While Insomniac Games is enjoying recent success withRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart, fans of the developer’s other biggest franchise are patiently waiting for the expected sequel. After a quick tease at the PS5’s launch withSpider-Man: Miles Morales, it’s almost expected that the next big project for the developer will beSpider-Man 2, or whatever the next entry is called. After Peter has properly trained Miles' iteration of Spider-Man, and especially after everything that happened duringSpider-Man: Miles Morales, it’s clear both characters will play an equally pivotal role in the story. That presents an interesting opportunity for the Peter/Miles power dynamic.
Making players choose between both of the Spider-Men in the next game would be a near-impossible choice, but perhaps Insomniac Games doesn’t intend to make that difference in character a hard choice. Rather than one or the other, perhapsSpider-Man 2will borrow a feature popularized by many games, but was most prominently emphasized inGrand Theft Auto 5: multiple protagonists. Especially afterSpider-Man: Miles Morales, every fan has their favorite iteration of the titular web-slinging hero. What better way to avoid the issue of favorite heroes when both can become playable in specific scenarios, working together for an epic team-up.
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Spider-Man 2 Sets Up the Perfect GTA 5-Inspired Dynamic
Marvel’s Spider-Manon PS4 initially teased Miles Morales' potential role as the future Spider-Man hero,butSpider-Man: Miles Moralessolidified that notion wholeheartedly. Miles has come a long way with his ability to protect the city of New York, especially when Peter Parker is away. After having played as Miles in his own standalone game, it’s hard not to expect players will be able to jump into Miles' point of view once more in some capacity. Rather than just a few specific missions/circumstances where Miles' role is emphasized, Insomniac Games could potentially implement a similar protagonist system utilized inGrand Theft Auto 5.
Throughout the singleplayer campaign ofGrand Theft Auto 5, players embody the game’s three main characters: Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. These three have their own individual stories, but all end up contributing to the overall narrative that binds them together, through to the end. Their relationships range from tenuous to chaotic, a far cry fromthe relationship fostered between Peter and Miles inMarvel’s Spider-Man. However, from a gameplay standpoint, the balance between all three protagonists is impressive. Each has their own respective missions, but the cooperative missions allow for players to switch between protagonists on the fly.
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How Multiple Protagonists Makes Sense for Spider-Man
If a motley crew like those inGrand Theft Auto 5are able to work together to complete the game’s high-stakes heists, then the two Spider-Men who’ve come to learn and grow from one another can work together to save New York City.Spider-Man 2utilizing a multiple-protagonist approachis almost expected, but taking that system a step further likeGTA 5could be even more impressive. Being able to swap between Peter and Miles throughout cooperative missions, story and boss battles, or even throughout open-world exploration, could kill two birds with one stone. Two playable main characters eliminates the issue of choice, while also emphasizing their differences well.
Both Peter and Miles are very different iterations ofSpider-Man, each with their own unique capabilities, meaning they’re perfect for a similar cooperative system. Whether it’s confined to specific missions, or acts as a constant feature, being able to swap between Peter Parker and Miles Morales on a whim could bean interesting evolution ofSpider-Man’s gameplay. Utilizing Miles' venom abilities to stagger an opponent, while Peter goes for the knockout, is just a conceptual example of how character switching could enhance fights. There’s even the possibility for advanced strategy between swapping back and forth to capitalize on an enemy’s weakness.
Grand Theft Auto 5’s system succeeds because it adds an element of importance to each main character. Rather than making each protagonist an AI-only companion, players can swap between each main character to prepare their respective roles during a specific mission.Spider-Man: Miles Moraleshad this feature to a very miniscule extent, butSpider-Man 2could expand much furtherwith a similarly ambitious dual-protagonist setup. Being able to coordinate between each Spider-Man hero to overcome adversity could be the perfect way to incorporate Peter and Miles into the story/gameplay, without sacrificing the focused quality of the experience.
Spider-Man 2is rumored to be in development.
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