Summary
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 juggles dual protagonists, open world exploration, and sequel duties, teasing Green Goblin's appearance.
- The missed opportunity to introduce Dr. Curtis Connors earlier in the series harms narrative coherence and character development.
- Marvel's Spider-Man 3 must capitalize on world-building potential, rich lore, and story connections for a stronger narrative.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has a lot on its plate as it juggles two playable protagonists, an open world brimming with content, and sequel duties such as continued character developments and closure for story-related cliffhangers. Now, the elephant in the room is the tease of Green Goblin Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 perpetuates. But taking a look back on previous references, Easter eggs, and teases it also seems that Marvel’s Spider-Man may have been able to take advantage of early world-building potential and those avenues unfortunately went nowhere.
Nearly all of Peter Parker and Dr. Otto Octavius’ throughline consists of the two scientists pledging themselves to the design of a prosthesis. It’s presumed that this is a prototype that would eventually be mass-manufactured and distributed if designed successfully, but the fact that they’re developing an inorganic limb at all opened up a rare opportunity that no other scientific endeavor would have. Since Dr. Curtis Connors is missing an arm, Insomniac could’ve dove at the chance to have him be a prosthesis recipient and given him a surprising reveal in the middle of Marvel’s Spider-Man’s main campaign.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 Doesn’t Have to Look Far for the Perfect Green Goblin Blueprint
The Marvel's Spider-Man series has teased Green Goblin since its debut and one of its most recent boss fights is already an ideal template.
Marvel’s Spider-Man’s Dr. Curtis Connors Should’ve Been Revealed a Whole Game Earlier
It actually harms the narrative by having Dr. Curtis Connors suddenly appear in Miles Morales’ post-credits scene and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 proper because it isn’t made readily clear why he wouldn’t be imprisoned in the Raft with all of Spider-Man’s other classic adversaries or kept under meticulous surveillance otherwise. That said, this isn’t impossible to suspend disbelief for.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 does demonstrate that villains such as Quentin Beck’s Mysterio or Lonnie Lincoln’s Tombstone have been successfully reformed and shuffled back into society; plus, despite most of Marvel’s Spider-Man’s imprisoned and soon-to-be Sinister Six appearing at the ESU Halloween campus event (partygoers portraying them, anyway), Dr. Delaney terrorizes the dance floor as the Lizard, suggesting that Connors couldn’t have been perceived as that big of a threat for quite some time.
Regardless, having Connors appear in Marvel’s Spider-Man as a prosthetic recipient would’ve allowed Insomniac to illustrate his relationships with Peter, Octavius, and Norman Osborn all in a single room. Of course, Peter and Otto’s benevolent ambitions were put on display by having a possible recipient be a veteran amputee—one of many that Octavius likely would’ve manufactured arms for if it wasn’t for Norman—and that was equally lovely from a narrative standpoint.
Plus, the veteran, Lance Corporal James Texidor, is seemingly inspired by a real-life person, which gives resonant weight to the role.
It’s true that Marvel’s Spider-Man had a lot to juggle, too, but as a formative entry it deserved to debut Connors earlier. Instead, Connors shows up randomly as an associate of Norman’s in Miles Morales and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 allows spectacular Lizard set pieces to eclipse his mild-mannered alter ego. Therefore, without much else to him being depicted, Connors himself feels like a throwaway character who’s simply a vessel for his much more interesting and reptilian counterpart when both personas could’ve been proportionately compelling.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 Can’t Let Opportunities for Rich Lore and Story Connections Pass It by
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 could’ve been stronger narratively if Connors had already been introduced in the first entry. Thankfully, the sequel has laid out a framework for multiple future antagonists in the series, such as Carnage, Chameleon, and Green Goblin.
If there are any threads employing a known character who could contribute fun world-building and lore, Marvel’s Spider-Man 3—as well as Marvel’s Wolverine and whatever other Marvel games Insomniac has in the oven—needs to make those connections early so its canon is richer. A worst-case scenario now would be if Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 is literally a “final chapter” as Octavius potentially alludes to because that would mean the franchise’s continuity may be shuttering and render any Easter eggs, references, and teases in it superficial if they aren’t meant to lead to anything thereafter.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
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.
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Franchise
- Spider-Man
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
- How Long To Beat
- 17 hours
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
