Summary
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is encumbered with story content and while that should’ve made sense for a sequel that needs to balance two playable Spider-Men, all of its incessantly brimming narrative moments arrive in the third act and center almost exclusively around Peter Parker as soon as he somehow allows the symbiote to pass back to Harry Osborn. Even Miles Morales’ moment to earn closure and share dialogue with Martin Li’s Mr. Negative outside of a gladiatorial arena revolves around them rescuing Peter by diving into his subconscious, which glides right on by a neat piece of character development inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Peter Parker’s Deep-Seated Concern is an Afterthought in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
AsMiles and Li explore Peter’s psychethey learn that, while affected by the symbiote and its emotional enhancement, Peter subconsciously wishes he could kill the super-criminals he goes toe-to-toe with to rid the world of their villainy. This sequence also reveals—or rather shouts it at players during dialogue between Miles and Li—that Peter believes and fears that criminals he puts away will always manage to break out again, his efforts as Spider-Man are fruitless, and allowing himself to tap into the symbiote would solve that problem.
Peter is not a killer and would never act on that thought if not for themanipulation ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s symbiote, though.
The more intriguing element of this entire sequence is how Peter is concerned about the state of rehabilitation and how criminals should be processed. He puts them away out of habit and knows violent criminals should be behind bars, but as Li points out—and as is obvious due to there being infinite enemies for players to apprehend—criminals are always finding ways back on the street.
Otherwise, there are always new criminals or villains who arrive to take the place of another. It’s an interesting topic for Insomniac to touch on because it needs to continue peppering antagonists into theseMarvel’s Spider-Manentries for there to be games at all, and perhaps that cements Peter’s deepest fear as the acknowledgment that his great responsibility is a never-ending one. Rather, that theory would be contradicted by the end ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, which showsPeter willing to take a step back from his Spider-Man dutiesfor an undetermined amount of time.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 Needs to Find More Time for Its Amazing Spider-Men
It would be unfortunate if Insomniac dove into Peter’s mind for such a poignant nugget of character development and never returns to it, but that seems like it’ll be the case in this scenario. It would be easier for Insomniac to sweep it under a rug—that rug literally being Peter’s subconscious, where it’s still buried deep—than to uproot it again inMarvel’s Spider-Man 3, especially if no solution could give Peter any therapeutic catharsis.
Instead, the third installment is likely to center aroundNorman Osborn becoming Green Goblin, if not Harry, with even less time for Insomniac to spend on developments for Peter or Miles. Indeed, Miles’ own development seems stunted after this time spent with Li, whom he is evidently unable to forgive for killing his father. This puts Miles in an ambiguous place and how he’ll grow from that encounter should definitely have repercussions inMarvel’s Spider-Man 3.
Likewise, if Peter’s subconscious fears are never brought up again it’ll be a crying shame. IfMarvel’s Spider-Man 3is the “final chapter” as Otto Octavius has ominously hinted at, seemingly as a fourth-wall-breaking nudge, it could be leaving both its Spider-Man protagonists with loose threads—and not just the strands they fire from their web-shooters.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.Explore an expansive Marvel’s New York with faster web-swinging and the all-new Web Wings, quickly switching between Peter and Miles to experience different stories, epic new abilities and high-tech gear.Wield Peter’s symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric powers in battle against new and iconic Marvel Super Villains – including an original take on a symbiote-infused Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and more from the Marvel Rogues’ Gallery.
