Summary
Roguelikes have been implemented into two of the most popular first-party PlayStation titles lately, and with that trend picking up it isn’t absurd to assume it could continue onto other franchises. However, it’s also possible that roguelikes have been designed for games thus far that have no plans to dive into live-service multiplayer endeavors, asGod of Warhasn’t announced anything andThe Last of Usrecently shelved its own online game.God of WarandThe Last of Us’ roguelikes couldn’t be more different from one another, butMarvel’s Spider-Man 2could easily adapt one inspired by the latter.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered’s No Return roguelike has the benefit of being able to cherry-pick locations and characters and the game’s tense and thrilling mechanics take care of the rest. Procedural run routes can be incredibly hectic, confronting players with invisible enemies or pitting them against horrible, unprecedented circumstances, but masterful expertise withThe Last of Us Part 2ensures that whatever players have to work with can be used to their advantage. The same could definitely be argued forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2and a roguelike for the sequel could have the exact same formula.
Insomniac’s Plate is Full Following Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
First, while it’s distressing how the information had come about via a ransomware hack targeting Insomniac, it’s interesting now to learn that theMarvel’s Spider-Manfranchise previously had a multiplayer title in development. Because Insomniac is now probably redirecting all of its attention toward single-player games like Naughty Dog is, it would only make sense forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2to receive a similar extracurricular game mode, too.
Of course, Insomniacmissed a perfect opportunity to do so withMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s upcoming New Game Plus update—and technically it’s still on the table since Insomniac hasn’t detailed everything coming in this update yet—but the studio obviously has a lot on its plate withMarvel’s Wolverine, let alone anything else it’s already working on.
It’s still surprising thatMarvel’s Spider-Man 2didn’t have any explicit references to Wolverine in-game aside from a Miles Morales costume, and yet it’s likely that Insomniac has its head down for now. Truly anything is possible with a team as efficient as Insomniac.
How Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Could Adapt Its Gameplay in a Roguelike Mode
Stealth was highly simplified inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2and hardly posed any challenge beyond expansive encounters in the hunters’ cloaked, multilayered hideouts.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s web lines arguably gave players too much dominance over an enemy encounter, allowing them to perch anywhere suspended above enemies so long as a drone wasn’t in players’ eyelines.
Enemies scarcely look up as it is, but perhaps aMarvel’s Spider-Man 2roguelike could make these encounters far more difficult withmods and challenges comparable to those inThe Last of Us Part 2 Remastered’s No Return; maybe Peter Parker can only use one particular gadget in one mod, for example, or Miles’ optic camouflage is disabled. The only drawback aMarvel’s Spider-Man 2roguelike would have is a lack of playable characters since only Peter and Miles would be viable.
Therefore, maybe withholding a roguelike mode for now is the best move Insomniac could make so that there is at leasta third playable Spider-Person, Cindy Moon’s Silk, inMarvel’s Spider-Man 3. That said, where this roguelike would excel beyond that of No Return is in boss fights, where any number of iconic villains could appear. It isn’t fundamental thatMarvel’s Spider-Mangets a roguelike mode at some point, but between ordinary stealth and combat encounters there’s certainly as much value in that premise as there was withThe Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.Explore an expansive Marvel’s New York with faster web-swinging and the all-new Web Wings, quickly switching between Peter and Miles to experience different stories, epic new abilities and high-tech gear.Wield Peter’s symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric powers in battle against new and iconic Marvel Super Villains – including an original take on a symbiote-infused Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and more from the Marvel Rogues’ Gallery.
