A fan has created a concept video to showcase a character-switching gameplay mechanic in the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2, showcasing how playable Venom could work. Since its initial trailer revealed both Peter Parker and Miles Morales fighting crime side-by-side, many fans have speculated that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 would have multiple protagonists. There have even been suggestions that Venom could join Miles and Peter as playable characters, given the anti-hero's long history of playable appearances in previous Marvel games.
Whereas the first Marvel's Spider-Man allowed players to take control of Mary Jane and a non-superpowered Miles Morales, they were in scripted, stealth-heavy sequences at specific points in the game. Despite progressing the story and giving players an insight into how it feels to be a more vulnerable character in certain events within the Insomniac's Marvel Universe, these sequences were criticized for breaking up the super-powered gameplay as Peter Parker, as some players felt it slowed down the pacing of the overall story. Insomniac didn't bring these sequences back in its 2020 follow-up, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, focusing primarily on Miles Morales as Spider-Man facing off against Tinkerer, as he learns what it means to be a hero.
YouTuber TeaserPlay, who is known for their fan-made concept videos in Unreal Engine 5 for franchises such as Grand Theft Auto and Assassin's Creed, has imagined a system for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 that is reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto 5's character switching. This mechanic would enable players to quickly swap between both Peter and Miles' Spider-Men and Venom in the same way Rockstar allowed players to swap between Franklin, Michael, and Trevor. Upon selecting a character, an animation shows a camera moving through New York City and finding the selected character before allowing the player to take control.
Venom Has Been Playable In Games Before Marvel's Spider-Man 2
It's unsurprising that fans are keen to play as Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, as the character has had a long history in gaming. From the 1990s 2D side-scrollers Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage and its sequel Separation Anxiety, to 2005's open-world Ultimate Spider-Man, players have been able to control Eddie Brock's symbiote alter ego on numerous occasions. The character is confirmed to appear in Marvel's Midnight Suns later this year, but those who are feeling nostalgic for the free-roaming gameplay of Ultimate Spider-Man are hopeful that they'll be able to cause similar levels of destruction in Insomniac's take on Manhattan.
Whether Insomniac implements a similar mechanic to TeaserPlay's concept is yet to be seen. Other than Marvel's Spider-Man 2's reveal trailer and news from the developers that the title will be taking a darker tone than its predecessors, official information surrounding the upcoming sequel is still scarce. Fans hopefully won't have to wait long to find out more, as a Disney & Marvel Games Showcase is due to take place later this week in tandem with the D23 Expo on September 9.
Source: TeaserPlay/YouTube