Thomas Roach with five villains Insomniac’s Spider-Man sets up for a sequel…
Insomniac’s Spider-Man game has received great reviews and is the fastest selling PlayStation 4 exclusive to date. Because of this a sequel is definitely on the books. The first game has done so well setting up the world in which these characters interact fans are clearly eager for more. We have already seen the first piece of DLC which has introduced Black Cat and some other characters in this vast world.
The game also makes reference to some of the more iconic super villains existing in this world which we will likely get to see in the sequel, and so here are five I expect to see in a future Insomniac Spider-Man game…
Warning! This article contains spoilers.
Mysterio
Spider-Man has such a large catalogue of villains it was wise to not include so many in one game, but interesting that they made reference to so many.
At the Halloween party in the game one guest is dressed up as the villain Mysterio. As Spider-Man has been operating as a superhero for 8 years in the time the game kicks off it is clear that he has tangled with Mysterio before.
During the game Scorpion stings Spider-Man with his poison tail and it causes him to hallucinate. I believe that if we get to take on Mysterio in a future game, his illusions and tricks will be played out in missions similar to this.
Venom
Many fans have complained that we didn’t get the symbiote suit as an unlockable in this first game. However, it has been stated that the creators want to do that story arc justice and not just have it referenced as a past event. If you complete the game the end credits scene shows Harry Osborn in a tank of green liquid with black sludge inside, which appears to be alive. It is most likely that this is the symbiote that will eventually attach to Spider-Man and he will don the iconic suit.
Rather than being an alien, it appears that Venom will likely be a creation of Oscorp and have been created to save Harry from his mysterious genetic illness. In the Grand Central Terminal mission, the word ‘Symbiosis’ is seen on many of the Oscorp advertisements, thus hinting that it is a creation by the company.
At this time, we can only speculate if Harry Osborn will actually be Venom in this version or will it be Eddie Brock? Eddie Brock is referenced in the game as his name is seen in Peter’s leaving card from the Daily Bugle inside one of the collectible backpacks.
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is one of Spider-Man’s most iconic foes and we have already been introduced to Norman Osborn in the game. He is the Mayor of New York and is seen to have been involved in some unethical criminal activity involving experimentation on human beings – Martin Li’s Mr. Negative being one of them.
In a mission where you play as Mary Jane, you break into Osborn’s penthouse and find a prototype battle mask which reveals a secret room. This battle mask is clearly a reference to the character and I feel he will be set up as a main villain, similar to the role Doctor Octopus played in the game.
Alternatively, we could see Harry Osborn become the Goblin. The way it has been set up in the first game, I presume that if Harry is not Venom, then his version of the Goblin will be similar to the Ultimate’s version, where he is a beast similar to Hulk, rather than a man in a costume.
The Lizard
Like Mysterio, The Lizard is referenced at the Halloween Party mission. One of the guests is seen dressed in the iconic white lab coat with a lizard mask and tail. Like Otto Octavius in this game, Curt Connors – The Lizard’s alter ego – has been a mentor to Peter Parker. We can assume that Peter may have worked with in the past and that the experiment that turned the man into the monster has already taken place.
As this the character has a similar role to Octavius as a mentor I can guess that he may only appear as a side villain rather than the ultimate bad guy, similar to the role Shocker plays in this first game. Alternatively, the character could be introduced as looking for a cure, which would allow the much-loved science mini-games to make a reappearance in the sequel.
Sandman
It is mentioned in the game that Spider-Man has trapped Sandman in a glass vial and that he hopes this will stop him coming back. This vial is found in one of the collectable backpacks around the city. This is a very clear reference to Spider-Man battling the villain and defeating him, but only time well tell if we see the character properly introduced in a sequel.
So, there you have it. I believe that these five villains will appear in the next Spider-Man game by Insomniac, or perhaps even future downloadable content for the first game. It is however worth mentioning that future games may well feature more obscure villains like Mr. Negative. His character worked very well in this game and played a huge part in the main arc of the story.
Which Spider-Man villains do you expect to see in a sequel? Who would you like to see? Let us know in the comments below…
Thomas Roach
Originally published October 23, 2018. Updated July 19, 2024.
