Spider-Man 2: All 9 villains confirmed for the game
Insomniac Games' Spider-Man 2 is all set to be released in Fall 2023 and the hype surrounding it has reached a melting point, with fans soaking in as much information as they can get regarding the continuation of Peter Parker and Miles Morales' story.
After a year of waiting with only the groundbreaking announcement teaser, fans of the critically acclaimed video game series were finally treated to a new full trailer and 10 minutes of gameplay footage which not only showed the first full appearance of Kraven the Hunter, but also teased a larger map for the upcoming sequel that players could explore by including Peter Parker's hometown of Queens as a playable area.
However, the newly released trailer has also hinted at the return of villains from the previous two games, Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and also teased the arrival of some new villains.
From Kraven the Hunter to Wraith: 9 villains who are confirmed to appear in Spider-Man 2
1) Venom
Venom was the first new villain that was shown in the announcement teaser of Spider-Man 2, with the reveal sending fans into a frenzy. However, the character was teased in the after-credits scenes of both Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, where it was depicted as the black-goo-like substance that was engulfing a terminally ill Harry Osborn in his healing tank.
As of now, it is unknown what Insomniac Games has planned for the infamous symbiote's origin story. However, from what was depicted in Spider-Man and Miles Morales, it will presumably follow the Ultimate Marvel version of the character, by being a lab experiment instead of being an alien from outer space.
Also, it is unknown who Venom's host will be in the game. While most fans theorize that it could be Harry Osborn or the yet-to-be-introduced Eddie Brock, some believe that Peter Parker himself may become Venom, given how the newly released trailer for the game hinted at it by showing the eyes of Peter's symbiote mask subtly changing its shape.
2) Kraven the Hunter
After only hearing his voice in the announcement teaser for Spider-Man 2, released in September 2021, fans were finally treated to a first full-look at the infamous Kraven the Hunter in the newly released trailer and 10-minute gameplay footage, where he was shown mercilessly killing an opponent who had failed to give him a challenge.
As seen in the gameplay footage for Spider-Man 2, Kraven and his hunters arrived in New York to hunt down Curt Connors aka Lizard, to satisfy the former's thirst to fight a worthy opponent. They came into conflict with both Miles Morales and the Symbiote-infected Peter Parker, the latter of whom was issuing death threats to Kraven for going after Connors.
3) Lizard
The Lizard's existence in Insomniac's Spider-Man universe was confirmed in the first game, where a backpack collectible containing a Lizard cure could be found. After players got the collectible, Peter Parker revealed that he had fought and previously cured Connors from his Lizard persona.
Curt Connors made his first appearance in the mid-credits scene of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, where he was shown monitoring Norman Osborn's terminally ill son and Peter Parker's best friend Harry.
In Spider-Man 2, however, as revealed in the recently released gameplay footage, Connors, under unknown circumstances, turns back into the Lizard again and rampages through New York. Peter Parker and Miles Morales are chasing after him to turn him back to normal as Connors is the only doctor who can save Harry, all the while protecting him from Kraven and his hunters.
4) Black Cat
The last time fans saw Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat was in the DLC expansion for Spider-Man, titled The City That Never Sleeps, where she initially tricks Peter into believing that he is a father to her child to get his help in stealing from Hammerhead, only to betray him.
However, she reappears at the end of the expansion when she saves Peter from being killed by Hammerhead.
She then got a passing mention in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, where Roxxon head Simon Krieger said that she had somewhat reformed from a life of crime.
However, Black Cat later made a cameo appearance in the new trailer for Spider-Man 2, where she was shown as a potential target for Kraven's hunt on his electronic tablet alongside the likes of Peter and Miles, hinting that the character could make a return in some shape or form, where she could be seen back to being a thief again to try and rile up Peter.
5) Wraith
For the uninitiated, Wraith is the alter-ego of Spider-Man's friend and contact on the police force, Yuri Watanabe, who was last seen in The City That Never Sleeps DLC, where she went rogue to take revenge on Hammerhead for killing many of her fellow police officers after having lost faith in the justice system's ability to deal with him.
As seen in the newly released trailer for Spider-Man 2, Yuri has now adopted the alias of the violent vigilante Wraith, as seen in Kraven's electronic tablet showing a list of his potential targets, thus hinting at her return in the game.
While she is not a villain, she will no doubt serve as an antagonistic force to Peter (and Miles) thanks to their now differing philosophies of fighting crime.
6) Prowler
When fans last saw Miles Morales' uncle Aaron Davis aka The Prowler in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, he initially worked with Roxxon to hide their illegal operations, only to later turn on them and help Miles and the law by turning himself in for arrest and whistleblowing the company's shady dealings in exchange for a reduced prison sentence. This resulted in the arrest of Simon Krieger and the company facing multiple lawsuits.
However, as seen in the new trailer for Spider-Man 2, Prowler was shown as a potential target for Kraven, hinting that Aaron is back to being either a thief or vigilante. Thus, the character is confirmed to return in some capacity, possibly either in the main story or in side missions revolving around Miles.
7) Taskmaster
Taskmaster was an exciting addition in the first game, where he was an optional boss fight for the player after they had completed some difficult challenges for him, which were spread across the city. After players defeated him, Taskmaster said that he was hired by a mysterious organization to see if Spider-Man was worth recruiting.
Taskmaster was shown in the new trailer footage for Spider-Man 2, where he appeared as a potential target for Kraven in the latter's electronic tablet. However, it remains to be seen whether or not the character will return and if the mysterious organization that hired him in the first game will be revealed.
8) Shocker
Fans last saw Shocker in the first game, where he was defeated by Spider-Man following a failed robbery and later arrested and imprisoned in the Raft. However, it seems as if he has escaped the prison facility as the new trailer footage for Spider-Man 2 hinted at it by showing him as a potential target for Kraven.
Whether or not the character will make a return in the game remains to be seen, but it would be exciting for fans if he does, especially now that Peter Parker has the Symbiote suit, which could fulfill the hopes of some fans wanting the "SHOCKERRR....I'll chase you to the ends of the earth" meme in the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon to be recreated by Insomniac in some shape or form.
9) Tombstone
Tombstone was part of a side quest in the first game, where he was defeated by Spider-Man, who had created a counter-drug to his invulnerability and later had him arrested. However, since he was not held at the Raft, it is possible that he had escaped from the prison he was held at, as it was not strong enough to hold him.
However, after having lost his invulnerability, it remains to be seen whether or not he would pose a challenge to Peter, Miles, or Kraven in Spider-Man 2, even though he is listed as a potential target for the latter.
Other villains that could appear in Spider-Man 2
Aside from the aforementioned nine, The Sinister Six of the first game, consisting of Doctor Octopus, Mr. Negative, Electro, Vulture, Rhino, and Scorpion were hinted at in Spider-Man 2.
Kingpin was also teased in Spider-Man 2, thus confirming the possibility that he could also return. The infamous crime lord was last seen in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which had set up a rivalry between him and Miles, with Kingpin threatening to go after everyone Miles loves.
Other villains that could appear in Spider-Man 2 are Screwball, who appeared in both the first game and its DLC in its side missions as well as Mysterio and Sandman, who are confirmed to exist in the Insomniac Spider-Man universe.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is set to swing into PlayStation 5 in Fall 2023.
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Prem Deshpande