Highlights
- Marvel's Spider-Man didn't take many risks with the redesign of its characters, particularly its villains, resulting in a lack of originality.
- Electro's modern look in the game is arguably underwhelming compared to his classic costume.
- If Electro returns as a villain, it would be necessary for him to have a more intricate and considered costume that better reflects his character.
Marvel’s Spider-Man didn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel when it came to its characters’ looks, nor did it need to. Spider-Man iconography is embedded in decades of rich history, and toying with that too much could’ve been disastrous for the new franchise. Some fans were fairly unnerved by Spider-Man’s large white spider insignia, for example, and that was a relatively tame reinterpretation compared to what Insomniac could’ve chosen. Marvel’s Spider-Man’s villains received even fewer changes to their default looks, though these ‘modern’ designs were lacking in originality as a result.
These designs, again, weren’t poorly conceived. But to render them all in a basic armored aesthetic was hardly original. Characters like Rhino, Vulture, and Scorpion still had their traditional aesthetics, but were simply wrapped in colored armor. However, Electro was failed by this modern armor aesthetic since it wouldn’t make sense to adorn him in an armored bodysuit like his other Sinister Six counterparts, such as how Mr. Negative also got away with not wearing one. Instead, Electro was left with an elementary look that should be rectified in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 or the franchise afterward.
Marvel’s Spider-Man’s Electro Has an Underwhelming Modern Look
Electro probably has one of the more divisive classic costumes out of anyone in Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery, and that’s largely due to the cowl he wears that features electricity sparking outward from his face. This aesthetic married to a yellow-and-green color palette certainly isn’t the most intimidating attire an antagonist could wear, but it is certainly distinct.
Either way, it is arguable that this classic costume, which is even seen during Marvel’s Spider-Man’s ESU Halloween party, is a better look than the one that the actual Electro has in the game. To be fair, Electro doesn’t seem to get a say in what his new look would be since Otto Octavius manufactures the Sinister Six’s armor for their breakout at the Raft. Still, it is wildly uncreative as a simple vest. Mr. Negative is only in a dress suit—granted it is one with colors that can warp inversely—but that still stands out positively in the game because it feels more dynamic than another suit of armor.
Electro’s single saving grace in Marvel’s Spider-Man is that he has scarring on his face that resembles his old mask’s electricity, and that is definitely a fun design choice. If Electro returns as a villain at some point in the Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise, it would be necessary for him to swap the simple vest for a much more intricate costume, or at least one that is more considered. This one appearance may also be the only time fans see him as a villain, too, since his potential in a boss fight seems somewhat tapped at this point unless he evolves or receives another boost of power elsewhere.
Even leaving Electro’s face unmasked so his scarring is still visible would be preferred, but him basically being in civilian clothes was underwhelming, especially with regard to the upgrades that his fellow Raft inmates received. Electro hasn’t ever truly had incredible costume designs in general, with some of his more recent ones leaving him blue and stark naked, but this should give Insomniac an opportunity to push forward with that innovation and give him a look that could potentially be intimidating if not interesting.
Marvel’s Spider-Man is out now on PS4 and PS5.
