The Controversial Suit of Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Analyzing its Major Drawbacks
Unveiling Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Miles Morales's most divisive suit, an unexpected flaw emerges amidst the array of stylish outfits, raising eyebrows and questioning its ironic product placement
Highlights
The suit design created by Insomniac for the Marvel's Spider-Man games has generally received positive feedback. However, there have been concerns regarding the aesthetic design of certain new additions, such as the Evolved Suit.
The introduction of the Evolved Suit for Miles sparked intense scrutiny, especially because it was considered a new canonical suit. Many critics contended that its quality did not measure up to other notable suits.
The ironic inclusion of Adidas sneakers in the Evolved Suit is notable since Miles explicitly rejects endorsing products or associating with businesses within the game's storyline. This creates a contradiction with his ethical stance.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2, similar to its predecessors, the two Insomniac Spider-Man games, offers a vast array of stylish suits for each playable character. While some suits are inspired by the Spider-Man comics and other media appearances, others are original creations by Insomniac, making their debut in the game. This has resulted in mixed feedback.
In general, Insomniac has excelled in suit design. Marvel's Spider-Man introduced a wide variety of unique outfits, with the Advanced Suit being highly praised as one of the character's top new costumes. However, not all new additions have been as well-received, such as the Evolved Suit in the most recent game. Spider-Man 2 players heavily criticized its aesthetic design. While there is ongoing debate about the suit's fashion, there is one problematic aspect that is often overlooked.
Marvel's Spider-Man's Evolved Suit Features Ironic Product Placement
The Evolved Suit has faced heightened scrutiny compared to other suits in Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Its introduction as a new, canon suit for Miles in a cutscene has sparked debates about its quality in relation to other canon, narratively significant suits. Some commonly critiqued aspects of the suit include the exposure of Miles's hair, the unused hood, and the inclusion of Adidas sneakers. Notably, the inclusion of Adidas sneakers warrants further criticism.
Spider-Man 2 features an exceptional side quest chain centered around the Mysteriums. These combat challenges offer a unique twist and completing them unravels a side narrative involving Mysterio through audio logs from his assistants. In one of these audio logs, an assistant proposes that Miles could support their business by endorsing Spider-Man, but Miles explicitly declines. He explains that Spider-Men have a strict rule against endorsing products or aligning with businesses.
The irony in the Evolved Suit's Adidas product placement becomes apparent when considering this information. While other versions of the character might have been able to handle this situation, Miles' portrayal in this rendition stands firm in refusing to endorse a brand based on principle. This contradiction stands out as one of the most jarring aspects of Spider-Man 2, as it appears that one of the main heroes is compromising his ethical beliefs.
Furthermore, the fact that the suit is introduced as a key part of Miles' superhero identity and image only adds to the problem. If the outfit were simply an unlockable cosmetic without any ties to the story, the irony of the Adidas partnership would be less pronounced and could be dismissed as a collaboration. In fact, the Adidas branding could even be seen as a representation of Miles expressing his modern teenage style by wearing a popular athleisure brand. However, in its current form, it is a perplexing and conflicting oversight that cannot be easily overlooked.
The inclusion of branded sneakers from Adidas in the Evolved Suit is not one of the most controversial aspects of Spider-Man 2, but it is somewhat puzzling. This addition does not enhance the suit's overall appearance, which has already received some criticism. Although Miles Morales's suits have previously featured sneakers in the Spider-Verse movies and other Marvel's Spider-Man games, the official branding of Adidas and the character's refusal to support brands in the game works against the Evolved Suit.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is currently available for PS5.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
The highly anticipated Marvel's Spider-Man 2, exclusive to the PS5 console, serves as the exciting continuation of the 2018 Spider-Man game and its Miles Morales spin-off. Developed by Insomniac Games, this open-world adventure features both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as co-protagonists. Together, they take on formidable foes such as Kraven, Venom, and Lizard. Released on October 20, 2023, this action-packed game falls within the genres of open-world and action-adventure. With a rating of T for Teen due to blood, drug reference, mild language, and violence, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 offers approximately 20 hours of gameplay. Impressively, it has received a Metascore of 91.
