hype and making sure Venom is used to his fullest should be a priority.
How Venom Should Play
Ultimate Spider-Man’s take on Venom did a lot right, and as such, it should be used as a foundation for Insomniac if it considers making Venom playable. Being able to lift enemies, jump to massive heights, and throw vehicles around are all aspects of the gameplay that should stick. Likewise, while it may be controversial nowadays, the eating mechanic should make a comeback. If enough people were consumed in Ultimate Spider-Man, the police showed up, giving the game a wanted system akin to Grand Theft Auto. This could stick, with Insomniac expanding on the system to include random boss fights with one of the Spider-Men. Perhaps if the wanted level gets high enough, Peter or Miles show up, and Venom needs to damage them enough to make them flee.
With Venom’s open world content sure to be limited, as it makes little sense for the beloved Spidey villain to help civilians, perhaps Insomniac only makes him playable at a few points in the story. Even this would be memorable and better than nothing, though, as players have not controlled the character in a Spider-Man game for a long time now. It is also worth noting that Insomniac’s Venom is not Eddie Brock, nor is it Flash Thompson. Perhaps this Venom turns a new leaf at the end of the story, helping Peter like he does at various points in the comics.
If Venom does see a hero turn at some point, this would allow him to fully partake in open world content and missions. Like Agent Venom in the comics, Insomniac’s Venom could have brief moments where he turns back into the original monster — something that could help with balancing. Like Miles Morales’ Venom powers, perhaps the Venom character could have a rage system of some kind. Built up by combos and dodges, Osborn could unleash the beast, transforming for a brief time and letting the Symbiote deal incredible damage. New combos, finishers, and abilities could all be usable for a brief time while in this enraged state. Venom could have some truly unique gameplay this way, justifying his role as another playable character.
Opening The Door For More Cosmetics
One thing Insomniac has nailed thus far is alternate suits, with the studio's original Spider-Man designs becoming statues and Funko Pops. This could continue with Venom, as Insomniac could give the character a unique look just like they did with Peter’s Advanced Suit. Beyond that, though, Venom’s size and visual style open up countless opportunities for alternate looks. While a classic suit would undoubtedly be one of them, fully fresh designs could be shared as well. Best of all, the suit abilities could allow different Symbiotes to come into play.
For example, an Anti-Venom suit could see the white take on Venom having regenerative abilities as well as camouflage. Next, players could embody the murderous villain Carnage via an alternate costume, with his ability allowing him to possess enemies and turn them to his side during a fight. Other popular Symbiotes, such as Scream and Toxin, could also be represented via these skins. Plus, with Marvel’s Spider-Man fans already having a blast making alternate skin concepts for the webslinger, being able to do so for Venom would open a whole new world of possibilities.
Regardless of whether Venom is playable in the Marvel's Spider-Man sequel, simply seeing him done justice will be enough for many fans. However, it is hard not to think about all the possibilities that playing as Venom, even for a short moment, could bring. With the character being so popular and having so many unique powers, controlling him in a modern game would be a blast. While he offers plenty in terms of narrative possibilities and intriguing storytelling, he offers just as much when it comes to gameplay — and Insomniac should make use of this potential like Ultimate Spider-Man did 15 years ago.
Marvel's Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales are available now on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. A sequel has yet to be officially announced.