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Sony recently had their first PlayStation Showcase in two years earlier this week, and whilst many were expecting some sort of footage surrounding Insomniac’sMarvel’s Spider-Man 2,no-one was expecting over ten minutes of cinematic and gameplay footage!
Not only did the footage on give us a huge amount of information about general gameplay, settings and a certain alien symbiote suit, it also gave players a chance to see a wide selection of the villains – and a couple of anti-heroes – on offer in the game.
Thanks to a quick shot of New York shown to an unexpected villain, we’re able to see a few confirmed characters that whilst they’re not confirmed to appear, they’re as good as.
The Lizard
Whilst Dr. Curt Connors’ existence was confirmed during the first game and his appearance hinted at during the Halloween party, we’ve been waiting to see a fully fledged, in-the-skin appearance by the Lizard, and thankfully we don’t have to wait much longer. Considerably less cuddly than the costume shown in the first game, The Lizard is shown during the gameplay trailer whilst Miles and a symbiote-wearing-Peter attempt to rescue/help him from another villain mentioned further below.
Whilst the two Spider-Men may well be trying their best, The Lizard seems intent on causing the two heroes significant pain with his huge claws and massive mouth filled with incredibly sharp looking teeth.
Related:PlayStation Showcase: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Gameplay Finally Shown, It Looks Better Than We Thought Possible
Lonnie Lincoln aka Tombstone was last seen during the events of the first game working for Martin Li/Mr Negative. Having created a drug to give his lackey’s the same superpowers he possesses, Peter found that whilst the drug was effective, its effects ran out, and so reverse-engineered a cure. After a subsequent fight, Peter forced Tombstone to ingest the cure, and last we saw he was carried away by police and ended up imprisoned. We’re sure he’ll have an axe to grind with Peter after his time behind bars…
One of the most exciting inclusions in the trailer was the acknowledgement of Wraith aka Detective Yuri Watanabe. During the first game Yuri is the long-time and long suffering police officer ally of Peter, and is regularly conversing, aiding and requesting help of the titular hero. However as her story continues, she strays beyond the lines of legal justice and into more vigilante territory… which is exactly what happened to her comic counterpart.
Her vigilante alter ego Wraith spends her days ‘confiscating’ tech from villains to fight crime. Whether she ends up being more of an ally to Spider-Man or a thorn in his side is yet to be seen, but her inclusion is fantastic none-the-less.
Related:5 of the Worst Parts of Marvel’s Spider-Man We Want Nowhere Near the Sequel
Featured heavily duringMarvel’s Spider-Man, Felicia Hardy’s Black Cat follows the same sort of line in her relationship with Peter/Spider-Man as that of her comic counterpart. Sometimes verging on an enemy, always verging on flirtatious, Black Cat was last seen after the first game’sThe City That Never SleepsDLC, having finally chosen to betray her employer Hammerhead and supply information that helps Spidey take him down.
Whether she’ll factor more intoMarvel’s Spider-Man 2is unknown, but with the symbiote suit affecting Peter’s personality and mood, what’s to say he doesn’t end up with the other woman in his life, and not MJ, however briefly?
The Prowler
Miles’ relationship with his villainous uncle has always been complicated, whether it was in film, comics or games, but the way it was handled duringMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Moraleswas a new and refreshing direction. Having arrived in Harlem towards the end of the of the game to help evacuate people, the previous villain was shown in a much more sympathetic light. Later he’d turned himself to the police to ensure his evidence would be heard in the prosecution of Simon Krieger and Roxxon.
Last known to be in prison for his crimes, clearly he’ll find himself out and about, and maybe Miles turns to him for help again, this time with a friend-turned foe in Peter with the symbiote suit?
Taskmaster
A far better portrayal of the famous comic book character compared to what audiences received in the much-malignedBlack Widow, Taskmaster was a nuisance during the events ofMarvel’s Spider-Man,having littered the city with challenges for Peter to best, all whilst observing Peter and his capabilities. Once bested, Taskmaster disappears, but not before mentioning being hired by a secret organisation and heavily implying his eventual return…
Related:“Not every character needs to be gender swapped”: Marvel Confirms Thunderbolts Will Have Same Female Taskmaster From Black Widow, Fans Say There’s No Actual Reason to Swap Gender For This Character
Perhaps the most famous villain to Spider-Man, bar Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin, Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin was a surprise inclusion for the opening boss fight duringMarvel’s Spider-Man, but it was one hell of a way to introduce not only this incarnation of Peter, but the city as well. Not to mention the foreboding message from Fisk as he’s taken away, unheeded and ignored by Peter, before chaos ensues as predicted by the behemoth of a man. Will Fisk end up being more prominent and involved inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2?
Long known to be included thanks to the original reveal trailer back in 2021, not much is known about the specifics of this universe’s Venom.Marvel’s Spider-Mandid have a surprising revelation and hinted heavily that the absent Harry Osborn may well end up being the symbiote wearing villain/anti-hero, but that is yet to be confirmed to be happening yet, and withMarvel’s Spider-Man 2clearly including Peter obtaining the symbiote suit first, it’s yet to be seen whether it’ll be Harry, Eddie or someone else as Venom. Either way, the fact the Lethal Protector is being voiced by the intimidating and charismatic Tony Todd means we’re in for a treat.
Related:‘At first we thought it was Harry Osborn’: Fans Claim Insomniac’s ‘Spider-Man 2’ Will Hit Fans With a Venom Fake-Out, Won’t Be as Fun as They Hyped it
When it was announced back in 2021, everyone assumed the main villain ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2was intended to be Venom. However, with the latest reveal trailer from the PlayStation Showcase, that has all changed. Shown during one of his hunts and then subsequently pointed towards New York to find more difficult prey. It’s exciting to see exactly how Kraven will fit into the story, especially with the symbiote/Venom in play as well as the countless other villains and anti-heroes already mentioned.
Of course this is only the list of villains and anti-heroes teased by the latest reveal trailer, and no doubt there are a larger gallery of them likely to be included in various ways in the finished game. Who else do you want to see included? And out of the above, who are you most excited by?
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Luke Addison
Former Head of Gaming
Articles Published :462
Luke Addison is a Former Video Game Critic and Gaming Editor. As likely to be caught listening to noughties rock as he is watching the latest blockbuster cinema release, Luke is the quintessential millennial wistfully wishing after a forgotten era of entertainment. Also a diehard Chelsea fan, for his sins.
