Summary
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 exceeded expectations with complex combat, new abilities, and engaging side quests.
- Marvel's Spider-Man 3 faces pressure to live up to its predecessors and expand upon the story threads left hanging.
- The decision to keep or remove Peter Parker's Anti-Venom suit in Spider-Man 3 has pros and cons, considering its power and ties to previous plotlines.
Against all odds, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 actually managed to live up to expectations, at least according to most fans and critics. While it wasn't perfect, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 did exactly what fans needed it to do, building upon the first game's excellent foundations to deliver a truly satisfying sequel with more complex combat, tons of new abilities, a bigger and better map, and plenty of engaging side quests. But while that's all great, it does put even more pressure on the inevitable sequel's shoulders.
A potential Marvel's Spider-Man 3 already has a lot riding on it thanks to the overwhelming success of its predecessors, and the series' fast-growing legacy. But Insomniac has been pretty smart with its approach to the wider franchise, leaving plenty of story threads hanging for an eventual third entry. From new and returning villains, to possibly even a whole new playable Spider-Person, Marvel's Spider-Man 3 already has plenty to work with, though there is one Peter Parker-related question that Insomniac is going to need to answer very carefully.
Eddie Brock Wasn't the Only Venom Host Insomniac Sidelined in Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 introduced a creative new take on Venom, but it was at the expense of one important symbiote host from the comics.
Will Peter Parker Keep Anti-Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 3?
Marvel's Spider-Man 3 Could Easily Let Peter Keep His Anti-Venom Powers
Towards the end of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker succumbs to the remaining Symbiote cells in his body, and Miles and Mr. Negative are forced to dive into Peter's psyche in an attempt to sever the connection between him and the Symbiote hive. After blasting the hero with all the energy Mr. Negative can muster, Peter springs back to life, now wearing a stark white suit with mysterious Anti-Venom abilities.
Despite seemingly defeating Venom and the Symbiote for good, Peter canonically still has the Anti-Venom suit by the end of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, with players still being able to use it in free-roam after the credits roll. So, with Peter still in possession of the Anti-Venom suit, it would only make sense for it to appear in a potential Marvel's Spider-Man 3, though this could be a bit of a double-edged sword for Insomniac. On one hand, keeping the Anti-Venom suit for Marvel's Spider-Man 3 would let Insomniac continue to evolve Peter Parker's ability set, continuing to shake up his gameplay for each new entry. This will be especially important if Marvel's Spider-Man 3 has three playable protagonists, as each one will need its own unique set of moves and powers.
Why Marvel's Spider-Man 3 Might Get Rid of Anti-Venom
But on the other hand, Insomniac might want to take Peter's Anti-Venom suit away from him pretty early on in Marvel's Spider-Man 3, with there being several possible reasons for the decision. One of the biggest reasons would be that the Anti-Venom suit makes Peter just a bit overpowered. While the Anti-Venom powers fit perfectly with a huge threat like Venom, they may be a bit too powerful for teased villains like Doc Ock and Green Goblin.
Another big possible reason for Anti-Venom's removal in Spider-Man 3 is that it might not fit the sequel's story. While Insomniac could weave Anti-Venom into Spider-Man 3's narrative, it might end up feeling more like a strange hangover from the last game, with the suit being so intrinsically tied to that specific Venom and Symbiote plotline. The Anti-Venom suit is practically always tied to some kind of Symbiote storyline in the comics, and it might feel just a bit too strange to have it in Spider-Man 3, a sequel that'll presumably avoid any substantial Symbiote plots as the last game has covered them pretty thoroughly already.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- October 20, 2023
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Engine
- Insomniac Engine v.4.0
- Prequel(s)
- Marvel's Spider-Man
- Franchise
- Spider-Man
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.
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
- How Long To Beat
- 17 hours
- Metascore
- 90
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
