Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 review: A more Venom-ous bite

The developers of hit PlayStation 5 exclusive Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 have said Miles Morales is the "main" Spider-Man from now on, which has caused some fans to speculate about what Insomniac may do with the inevitable Spider-Man 3.

NOTE: There are major spoilers ahead for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Throughout , the life of the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker, is put in perilous jeopardy on numerous occasions. The web-shooting, wall-climbing superhero has seemingly never been so vulnerable in any of his previous bouts, including the showdown with the Sinister Six in Insomniac's first title. Despite the plethora of threats in, Peter is a remarkably resilient character, though at one point his toughness and durability are tested to the extreme. Though an iconic figure, he is far from immortal, a fact that has led many to wonder what happens to Spider-Man in — could he really be killed by Kraven or Venom?

Part of what makes our friendly neighborhood Spidey so special is his care and compassion for community. In Spider-Man 2, side quests reinforce some of the series’ guiding ideals: heroism isn’t always about taking down larger-than-life villains, like The Sandman. Sometimes, your challenges require a more thoughtful touch.

Mary Jane Watson plays a significant role in , both from a narrative perspective as Peter's girlfriend, but also as a temporarily playable character, and most interestingly as part of one of the game's more surprising twists. MJ was introduced to the Spider-Man canon in 1965; since then she has gone on to become Peter Parker's main love interest and the principal beneficiary of his affection in the franchise's many movies, comics, and video games.

A Easter egg may be hinting at some unexpected DLC content for the game. While many had expected story DLC for Insomniac Games' acclaimed superhero sequel, much like DLC for the first, most of the theories around its content revolved around continuing a story set up in one of the title's side missions, but this may not be the case.

, while telling its own complete narrative, has set up plenty of plot points for a future entry in the acclaimed superhero series. Although a new entry has yet to be officially announced by Sony or Insomniac Games, it seems inevitable after 's impressive sales, in which the game became the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game in its first 24 hours.

continues many of the stories seen in its predecessors, from Peter and Miles grieving the loss of loved ones to the return of Harry Osborn and the long-awaited Venom symbiote. However, one character's transformation within the series may come as a surprise when they return in the recent sequel, at least for those who didn't play 's story DLC.

Taking place in New York, is an enormous game with a justifiably large map full to the brim with content to be explored. features a plethora of interesting, entertaining, and simply brilliant quests; although the vast majority of the game's main quests, side quests, and side adventures don't offer tangible rewards beyond EXP, tech parts, or tech points, a few questlines reward the player with some excellent prizes.

's story features far more shocking deaths than the previous two entries in the series. From classic Spider-Man characters to beloved NPCs, nobody seems to be safe in Insomniac's latest superhero title.

Spider-Man 2 is chock full of references to other Marvel properties, as New York itself features locations such as the Avengers Tower, the Sanctum Sanctorum, and the Wakandan Embassy, all of which are references to The Avengers, Doctor Strange, and Black Panther. In fact, the latter even lets you throw up a wholesome Wakanda Forever salute outside of its doors as a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, but you'd better make sure you're playing as Miles Morales if you want to do it.

A new book has retconned a continuity error that arose in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming.