Every day we inch agonizingly closer to the release of Insomniac Games’ second installment of the Spider-Man series. The sequel, aptly named Spider-Man 2 is set to hit shelves on October 20, and in true Halloween fashion, the title is littered with fantastical costumes. Spider-Man 2 is overflowing with some of Peter’s greatest enemies. From Venom to Mr. Negative, these are all of the Spider-Man 2’s confirmed villains so far.
Venom
It’s been fairly obvious since the end of Spider-Man’s DLC that Insomniac Games meant for Venom to be the primary antagonist of the second installment. Sure, Kraven the Hunter is definitely the big bad on screen, but Peter’s issues with the Symbiote stretch far deeper than death alone. Venom threatens the very core of who Spider-Man is, slowly eating away at what makes Peter Parker the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The alien has been one of Spider-Man’s arch-nemeses since the late ‘80s and poses a unique threat – Spider-Man can’t sense him with his spider senses.
The trailers we’ve seen so far pretty much confirm that players will have to deal with ever-increasing Symbiote interference, with Spidey’s powers shifting as the Symbiote digs deeper and deeper into him. On top of slowly having his good-guy mentality leeched away, Peter will also have to track the alien down once it’s disconnected from him, and there’s no doubt that whoever Venom takes over will hurt Peter in a deeply personal way.
Kraven the Hunter
Spider-Man 2 is setting Kraven the Hunter up to be one of the main antagonists of the game. A deranged big-game hunter who watched The Most Dangerous Game one too many times, Kraven is the child of a Russian aristocrat. With tons of money, plenty of skill, and a twisted moral compass, Kraven prefers to hunt his targets without weapons, allowing them a fighting chance. After tiring of his typical prey, Kraven is heading to New York to find the ultimate hunt.
In the trailers, Kraven’s lackeys show him a holographic map of the big apple, with profiles for both Peter and Miles’ Spider-Men, Black Cat, Prowler, Wraith, Taskmaster, Tombstone, The Shocker, and Lizard. With Kraven potentially hunting everyone on the list, there is little chance that Peter doesn’t end up helping at least one of his enemies out of a leopard-printed jam.
Lizard
Doctor Connors — aka Lizard — is one of Spider-Man’s more tragic villains. With a Doctor Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde duality, Connors is a personality suppressed by the emergence of the Lizard. A scientist seeking the means to human regeneration, Connors accidentally transformed himself into the vicious and cruel Lizard while trying to regrow his missing arm. Connors is usually friends with Peter Parker in some form, whether he be a mentor or colleague.
Insomniac games absolutely nailed the pained relationship between Peter Parker and Doctor Otto Octavius in the first Spider-Man game. With the similarities in Peter’s relationships with Octavius and Connors, Insomniac could use the parallel arcs to show just how far Peter has fallen with the introduction of the Symbiote.
Grizzly
A lesser-known villain, the Grizzly — aka Maxwell Markham — was a professional wrestler until J. Jonah Jameson ruined his career and slandered his name. After his revenge on Jameson was thwarted by Spider-Man, the Ursus-themed villain turned his attention on none other than the Web Head himself. Though he always dreams big, the villain has never succeeded in any of his revenge attempts despite teaming up with The Tinkerer, Norman Osborn, and the Jackal.
Though his costume shares some similarities with Kraven and his minions, it’s likely he isn’t working with The Hunter. The Grizzly has a history of teaming up with other baddies to boost his chances, so there is always the possibility he finds his way into a villain team-up like The Thunderbolts.
Mister Negative
One of the primary antagonists of the first game, Martin Li is just one of many Peter Parker allies-turned-Spider-Man villains. Li — aka Mister Negative — was determined to bring Norman Osborn to justice for causing his parent’s death. After being experimented on as a child, Li was given the ability to control Dark Energy, which allows him to summon weapons, enhance his followers, and create constructs.
Despite his search for justice, Li has no qualms about innocent New Yorkers getting caught in the crossfire and is responsible for the death of Jefferson Davis – Miles’ father. Li is imprisoned in The Raft by the end of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, so his appearance in the game could simply be to tie up some loose ends with Miles.
Wraith
While not technically a villain, The Wraith — aka Yuri Watanabe — frequently goes against Spider-Man’s modus operandi. The former police officer felt the need to take justice into her own hands after watching the justice system fail and has used her considerable abilities to kill some of the worst offenders.
The Wraith was revealed on Kraven’s list of who’s who in New York, revealing that Yuri may have already taken the step to become an anti-hero.
Other possible villains
While those few villains were the only ones featured in the recent trailer, there are plenty of other Spider-Man baddies that could make a limited appearance in the game. Black Cat, Prowler, Task Master, Tombstone, and Shocker are all featured on Kraven’s map. Of those few characters revealed, several are already in prison — thanks to Spider-Man — or in hiding.
The finale of Spider-Man: Miles Morales may have seen the end of several villains, but that doesn’t mean new variations of old bad guys won’t make an appearance. The Tinkerer’s technology is still in the hands of The Underground, leaving an opening for the group to recreate the techno-villain, The Prowler sits in jail on The Raft, and The Rhino disappeared after his final fight with Miles.
Published: Jul 24, 2023 05:08 pm