Coming hot off the heels of two phenomenal superhero games,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is easily one of the most anticipated games of the year. With some excellent groundwork to build from, fans are expectingMarvel’s Spider-Man 2to come out of the gate swinging, featuring an improved combat system, more varied animations, a more complex traversal system, and a deeper story. As a part of that story, it may be time forSpider-Man 2to introduce some slight horror elements to the experience, just likeBatman: Arkham Knightdid all those years ago.
For the most part, theBatman: Arkhamseries is quite a bit darker than the last twoSpider-Mantitles. ThoughSpider-ManandSpider-Man: Miles Moralesboth have their upsetting moments, they remained lighthearted for their majority, with plenty of quips, bright environments, and over-the-top action sequences to continuously cement their place in the fun superhero genre. But by the look of its first trailer,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2might be going a little darker than its predecessors, and that paves the way for one villain in particular to take players by surprise.
RELATED:Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Could Make Exploration More Satisfying By Improving a Basic Feature
The Lizard Could Be Marvel Spider-Man 2’s Man-Bat
Batman: Arkham Knight’s Man-Bat encounters are among some of the game’s most memorable moments. While the Arkham Knight’s reveal, the surprisingly scary first-person Joker sequence, andthe Knightfall endingare all incredibly memorable for their own reasons, nothing is quite as memorable as being scared by Man-Bat for the first time. For those that haven’t playedArkham Knight, at one point in the game while the player is free-roaming, they’ll be grabbed from a rooftop ledge by Man-Bat, who proceeds to scream directly into the camera. Even if the player knows what to expect, the random nature of the encounter is guaranteed to catch most completely off-guard.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2has the perfect opportunity to replicate such a moment.
Currently, only two new villains have been confirmed forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, those beingKraven the Hunter, and Venom. The rest of the roster, along with any major plot beats, have been kept completely under wraps by Insomniac Games and Sony. That being said, in this modern age of gaming there’s always the threat of leaks, andMarvel’s Spider-Man 2may have suffered one of those back in October 2021 when a rumor claimed that the villain Lizard would be in the game.
Debuting all the way back in 1963, the Lizard is one of Spider-Man’s most iconic foes, taking on a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde role where by day, he’s the kind-hearted Dr. Curt Connors, and by night he’s a feral reptile. The Lizard has cropped up throughout Spidey’s history in the video game world, appearing intie-in titles likeSpider-Man 3andThe Amazing Spider-Man. In these games, the Lizard tends to be represented as a simple brute, only really capable of running up to Spidey and thrashing him with his claws.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2has the perfect opportunity to make its version of the Lizard a little scarier, and a lot more memorable.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Lizard should take direct inspiration fromArkham Knight’s Man-Bat. Players should first encounter the Lizard at a random interval in the game, caught off-guard while web-swinging through New York City. The Lizard could appear in an alleyway and grab Spider-Man while he’s climbing a wall, or jump out from a manhole cover and drag Spidey back into the sewers with him. This could lead to an underground level where the player needs to chase the Lizard through the sewers, but perhaps with limited lighting, so the player needs to rely on their Spidey Sense to find their way, paving the way for some spooky moments.
