Marvel’s Spider-Man was incredibly well received back when it released back in 2018, with some critics viewing it as one of the best superhero games ever made. It did a lot of things right, telling a strong story filled with exciting moments and delivering smart takes on fan favorite characters. One of the narrative’s biggest strengths was that it offered a version of Peter that was at the peak of his crime fighting career, serving as a great contrast to the young Spider-Man of the MCU.
Alongside an older and more experienced webslinger, the game took clear inspirations from the Batman: Arkham series when it came to its combat. This was a wise decision, as that franchise had perfected melee combat in a superhero genre. However, with Batman: Arkham doing so much right, Insomniac should continue to look to the franchise for inspiration. Specifically, a Marvel's Spider-Man prequel game like Batman: Arkham Origins should be taken into consideration.
A Marvel’s Spider-Man Prequel Could Show Some Important Moments
While Batman: Arkham Origins was not developed by Rocksteady, it was set in the same universe and told a story that was canon to the events of the main trilogy. While it had flaws, like a tacked-on multiplayer and gameplay that was a bit clunkier than expected, its re-telling of The Killing Joke helped create an incredibly strong narrative. Seeing a young Batman was interesting, too, and Marvel’s Spider-Man could do a lot with a version of Peter Parker that is still mastering his powers.
While his origin story has been told twice on the big screen, it has never been done justice in games. Uncle Ben’s appearances in video game form have been brief and rushed, with the storytelling in the movie tie-in games not being nearly as strong as what is seen in Insomniac’s work. Seeing Uncle Ben done justice would be a ton of fun, and with how well Aunt May was handled in the 2018 game, fans would surely get a moving experience that captures just how important Ben was to Peter. With some fans bothered by how little he has appeared in recent Spidey media, this would be a great way to pay him some respect.
A Marvel’s Spider-Man prequel game could show Peter without all the tech he has in the sequel, giving fans a glimpse at the struggles he went through to reach the point he was at in the 2018 game. New characters could be introduced, with fans seeing all of Peter’s relationship with his first love Gwen Stacy. While the death of Uncle Ben and the potential death of Gwen could be a lot of heartbreak for one game, Insomniac has done a stellar job of showing the cost of being a hero thus far. It could end on a positive note, too, showing Peter meeting MJ. With the potential to show Spidey’s partnership with Yuri Watanabe being formed as well, a lot could be done with a prequel.
A Marvel’s Spider-Man Prequel Could Let Players Face More Of Peter’s Villains
Outside of telling a terrific story, Batman: Arkham Origins offers a standout boss battle with Deathstroke. This is another strength of a prequel game, and one that Marvel’s Spider-Man could make use of. In Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Peter’s challenges for the young webslinger see him telling various stories about his early years battling bad guys. One of the standout bits of dialogue covers a battle with Mysterio at a parade, with Peter mentioning that he had to fight against flying demon babies. While this was a great homage to the Spectacular Spider-Man animated series, it would also be a ton of fun to play in a game.
A fight with Mysterio is just one of the moments Peter discusses, with battles against characters like Electro also on the table. The backpack collectibles only add to the list of potential villains that could appear in a prequel. Insomniac could use some minor villains in this setting, too, letting players face members of Peter’s rogues’ gallery that the developer does not want to use as major threats like Kraven and Venom. While Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 is the logical next step for the series, a shorter game like Spider-Man: Miles Morales could also be released beforehand. Though Spidey’s early years have been covered heavily in comics and on the big screen, seeing Insomniac’s take on Peter’s origin story could be worthwhile.
Marvel’s Spider-Man is available now on PS4 and PS5.