Following the incredible success of the first two entries in the series, expectations are high for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Many are interest to see how Insomniac Games will utilize the power of the PS5, while others are excited about the gameplay possibilities that could come from having two Spider-Men to play as. Some fans are also focused on the story and the potential of the Symbiote and Venom.
While it remains to be seen if the Symbiote will attach itself to Peter Parker in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and if it will be on him for long if the two do bond, a lot could be done with a corrupt Peter. Forcing Miles to take done his mentor could lead to an emotional finale, though how Insomniac builds to that potential end point could be just as memorable. To make the Symbiote even more integral to the narrative, Insomniac should play around with the Infamous series’ Karma system.
Infamous’ Karma System Explained
For those unfamiliar with the Infamous franchise, Sucker Punch’s superhero series was a standout IP during the PS3 and PS4 generations. While Sony may be working with iconic heroes from the Marvel universe now, many loved wielding Delsin’s diverse powers and watching Cole’s story play out. One standout aspect of Infamous was the Karma system, which influenced several aspects of the games.
By making different moral decisions throughout the Infamous titles, players would see the story change around them. This influenced the reactions of friendly NPCs during cutscenes as well as the eventual endings of the games, though it led to other changes as well. Different powers could be unlocked through good or bad Karma, while Cole and Delsin’s clothing and appearances would also change depending on their moral alignment. These features could be an excellent addition to the next entry in Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man series.
How Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Could Use a Karma System
One way to use Karma in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 would be through Symbiote abilities. If the parasite latches onto Peter Parker, he could gain a whole new set of powers. Using these attacks could make combat significantly easier, but the abilities could come with a downside of being extremely lethal. While Spider-Man normally never kills, the suit’s influence could push him to break that rule, something that could have a major impact on how the story plays out. The Karma system could also see Peter’s Symbiote suit evolving, slowly becoming more alien-like the more players use the deadly abilities.
While Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 fans can embrace a bad Karma playthrough to continue getting stronger, wielding Symbiote powers could set players on the path of a bad ending. Peter’s relationship with MJ could slowly fall apart, Miles could become jaded and less interested in heroism after seeing Peter’s downfall, and Peter himself could become a villain. Instead of Spider-Man escaping from the Symbiote’s grasp near the end of the game, Miles could be forced to beat him down and have him sent to the Raft.
By giving players the opportunity to use or resist Symbiote abilities, Insomniac would be letting them experience exactly what Peter is feeling. While Symbiote-related powers would surely be cool and tempting to use in a fight, doing so would be morally wrong and would set the friendly neighborhood hero on a dark path. The game could be more difficult without these abilities, too, making them even more appealing. By asking players to resist using them, the good ending would actually need to be earned instead of being given out automatically. With gamers having a reason to replay the story if such a system were in place, as they would have another ending to strive for and exclusive abilities to use, an Infamous-like morality system has a lot of potential.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is scheduled to release in 2023 on PS5.
