Multiple movies, animated films/shows, games, and comics have been released over the last decade and a half centered around our beloved web-slinger Spider-Man. Each of them had aspects that people loved and disliked. One thing that most fans of Spidey can agree on is the quality that’s come from Insomniac Games. The most recent addition to the web-crawler game saga was Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which became a huge hit. Fans loved what the studio did with two Spider-Men in one story and how they capitalized on the upgraded technology inside the PlayStation 5. With all the positive receptions of released titles and hype for a Spider-Man 3 game, can the studio give us another hit?
[Warning: Spoilers from Marvel’s Spider-Man games are below!]
The story for Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 may be the biggest challenge yet for Insomniac
There is a rich narrative universe in the previous three games from Insomniac, inspired by decades of comic book lore. The stage has been set for Peter Parker (Yuri Lowenthal) and Miles Morales (Nadji Jeter) to face new challenges. With Miles as the main Spider-Man in New York City, things in the Big Apple will undoubtedly change.
Peter will likely focus on his science work and eventually start a family with Mary Jane (Laura Bailey). But in some situations, Peter might come to the aid of Miles. Spider-Man 3 could focus on further developing the story that should be revealed in upcoming DLCs for the second Spider-Man game.
First, there are the arcs of Carnage or Spider-verse being included and hopefully, we will see the outcome of events that take place in the future. The main villains of the third game should most likely be Norman Osborn/Green Goblin (Mark Rolston), Otto Octavius/Doc Ock (William Salyers), and other villains we’ve already met.
After what happened to Harry (Graham Phillips), Norman will do everything to save his son and get revenge on Spider-Man for detaching the symbiote from him. Revenge will consume him, and he will try to develop a goblin serum to cure Harry. But first, Norman will test the serum on himself to check if it works. From there he’ll gain his powers and his mind will collapse into madness.
Octavius failed at his task to spread a virus and humiliate Norman, but Octavius won’t be able to stop himself from getting back his iconic arms. Possible other members of the new Sinister Six are Chameleon, Beetle, and two more characters that should be teased in DLCs. Who knows, maybe we’ll even get to see Knull as part of this roster of villains.
The symbiotic relationship between Peter and Venom (Tony Todd) served as the central plot point of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. This culminated in a climactic showdown that left players on the edge of their seats. As the story unfolds in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3, we’ll see the repercussions of these events play out, with consequences that will shape the future of New York City. Especially that Anti-Symbiote that is still bonded with Peter. One thing I hope for is that Anti-Venom won’t be used to kill off Peter, just like it did to his “partners” in comics.
It’s likely that Peter will still be haunted by what happened, and it will be his motivation to let Spider-Man rest, at least for most of the time. There will be many villains to fight, and Miles won’t be able to defeat them alone. Mary Jane will continue her path as a reporter, and she’ll become more famous. Possibly, even more famous than J. Jonah Jameson (Bob Joles) or Danika Hart (Ashly Burch).
As for Miles, we’ll see him struggling to balance his everyday duties by being Spider-Man and a college student. His relationship with Hailey (Natasha Ofili) will be more explored, which will add more depth to his character. Especially after everything, the losses he suffered in Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
One thing that is uncertain at this point is the return of Mr. Negative (Stephen Oyoung). I hope he’ll return and redeem himself more, but it’s also possible that with what happened in the Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 we may never see him again. This would be a shame. I’d love to see Miles and Negative team up again after everything that happened, and add more to Miles’ character development.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 story may be the introduction of new characters and storylines that will further expand the game’s universe. As of now, there is plenty of speculation about whether we’ll get to see more heroes in this universe, such as Daredevil, Wolverine, or maybe even some Avengers. If we see them, then it might be a tease that more games are in the works, with focus on other characters.
I wouldn’t be surprised if people working on the third title also decided to add more Spider-verse connections to make the world of this game more developed, yet still keep the focus on our heroes. We’ll just have to wait for more information, which should be revealed soon.
Gameplay in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 could add more uniqueness
One of the key elements that players can expect from Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 is the continuation of the still-evolving and unique gameplay mechanics that have been established throughout the series. Web-wings and other upgrades will be kept, but they’ll be reworked to serve a better and more unique purpose.
What I’d love to see in Spider-Man 3 is more combos, finishers, and powers/gadgets. What we got last time was an obvious upgrade, but still, we need to feel like combat is not repetitive after a long time.
The same goes for the web-swinging mechanic, which is harder to improve than it seems. One of the solutions could be the option to choose for players for a so-called “Swinging Speed”, where we’d choose how fast our web-swinging could be. That way we’d be able to pick our favorite traversal form and not rely on Fast Travel. Of course, part of it would be adding varying acrobatics and rare animations to make it even more appealing to the eye.
Exploring the Possibilities for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 DLC
Another aspect that fans are eagerly anticipating is the inclusion of new suits and gadgets for Spider-Man to unlock and customize. From classic costumes inspired by the comics to original designs created specifically for the game, the ability to customize Spider-Man’s appearance and abilities has always been a highlight of the series. Especially with the newly added palette of colors for some of the suits in Spider-Man 2. Players can expect even more options to choose from, allowing them to tailor their experience to suit their play style and preferences.
As a huge fan of Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man, I want to see Spider-Man with a fireman hat or a backpack to connect it more to the movie’s alternate suits he had. The same goes for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man suits or other suits known from the comics/games. What we should get to make our experience even better is the option to customize as many things as possible to make our experience even more immersive and exceptional. Just imagine if you’d be able to create your own Spider-Man suit in the end, that you want Miles Morales or Peter Parker to use.
Possible environment and open-world additions for NYC and beyond
In the first teaser trailer for Marvel’s Spider-Man back in the day, we could see Spider-Man parkouring through the cafeteria to catch the bad guys. But it never happened. So interacting with the environment and visiting more places internally (not only during missions as a civilian) is definitely a way to go for the next game.
In terms of exploring and entering different buildings, the option would have to be either restricted to going into certain buildings like cafes, police, and more. Using the ultimate power of Playstation 5, it’s possible to do this, but I’m afraid there would have to be some cuts first.
We could get an ever bigger map or maybe different regions we can travel to. Perhaps this happens with some help from Doctor Strange or Wong, who now owe us for preventing the theft of one of their artifacts. That way we can go to different parts of not only New York City but anywhere in the world.
All in all, Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 is one of those games, that are high up on my hype list, even well before it’s announced. While I’m already satisfied with what we’ve got from Insomniac Games, I’m sure they can do more with these characters, and I trust them to do so.
If you haven’t played through them yet, check out Insomniac’s website where you can purchase Spider-Man 2 for PlayStation 5! Have you played the Spider-Man games from Insomniac? Which was your favorite? Let us know at @mycosmiccircus on social media or join The Cosmic Circus Discord to chat about the games and more!
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