Highlights

  • Insomniac's Venom game will play differently from the Spider-Man titles, focusing on the brutality and viciousness of the character in traversal, combat, and missions.
  • The traditional opening mission trend from the Spider-Man games will likely be omitted in the Venom game, as it needs to establish context for the Symbiote and its connection to the host.
  • Instead of starting with a major battle, the Venom game could have a slow burn opening, gradually ramping up the tension as the Venom transformation becomes imminent, allowing players to experience the destructive force of Venom.

Last year's Insomniac Games leak revealed a number of projects currently in development, including a game called Venom: Lethal Protector, which will presumably take place in the Marvel's Spider-Man universe. Assuming that the games share the same continuity, and understanding that Venom is indeed being developed by Insomniac, there are a handful of trends and features that can be safely assumed to appear in-game. However, given the premise, a few departures from Marvel's Spider-Man tradition are unavoidable.

Insomniac's Venom game will likely play very differently from the Marvel's Spider-Man titles. Whereas the Spider-Man games are focused on the titular character's iconic, elegant swinging and graceful, non-lethal combat, Venom will naturally need to take a different approach. Even if Venom is portrayed in a more heroic light in this game, the brutality and viciousness of the character will no doubt shine through in the traversal, combat, and mission structure. Time will tell just how different Venom will be from the Spider-Man games, but at least one traditional, early-game mission type from the Marvel's Spider-Man games will likely be omitted.

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Spider-Man's Opening Mission Trend Will Have To Be Changed in the Venom Game

Insomniac's Approach to Spider-Man Tutorial Missions

All three Insomniac-helmed Spider-Man games kick off in remarkably similar fashion: Marvel's Spider-Man opens with a showdown between Peter Parker and Kingpin, the Miles Morales half-sequel starts with a Rhino fight, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is initiated by a bombastic setpiece featuring a fully powered Sandman. These opening missions serve as introductions to the narrative and world, but they also serve as tutorials, showing players the ropes of web-swinging and combat within a fast-paced narrative context.

At this point, this style of mission can be considered a tradition, and the next Marvel's Spider-Man game will likely get the ball rolling in kind. These openings work well, as they are exciting, effective as tutorials, and give players an on-the-fly update on the state of New York City and Spider-Man's life. That said, fans probably shouldn't expect something similar for the Venom game, as Insomniac will have to take a different approach to its design and overall structure.

Why the Traditional Marvel's Spider-Man Opening Mission Won't Work for Venom

Spider-Man 2 ends with the apparent destruction of the Symbiote, but the leaked existence of the Venom game means that the entity is likely still kicking around somewhere. With that said, Insomniac will have to address what really happened to the Symbiote, who is currently infected with it, and how the connection between Symbiote and host comes about. Thus, throwing players directly into a major battle probably won't work, as the game needs to establish crucial context first.

The opening mission tradition perhaps could be kept if Venom was to begin with a playable Spider-Man , or if it featured a flash-forward, but these options could make for a jarring experience.

What Insomniac's Venom Game Could Do Instead of an Opening Villain Fight

Since the Venom game probably won't start with a dramatic battle against a legacy villain, Insomniac is in a unique position to shake up its structural conventions. Instead of starting as a loud and intense fight, perhaps Venom's opening could be more of a slow burn, starting with a grounded premise and slowly ramping up the tension as it becomes clear that the Venom transformation is imminent. Then, the game can have an inversion of the Marvel's Spider-Man openings, with the player serving as the destructive force.

The Venom: Lethal Protector game will need to be built around establishing the host's identity and background. Even if Venom is Eddie Brock, as the Lethal Protector name suggests, Insomniac has to introduce this rendition of the character while showing how he becomes Venom. To best accomplish this, a move away from the style of opening mission present in the first three Marvel's Spider-Man games is probably advisable.