The New York City that Insomniac created in Marvel's Spider-Man is one of the most faithful and dynamic recreations of the Big Apple ever committed to a video game. From the iconic Empire State Building to the lively residents on the sidewalks, swinging through the city on Spider-Man's webs was one of the highlights of the 2018 game. With Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on the horizon, many are wondering how Insomniac will approach the game's setting to give players a reason to swing around again. If the developer is feeling so bold, the answer to that question may not lie in New York City at all.
Marvel's Spider-Man, appropriately, provided a very Spider-Man-centric experience. While landmarks like Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum and Avengers Tower could be found in the game, Peter Parker didn't encounter any Marvel characters associated with these locations. It was a Spider-Man story through and through, but the sequel's setting could benefit from expanding beyond the confines of NYC. Insomniac could have either Peter or Miles explore the more fantastical side of the comics with the help of some familiar faces, allowing Marvel's Spider-Man 2 to feel like a more holistically Marvel experience.
Doctor Strange Could Take Spider-Man Across Dimensions
Marvel's Spider-Man featured the Sanctum Sanctorum, all but confirming that Doctor Strange exists in the game's world. If Insomniac wants to expand the setting of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 beyond New York City, it could use Doctor Strange as a way to take Peter or Miles across dimensions. Insomniac already has experience with seamlessly taking players through dimensions thanks to Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, and it could employ similar tactics to bring both Spider-Men to new and mystical places. Whether it's the Dark Dimension or another strange area, it would greatly vary Spider-Man 2's gameplay opportunities.
Venom Could Take Spider-Man to Space
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will introduce Venom in full force, with the symbiote already featuring prominently in the game's reveal trailer. Fans of the wall-crawler know that Insomniac has taken a somewhat different approach with the beloved villain, as Harry Osborne is Venom's host and not Eddie Brock. This shouldn't stop Insomniac from exploring the symbiote's comic origins, however, as the symbiote is originally from the planet Klyntar. Spider-Man is known to take the occasional adventure into space, and if Insomniac felt so bold, it could take a detour away from NYC to explore the home of Venom and the other symbiotes.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Could Go All-In on Mutants
While Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is one of the more immediate anticipated games from Insomniac, the developer's Marvel's Wolverine has received a fair amount of hype since it was announced. Questions have been circulating on whether Marvel's Wolverine will exist in the same world as Spider-Man, and Spider-Man 2 could provide answers. If the game has Spider-Man encounter the X-Men or other mutants, it could take Peter or Miles to the island of Krakoa. This could open more gameplay opportunities than New York would allow, and serve as a precursor to the events of Marvel's Wolverine.
Swinging through New York City was one of the strongest parts of Marvel's Spider-Man, but it may be a tough sell to have players swing through the exact same map all over again. Taking players through less grounded settings could be an effective solution to this, while also expanding the franchise's connection to other Marvel properties. Marvel's Midnight Suns has already shown how well Peter Parker works with more fantastical allies and foes, and Insomniac could have countless narrative and gameplay opportunities if it took a similar approach with Peter and Miles.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 releases in 2023 for the PS5.