Warning: Spoilers ahead for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.In a surprising turn of events, many Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 players have turned on the game, with the series’ main subreddit and other social media platforms filled with posts about the critically acclaimed game being a disappointment. The complaints range from non-issues like Peter and MJ’s face models to overblown controversies like Miles Morales’ Evolved Suit, though among all the nonsense some legitimate complaints can be found. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s new game plus update will aim to address complaints like a lack of replayable content, though another big criticism will surely go uncorrected: Venom’s lack of screen time:
The hulking Symbiote may have shined when he did appear in the story of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, with his gameplay segment being particularly great, but he did not interact with the friendly neighborhood heroes all that much. This has led many to argue that it felt like the final act of the game was rushed, and though it is unclear if that was the case behind the scenes, the lack of Venom remains one of the biggest complaints from fans. While his Kraven interaction, final boss fight, and playable section all shine, only 10% of Tony Todd’s dialogue being used says a lot about how little Venom featured. However, even if players are disappointed by the character’s limited screentime, Doc Ock’s role in the first game shows that this is a pattern for Insomniac.
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Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Use Their Villains in a Similar Way
Doc Ock Also Had Limited Screentime in Marvel’s Spider-Man
When looking at how Insomniac Games used Doctor Octopus, players will likely see a trend of sorts where the final villain is only around for a few missions. In the original Marvel’s Spider-Man, Otto Octavius is present throughout the game, and his frustration with Norman Osborn as well as his condition are simmering under the surface before they eventually push him to snap. When the proper tentacle-wielding Doctor Octopus does finally debut, he throws around Peter alongside the Sinister Six and then moves into the background until the scenes just before his final boss fight. Given how little the “true villain” of Marvel’s Spider-Man featured, it is odd that players were caught so off guard by Venom’s lack of screentime.
To be clear, it is entirely fine for players to be frustrated and let down that Venom had a smaller role than they had hoped, but the original Marvel’s Spider-Man deserves that same criticism if players are bothered by the approach. Just like with players watching Otto descend into villainy, they get to see Harry’s struggles throughout the game before he finally bonds with the Symbiote. Though this late payoff means players do not get to see much of Venom, the transformation itself is strong because Insomniac Games takes it slow and properly builds up to that moment. At the same time, it means that Kraven is the main threat for a majority of the game, just like Mr. Negative was in the original title.
Fortunately for Venom fans, the massive Insomniac leak confirmed that a solo title is in the works, and it will supposedly be around the same length as Miles Morales . This spin-off could make use of Tony Todd’s other dialogue and address any complaints about Venom being underused.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 Will Likely Not Have Any Villain Problems
With some players clearly disliking that the game’s most exciting villain is only around for the last few hours of the story, Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 should aim to address this complaint. Fortunately, it already seems poised to do just that given its two main villains. First, there is Norman Osborn, who is expected to become Green Goblin in the sequel. Since he has been built up slowly across the first two mainline games, and even Miles Morales’ post credits scene, his transformation can happen early in the story instead of occurring too late. Additionally, Doc Ock, the other main villain teased for the game, does not require any more setup since that was already done in the original game. Though Insomniac taking the time to build up its villains may have led to them feeling underused in their initial appearances, now it will be able to come out swinging and give them plenty of time to shine in their next appearances.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
The sequel to 2018's Spider-Man and its Miles Morales spin-off, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a PS5 console exclusive. Insomniac's open-world game features Peter Parker and Miles Morales as dual protagonists, with the two heroes going up against the likes of Kraven, Venom, and Lizard.
