Gameplay trailer hints at Peter Parker’s transformation
The main game trailer that Sony showed at the PlayStation Showcase presented the first game scenes from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Here Peter Parker and Miles Morales fight against new threats in a familiar setting. But there are also signs of an inner conflict that could determine the game.
Marvel’s Spider-Man from 2018 and its spin-off Miles Morales (2020) are considered excellent games that combine open-world gameplay with opulently told stories and an outstanding combat system. It goes without saying that Sony, with the support of its Insomniac studio, is continuing to use this recipe – and exclusive access to Marvel’s Spider-Man license. Accordingly, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which will be released in the fall, is probably the next exclusive blockbuster for the PlayStation 5.
With the trailer that has just been released, we can get a first impression of Spider-Man 2 and gain insights. The most important: Little changes in the gameplay. You swing by a thread through cosmopolitan New York City, foil crimes, catch crooks. Occasionally there are opulently staged scripted sequences in which you have to react quickly to Quicktime events – the trailer shows about one fast-paced river chasewhich isn’t just reminiscent of Uncharted 4.
What’s new is that one switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales at the push of a button. However, Insomniac has already rejected hopes that this will also enable a co-op mode.
Technically, the material shown looks solid to good, but not much seems to have happened in the engine since Miles Morales – even if it’s the first game in the series that no longer carries the ballast around with it, also being able to run on the PS4 to have to. Some objects appear quite coarse, textures occasionally have a low resolution. However, the character models, materials and animations are successful. We’ve only seen a small snippet of the game though, as Insomniac still has a few months to polish before release.
The trailer also hints at the first scraps of the story: Kraven the Hunter comes to Manhattan with his squad of hunters and hunts down Dr. Curtis “The Lizard” Connors. The Spider people are likely to be involved – and will probably not act as conflict mediators.
Missed predecessor? Here’s the first part and the spin-off in a double pack:
Other antagonists, too Black Cat, Prowler, Wraith and Tombstone, are mentioned briefly and may play a role. However, a central motif in terms of content should concern Peter Parker himself. The protagonist of the first part is now in Venom’s symbiotic suit traveling. This gives him new powers, lets him fight more aggressively, but also affects his character. A comment by Miles Morales at the end of the trailer suggests something in this regard.
