Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has a clear pathway to success, as Insomniac Games nailed the core mechanics in its first two games based on the hero. Assuming that the developer expands on everything that worked in the franchise’s earlier entries, and the story being told about Venom and Kraven The Hunter meets expectations, fans could end up with a sequel that surpasses the already-great original.
Alongside a fresh lineup of villains and expected content like side missions and unlockable suits, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will surely feature some new things to do inside its open world. While it is unclear what Insomniac will add to make its latest version of New York feel special and full of things to do, it should consider incorporating the collectible comic books from the tie-in game based on The Amazing Spider-Man.
Why The Amazing Spider-Man’s Comics Deserve To Return
While The Amazing Spider-Man games were repetitive and mediocre, the first one did offer some excellent collectibles. These came in the form of comic books, or rather comic pages. Players could swing through the city collecting 700 pages, with players unlocking comic books after a certain number of pages were collected. Players would unlock a book at 5 pages, another at 15, and so on. 10 books could be unlocked in total, with players able to read each issue in its entirety.
This was an excellent reward for Spider-Man fans, as it gave them something meaningful after all their collecting. Once players complete Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s story, they will likely be in the mood for more Spidey-themed content. While they could turn to other video games or the many live action films starring the hero, they could also look to the comics. If this collectible type returned, players could read some of the hero’s best stories in the game’s menus, with no need to purchase the books or track down free copies of them online.
A neat touch tied to the collectible comic books was that they all featured characters integral to The Amazing Spider-Man universe. Players would read books that featured The Lizard or Gwen Stacy, with other characters that featured in the tie-in game focused on as well. This allowed players to explore the history of the characters they got to know through the game, which could be hugely beneficial for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Players could get to collect and read pages from the iconic Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline, while other comics could show them different versions of Venom, such as Agent Venom and Anti-Venom. This could give newcomers insight into characters they may have met for the first time in the game, while longtime fans can easily compare Insomniac’s versions of the villains to the ones featured in the comics. Players could also get a comic-inspired suit like the Vintage outfit from the first Marvel’s Spider-Man game once all the comics have been collected.
This is not to say that the collectibles in Marvel’s Spider-Man have not been great so far, as the lore-filled backpacks from the original game are as good as collectibles can get. While those should return, some readable comics should be included alongside them. The pages could be added after the story is finished so that the open world does not feel cluttered, giving players an endgame activity that gives them a reason to swing through the city for a bit longer. With both Miles Morales and Peter Parker set to feature in the sequel, Insomniac has no shortage of comics to transform into collectible items.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is scheduled to release in 2023 on PS5.
