Spider-Man 2has a lot to live up to, as developer Insomniac’s two prior entries have been fan-favorites. The first entry in 2018 provided players with a typical Spider-Man story set against strongtraversal across a gorgeous open-world rendition of New York.Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Moralesgave more context to the character while the city took on a Christmas aesthetic. The upcoming 2023 project will have to balance its two wall-crawlers, as they have each been proven effective at being the center of their own experience.
Another thing thatSpider-Man 2has to balance is other personalities, as Peter and Miles' adventures bring them into contact with plenty of people from comic book lore. From Yuri Watanabe to Aaron Davis, also known as The Prowler, the pair of games have used numerous characters to make each story feel like they honor the comics. J. Jonah Jameson is one such example, and the way 2018’sSpider-Manbrings his voice into the story was a stroke of genius. His podcast “Just the Facts” pops up all the time while Pete is swinging across the city skyline, butSpider-Man 2should to do something more substantial with the character.
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Spider-Man’s Heroism Needs Jameson’s Skepticism
J. Jonah Jameson is always a frustrating adversary.Jameson’s influence at the Daily Buglehas a serious impact on the way the city thinks of Spider-Man’s efforts. As such, Spider-Man is always fighting not only against a plethora of villains who have an issue with him, but also a culture that is constantly skeptical about his true intentions.
It’s an interesting stand-off that has provided some great narrative threads in the comics, and it would be good to seeSpider-Man 2taking more advantage of this dynamic to add more pressure on the duo. The story of the first game leaned intoSpider-Mantropes like a brush with familial tragedy, and this was effective.Jameson is another recognizable component of Marvel comicsthat should be given more time in the narrative.
‘Just the Facts’ with J. Jonah Jameson Works, but Could Have Been More
Much of a player’s time inMarvel’s Spider-Manis spent swinging around the city; finding collectibles, stopping crimes, and engaging in side activities just to enjoy the simple act of movement that developerInsomniac Gamesreplicated so well. To make up for the time away from the main campaign, there will be intermittent ‘news’ updates from Jameson that serve as an effective way to bring the iconic character into the game. Despite being a clever idea that is executed well, it needs to evolve if it wants to stay fresh.
ShouldJ. Jonah Jameson’s input be the same as it was in 2023, this could feel like a lack of innovation. His place in the next game should be more prominent this time around, now that the original podcast gives him a foothold in New York’s culture. That’s not to say Jameson has to be the big villain of the story, but putting him in front of the camera as well as the microphone with more screen time would be a natural progression, and could provide the Spider-Men with another thorn in their side.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is scheduled to release in 2023 on PS5.
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