The sequel to the Spider-Man game will have a darker tone as a result of Insomniac Games’ vow to treat the Venom symbiote seriously and treat it respectfully.
That’s right! Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 developer Insomniac Games has promised a fresh take on the symbiote that should do the beloved character storyline some well deserved justice.
With the symbiote showing up in a mid-credits sequence for the original Marvel Spider-Man game back in 2018, it has long been known that the Venom narrative will be translated into Insomniac’s project.
Since then, Peter Parker wearing the Venom costume in the most current gameplay video from the May 2023 PlayStation Showcase has provided a look of the recognizable Spider-Man villain in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 announcement trailer.
The gameplay clip from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 showed Peter and Miles stopping Kraven’s elite team as they pursued The Lizard across New York City.
It also showed how players will be able to control both characters and utilize each one’s special abilities, with Peter utilizing the symbiote and Miles employing more stealth techniques and bioelectric attack.
It also demonstrated the superhero team’s relationship in action, as Peter, the more seasoned Spider-Man, mentored Miles for a brief while before departing New York for the bulk of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and let the younger Spider-Man to develop as a hero on his own.
The symbiote appears to alter Peter Parker’s personality while he wears it, as it has in every previous chapter of the Venom narrative.
By the conclusion of the video, Miles notices that Peter has become more brutal and aggressive in battle, despite the fact that it improves his abilities in almost every manner, including enhanced strength and natural webs and tendrils that eliminate the need for web shooters.
According to Insomniac’s Creative Director Bryan Intihar and Game Director Ryan Smith via an interview with Eurogamer, Peter connecting with the Symbiote isn’t a joke and that it “may be fairly unsettling” to witness Yuri Lowenthal’s gloomy portrayal.
It’s very hard to have a wholly new perspective on long-running characters and story arcs like Spider-Man or Venom.
But Intihar notes that Insomniac’s interpretation of the symbiote struck a “balance between these darker elements,” and went on to indicate that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will feature a recurring theme of addiction.
Players of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be able to observe Peter’s addiction to the suit throughout the gameplay. Insomniac also said that there will be distinct skill trees for each hero, including one for Peter, one for Miles, as well as a shared one for both heroes in a PlayStation Blog article that appeared at the same time the gameplay video was shown.
Although players had complete control over how consumed he may become by the suit through a series of moral decisions, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will feature a specific chunk of the game dedicated to Peter merging with the symbiote.
Through this skill tree, players will be able to boost Peter’s symbiote-enhanced powers, making him even more powerful.
Seeing both sides of the symbiote’s influence will help Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 stand out as a special retelling of the symbiote tale in video games.
During the course of the 11-minute film, Peter is abrupt, yells at Miles briefly during the Lizard chase, treats the people he saves carelessly and appears intent on finding Kraven at any cost, suggesting that he do it on his own.
The two protagonists will surely conflict later in the game’s plot because Miles would have seen Peter’s change from his usual lighthearted demeanor and his soothing attitude toward him, and because Peter doesn’t want to give up his newfound power.
This hypothesis is also supported by the logo animation in the most recent teaser, in which Miles’ bio-electricity is seen destroying the Venom symbiote’s tentacles.
Peter probably does something while wearing the symbiote suit that he really regrets, which plays a crucial role in his choice to eventually get rid of it.
Intihar noted that Insomniac’s exploration of addiction in Spider-Man 2 would expand to highlight the impact on the people surrounding an addict, revealing that players are “going to see that it’s not only how it’s hitting Peter on his own, but also those close to him.”
This defining behavior frequently takes the form of abusing his loved ones.
When Miles and Mary Jane recognize the symbiote’s control over Peter, it’s likely that they may serve as his protectors and enable him to free himself from the symbiote’s influence rather than fearing or running away from the symbiote-consumed Peter.