Highlights
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 introduces both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as playable characters, making for thrilling gameplay and unique scenarios.
- The concept of two Spider-Men working together opens up the possibility for a co-op adventure, which could be a game-changer for the superhero genre.
- Insomniac has built the perfect template for a co-op superhero game, and it's time for someone to tap into that potential and create an exciting new experience for fans of the character, though games like Gotham Knights offer some points of contention it would have to avoid.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has not only further built out Insomniac's Marvel universe but has also put two Spider-Men front and center. After being introduced in the original and further developed in his own spin-off, Miles Morales officially joins Peter Parker for a brand-new high-stakes adventure in New York City. Because of this, players are able to control both of them via a GTA 5-like system, which works out spectacularly. However, the entire concept may have been a bit better if it had opened up to more players.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a single-player adventure that was well worth the wait, and there is really no reason to change that. That being said, the concept of two Spideys working alongside each other sounds like the perfect scenario for a new co-op adventure. While there may be no elements of multiplayer within the game, the entire concept feels tailor-made for an experience like that, so hopefully someone will consider making one.
Spider-Man 2 Has the Perfect Set-Up for Co-Op
Marvel's Spider-Man focused entirely on Peter Parker's journey as the titular character. At one point in the story, players get to see Miles Morales get bit by a spider and slowly discover his own Spidey-like abilities. Because of that, he then headlined his very own spin-off game that let players see him take the mantle of Spider-Man. But the two of them would not really work side-by-side much until Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Now that they have, Insomniac needs to take the concept to the next level.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 follows Peter and Miles as they work together to save the city from Kraven the Hunter. Since they are both here, players can actually play as both of them, which makes for some thrilling gameplay and many unique scenarios. It also lets Insomniac tell a type of Spidey story that does not often get told as very few adaptations include the two characters alongside each other. That all leads to a pretty great experience that fans of the hero will not soon forget. And yet, it could be so much more if given the chance.
Now that there are two Spider-Men leading this franchise, it may be time for Insomniac to consider adding a form of co-op. Players should be able to control the two titular characters together in a future mainline or spin-off adventure. Already, the game has both of them fighting alongside each other, so all that is missing is for each to be controlled by someone. This could lead to an exciting new superhero adventure that fans would likely flock to. Plus, it may be exactly what the superhero genre needs right now.
Both Marvel and DC have been trying to get a co-op superhero game off the ground, but neither have succeeded. Marvel's Avengers was supposed to be this massive new live-service experience, Gotham Knights let players be the Bat Family together, and the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League looks to be a live-service title as well, but the trailers have left much to be desired. While all of these games are falling flat with audiences, Insomniac has built the perfect template that needs to be tapped into. That said, Gotham Knights did offer what a two-player Spider-Man game could look like in an open world, and therefore one would need to work to avoid the same mistakes.
The focus of the Marvel's Spider-Man series should still be on single-player adventures. However, that does not mean that a co-op title is out of the question. Swinging through the streets of New York City alongside friends just sounds like a recipe for success, so hopefully someone will consider making something like that at some point. As long as it matches the quality of these games, then it could be the perfect treat for fans of the character.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is available now on PS5.
