The May 2023 PlayStation Showcase came and went with new IPs, sequels and reboots (like Bungie’s Marathon, a pleasant surprise). But everyone who saw it live came because of one thing: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2… and as the last game in the showcase, it was a huge hit. Finally, with new information after two years of nothing, here’s what we learned from the gameplay reveal.
New VillainsWho doesn’t try to kill Spider-Man?
The initial announcement confirmed Kraven and Venom, but the trailer also revealed that Lizard will also be part of the main cast. I’ve also seen that Yuri Watanabe will be Wraith, judging by the small tablet that one of Kraven’s henchmen gives him. There could be more villains involved in the game, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Peter will have the black suit. Embrace the dark
That was a given considering Venom is in the game, and it looks great (excuse the pun). It reminds me a lot of ’90s Spider-Man: The Animated Series in both style and the way Yuri Lowenthal acts, giving Pete a gruff voice and angrier demeanor. And if you look at that, he uses a lot of tentacles in his fight, like in Spider-Man: Web of Shadows. Hopefully this isn’t just a simple combat upgrade, it’s also about giving Peter some new puzzle-solving skills.
Character change Spider-Men
You play in the game as both Peter and Miles, each with their own abilities and skill trees. Given the power of the PlayStation 5 and the capabilities of Insomniac Games, given what they’ve accomplished with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and all that dimension shift, it’ll probably only take a second in real time.
New Traversal OpportunitiesLike the speed of light, they arrive just in time
Web Wings, included as a collectible in the first Marvel’s Spider-Man, were designed entirely for Miles and Peter’s in-game use, allowing them to glide around the city in addition to their web-slinging. It also looks like you can walk through rings to increase speed. We can also throw ourselves with two sticks, like in the Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3 video games.
New gadgets and skills, new toys, new powers, still the same kicks
Shown primarily in the Miles portion of the trailer, we see a new webline-shaped device to walk along, the ability to stealthily take out two enemies at once, and new Venom Strike attacks that can be used to take down multiple villains at once. It also looks like they’ve changed the control scheme, allowing you to use eight abilities at any one time by simply pressing one of the bumpers and a face button.
QueensBe there or be honest!
It turned out that in addition to Manhattan, Queens is also a suitable area to explore. It looks like there will be a lot of low buildings and houses, making the use of point launches much more important.
With marketing likely gaining momentum, more information about Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be revealed in the near future. So stay tuned for more information.
