Warning: Spoilers ahead for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Though the original Marvel’s Spider-Man struggled a bit when it comes to boss fights, it did deliver in a big way with its finale, as the emotion of the Doc Ock fight coupled with a memorable setting made it unforgettable. Spider-Man: Miles Morales improved boss battles across the board, with The Tinkerer battle being a similarly emotional fight that was a blast to play. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 continues this upward trend of terrific boss battles and emotional payoffs in its final fight, though while Venom is great, Insomniac Games missed an opportunity for a fun pre-fight sequence.
Like Doc Ock in the original Marvel’s Spider-Man, Insomniac Games takes the less is more approach with Venom, letting the anticipation for the character build before finally debuting him in the third act. Thanks to a stellar performance from Tony Todd, Venom is as terrifying as he can be, with the playable segment and the way he deals with Kraven being massive high points in the story. Still, Venom being handled so well naturally had fans hoping that he would be around for longer, and him coming and going so soon meant that concepts like a reverse chase sequence were not offered.
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Seeing Venom Actually Try To Catch Peter Could Have Been Fun
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s First Lizard Sequence Proves Reverse Chases Can Work
When Lizard first appears in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, there is a standout segment where Miles has to escape the reptilian creature. Playing out like a chase sequence from the Crash Bandicoot franchise, Miles skates on water toward the camera as Lizard leaps out from the river to attack from time to time. While the intense sequence is simple to complete, as players only need to dodge a few attacks, it’s a memorable moment that does a lot to make Lizard feel like a more intimidating foe. It also makes the traditional chase that follows more enjoyable, as it shows how dangerous Peter has become while bonded with the Symbiote.
Despite only being in the game briefly, because of this extra playable segment, The Lizard feels as if he was used to his full potential. Having extra bits of gameplay can really help with making a villain’s role stick with players, with chase sequences working particularly well since the movement in the Marvel’s Spider-Man series is so great.
A Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Venom Chase Could Have Made Him Even Scarier
There is a moment near the end of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 where it feels like players are about to see another big reverse chase sequence, with Peter taunting Venom and asking him to chase him throughout New York City. Instead of letting gamers play out this chase, though, it happens off-screen, with another MJ mission happening instead. While the final MJ gameplay segment is fun, many fans would have loved to play as Peter as he tries to get away from Venom, and moments that cut away from the MJ gameplay to show part of that chase could have been a fun way to offer both experiences.
MJ could have periodically asked Peter how he is doing with keeping Venom distracted, with players then playing out a segment where they are dodging projectiles as Peter and the camera is facing behind him like in the Miles Morales Lizard sequence. Brief skirmishes could tease the big fight that is right around the corner, with players hitting Venom a few times or engaging in a QTE to stun him so that they can run off. The chase could even be made more special via a stealth section, with Peter luring Venom into a building and needing to hide while he hunts him down. This could have kept fans on the edge of their seats, especially if Venom was undetectable by Spider-Sense like in the comics. A horror sequence where Venom climbs walls and Peter needs to hide for a certain amount of time could have been a fun payoff to the chase, making Venom scarier and more memorable overall.
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.
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
