Major Spoilers Ahead for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2Despite debuting all the way back in 1962, Spider-Man is still the world’s most popular superhero, and that doesn’t seem like it’s going to change anytime soon. A constant of movies, animated movies, TV shows, and video games for years now, Spider-Man has always been incredibly popular with audiences of all ages, and that’s led to a ton of great projects over the years. And whileSpider-Man video gamesare a bit of a mixed bag, it seems like Insomniac’s really nailed the formula for success, withMarvel’s Spider-Man 2being yet another huge hit for the developer.
WhileMarvel’s Spider-Man 2isn’t quite perfect, it’s objectively a great game, and subjectively the best Spider-Man game fans have ever gotten when all is said and done. But whileMarvel’s Spider-Man 2offers the most satisfying combat, web-swinging, and character relationships of any Spidey game, not all of its ideas are wholly original, with a handful of mechanics and plot beats seemingly being inspired by past Spider-Man video games - and there’s one title in particular thatSpider-Man 2pays great homage to in its final moments.
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How Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Pays Homage to Web of Shadows
Spider-Man: Web of Shadowsis one of the most divisive Spidey games ever made. Released in 2008,Spider-Man: Web of Shadowsreceived an incredibly mixed reception upon its debut, with both fans and critics alike seemingly being split down the middle on whether the game was good or not. On one side of the camp, many fans hatedWeb of Shadows' corny dialogue, the rushed story, the floaty combat and web-swinging, and the laughably bad Peter Parker voice performance. But on the other side, many fans loved the faster pace of the game compared to its predecessors, along with its focus on parkour combat, flashy traversal mechanics, and the inclusion of a ton of lesser-known Marvel heroes likeMoon Knight and Luke Cage.
Of all the games forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2to take inspiration from,Web of Shadowsseems like a pretty strange choice, but the 2008 game isn’t without its merits, and a handful of its most interesting ideas have seemingly been used to better effect in Insomniac’s long-awaited sequel.The Symbiote suitplays a major role in bothWeb of ShadowsandMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, and while both games' narratives follow the usual Symbiote plot beats, there are definitely moments inSpider-Man 2that will remind fans of the cheesier sequences inWeb of Shadows.
But the realSpider-Man: Web of Shadowsinfluences come inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s final act. After Venom is fully formed and revealed to the world inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, he sets about starting his mission to “Heal the world,” which in his mind is infecting the whole of New York City with the Symbiote. Over the course of just a few days, New York goes from its regular urban self to a grim apocalyptic nightmare, with Symbiote tendrils reaching between skyscrapers and tons of oozing black goo covering the streets below.
This Symbiote version of New York City will likely immediately remind fans ofWeb of Shadows' own final act, which itself sees the Big Apple get turned into a nightmarish Symbiote version of itself.Venom’s plan inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2is also very reminiscent ofWeb of Shadows' own plot, with both versions of the villain turning regular citizens into Symbiote monsters in an attempt to take over the city, and then the world.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is available now on PS5.
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