Summary
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2certainly has twists in its narrative that are difficult to predict, such as how the symbiote plays a much larger role in the story and leads to an actual symbiote invasion spread throughout New York City. That was perhaps its most substantial surprise because while fans knew Venom would beMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s main antagonist, it was unclear what the third act would look like when he finally appeared. Still,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2actually did wear its story on its sleevein the sequel’s pre-release marketing and that gave fans a great idea of how events would play out for the most part.
Once Martin Li was revealed, for example, it was clear thatMiles’ part in the sequelwould revolve around that conflict and him finding some sort of closure. Harry being revealed and how he was woven into the story trailer guaranteed that he’d be the one bonding with the symbiote to become Venom, too, if that wasn’t already an obvious presumption fans had come to by seeing him bonded with it in the stasis tank two games before. However, the point of the story that truly failed to subvert expectations was when Kraven stabs Peter and the player is meant to think that he could have possibly met his end then and there.
Peter’s Death wasn’t Believable Since He Hadn’t Worn the Black Suit Yet
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Transparency Meant Its Peter Couldn’t Be Killed Off Early
It’s unclear if Peter did legitimately succumb to the fatal stab wound and the symbiote was able to revive him, or if the symbiote merged with Peter in time to prevent his death and eventually discard the massive blade still somehow lodged in his body. Either way, the scene where Peter collapses and is unconscious before Harry and Mary Jane isn’t believable as his actual death because he hadn’t received the symbiote himself yet.
The initial gameplay reveal Insomniac shared forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2included symbiote-suit gameplaywith an enraged Peter in Queens before he and Miles pursue the Lizard, and none of this had happened yet. Peter indeed needed to be struck with some ailment or injury in order for the symbiote to latch onto him, but treating it like a fake-out death caused the beat to lose any impact it could’ve had.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the Latest Game to Obscure Spoilers in Marketing
That said, games have been known to purposefully alter or fabricate sequences in pre-release marketing as a red herring to divert fans’ predictions of what could happen, such as that Lizard pursuit in question having a different introduction when gameplay switches to Miles—at no point inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2do players ever press a button within a cutscene to swap characters, for instance.
Rather,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2lying to players about having a black-suited Spider-Man with a completely new suite of abilities would’ve been egregious and absurd, making it impossible to fully suspect that Peter was dead. Peter then instantly recovers when the symbiote abandons Harry for him and players are finally treated to alluring symbiote powers.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Didn’t Pull Its Punches with Killing Antagonists
Now, if Peter was to die later in the game that may have been interesting and unexpected, but instead it’s Kraven who dies as his head is gruesomely and unceremoniously eaten. HavingVulture, Scorpion, Electro, and Shockerall murdered was alarming and exciting, though, and showed how there were still surprises that Insomniac had in store.
Most of these deaths aren’t seen and are only learned about when stealthily perusing the hunters’ lair as MJ, as well as Rhino’s death only supposedly being true due toan out-of-bounds Easter eggof his horned head on a mantle. So while Peter was never going to die at the hands of Kraven in the middle of the story, Insomniac made sure that a lot of characters who’d overstayed their welcome were written out indefinitely.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.Explore an expansive Marvel’s New York with faster web-swinging and the all-new Web Wings, quickly switching between Peter and Miles to experience different stories, epic new abilities and high-tech gear.Wield Peter’s symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric powers in battle against new and iconic Marvel Super Villains – including an original take on a symbiote-infused Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and more from the Marvel Rogues’ Gallery.
