Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Embracing the Legacy of Web of Shadows

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a major success and is widely regarded as the best Spider-Man game to date. It excels in combat, web-swinging, and character development, although some elements draw inspiration from previous Spider-Man games. Additionally, the game pays homage to a specific title in its concluding moments.

How Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Pays Homage to Web of Shadows

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, released in 2008, received mixed reviews from fans and critics. Some disliked the game's dialogue, rushed story, floaty combat, web-swinging, and poor voice performance. However, others enjoyed the faster pace, parkour combat, flashy traversal mechanics, and the inclusion of lesser-known Marvel heroes. Despite its divisive reception, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 draws inspiration from Web of Shadows, incorporating some of its interesting ideas, particularly in relation to the Symbiote suit. Both games follow the typical Symbiote plot beats, and Spider-Man 2 includes moments reminiscent of the cheesier sequences in Web of Shadows.

In Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the influence of Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is evident in the final act. Once Venom is fully formed and exposed to the world, his mission to "Heal the world" begins, as he aims to infect the entire New York City with the Symbiote. In just a matter of days, the bustling urban environment transforms into a grim, apocalyptic nightmare, with Symbiote tendrils stretching across the skyscrapers and the streets below covered in oozing black goo.

This Symbiote-infested version of New York City instantly brings to mind the nightmarish transformation seen in Web of Shadows. Both plots involve Venom's sinister plan of transforming ordinary citizens into Symbiote monsters, with the ultimate goal of seizing control over the city and potentially the entire world.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is available now on PS5.