Unmasking Mister Negative: The Ultimate Guide to Defeating Spider-Man's Fiercest Villain

The iconic villain from Miles Morales' Spider-Man has made a comeback in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and the new Spider-Man finally has the chance to seek revenge against Martin Li. Li is the one responsible for the creation of Devil's Breath, as well as the death of Miles' father, Jefferson Davis. The boss fight against Mister Negative in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is emotionally intense, and here's how to defeat him without using the Symbiote Black Suit.

Mister Negative has evolved since players last encountered him in the original Marvel's Spider-Man game. The character has undergone changes and has gained more powerful abilities after his time at the RAFT. During the No Escape main mission in Spider-Man 2, players will be compelled to engage in a fierce battle against the formidable Mister Negative.

Mr. Negative Phase One

Upon entering Kraven's arena, players will encounter Mister Negative, the individual responsible for the murder of Miles' father. Seeking revenge, players will first receive a brief tutorial on how to effectively counter Mr. Negative's attacks. From a distance, Martin Li will swing his sword in a horizontal manner, prompting players to evade by jumping over the attack using the X Button. To avoid future attacks of this nature, it is advisable to maintain close proximity to Martin Li, preventing him from leaping back and unleashing waves of negative energy towards Spider-Man. Jumping is the sole defense against this particular assault.

Apart from the horizontal slashes, Mister Negative is also capable of conducting vertical sword slams, generating vertical waves of negative energy within the arena. Players can evade these attacks by utilizing the Circle Button, which proves to be a relatively simpler method of counterattacking compared to Li's horizontal swipes. In instances of heightened aggression, Li may unleash multiple vertical strikes.

One important move to watch out for during Mister Negative's phase one fight is his Crush attack. During this attack, players must dodge, as it cannot be blocked or parried. To anticipate the Crush attack, players should observe Martin Li's body for a blue circle, as he will hold his sword to the side and dash forward. Another effective strategy to counter this attack is to swing around the arena.

When players are at a significant distance from Li, he often shoots out two negative energy beams from his hands. However, these can be easily dodged. The most effective way to deplete Li's health is to stay close and use a Web Strike, while also being attentive to Spider-Senses and parrying Martin Li's attacks. If players have invested in Miles' skills and abilities, his special attacks can also inflict significant damage against the formidable Mister Negative.

Mr. Negative Phase Two

After sufficiently defeating Li, a mini cutscene will play in which Martin Li asserts that Spider-Man is incapable of winning the fight because he refuses to kill. Miles responds sharply to his father's killer, declaring that this version of Spider-Man is unlike any Li has encountered before. This marks the onset of the second phase of the battle, with Li summoning a formidable demon. The demon swiftly vanishes, encapsulating Martin Li in a protective bubble of negative energy. While this barrier is active, players are unable to attack Li and their Venom Powers are disabled.

To navigate this obstacle, players must adeptly evade and leap over horizontal and vertical slashes of negative energy swirling through the air like tornadoes. Evading these assaults is straightforward, and the most effective approach is to utilize R2 to swing around the arena. Remarkably, while swinging around Li, Spider-Man seems impervious to his assaults. Once Miles' Abilities have returned or reached full charge, players can deploy an ability, such as Venom Punch or Chain Lightning (L1 + Square), to infiltrate the bubble from within and dismantle it.

Once the bubble is shattered, the battle against Mister Negative resumes with him using the same moves from phase one, but with added flair. He attempts a combo attack, slashing at Miles twice with his sword, which can be easily parried or dodged. However, on the third attack, Martin performs an overhead slash that players must parry to avoid getting hit. Successfully parrying this attack opens up an opportunity for players to unleash their own relentless onslaught and deplete Li's health.

To defeat Mister Negative in Spider-Man 2, the most effective strategy is to combine the use of gadgets and punches. Gadgets serve to distract and stun Li, while Spider-Man's abilities and the Special Takedown move (Circle + Triangle) can also chip away at his health. It is advisable to conserve the Focus meter for healing purposes, which can be accessed by pressing the Down Button on the D-Pad. This ensures that players can heal themselves and avoid a fatal outcome, sparing them from restarting the fight at an earlier checkpoint. It is worth mentioning that Insomniac Games is quite generous with its checkpoints, so if players happen to perish in this phase or subsequent ones, they will resume from the phase in which they died rather than returning to phase one.

Mr. Negative Phase Three

After depleting Mister Negative's health, he will intensify his aggression. This results in him unleashing a series of consecutive attacks, incorporating the same techniques that players have learned and countered. These attacks may involve a sequence of negative energy slashes followed by a flurry of projectiles and culminate in an overhead parry-only strike. Interestingly, this aggressive fighting style can actually work in favor of skilled Spider-Man players who have mastered the parry system, allowing them to relentlessly strike him while he attempts these moves.

Alternatively, players could opt for a safer approach by evading these attacks and patiently waiting for an opportunity to strike. While Mister Negative may not possess the highest health or the most devastating attacks among all the bosses, falling victim to his combo could prove fatal, especially on higher difficulty levels.

Once Mister Negative’s health reaches almost zero, he will summon the negative demon once more to encase himself in a protective bubble. Players must skillfully avoid the tornado attacks while waiting for their Venom Abilities to recharge. Once the Abilities are ready, players can unleash a devastating strike on the bubble to bring an end to the boss fight. However, the aftermath leads to a whole new battle within.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Platform(s) PS5Released October 20, 2023Developer(s) Insomniac GamesGenre(s) Open-World, Action-Adventure