Summary
Unless there’s a plan in motion that will keep it afloat with many future stories to tell, Insomniac’sMarvel’s Spider-Manfranchise seems to be coming to a neat bookend. By beginning and ending with a full circle of Green Goblin teases it only makes sense for Norman Osborn or his son to now take the Emerald Elf mantle upon themself, and meanwhile Doctor Octopus is sure to break free from the Raft to hatch whatever schemes he’s cooking up for “the final chapter.” Plus, with Insomniac turning its attention to Marvel’s mutants, the door may indeed be shutting on any potentialMarvel’s Spider-Mangames thereafter.
Not everything needs to be a trilogy of mainline games to firmly encapsulate a self-contained story, but there are countless examples of the three-act trilogy structure providing a decent framework. It’s arguable thatRocksteady’s Arkhamverseachieved such greatness in its own trilogy—Batman: Arkham Asylum,Batman: Arkham City, andBatman: Arkham Knight—and ended that run at the right time,Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguenotwithstanding. However,Batman: Arkham Originscatalyzed the fruitful notion of prequels instilled in the franchise, andMarvel’s Spider-Manshould take note.
Batman: Arkham Shadow is Picking Up Where Origins and Blackgate Left Off
Arkham Originshas had its heyday since launchbut is still nowhere near as popular or beloved as Rocksteady’s Arkhamverse games. It isn’t a spin-off like its highly maligned companion game, the 2.5D MetroidvaniaBatman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, and being set roughly eight years before the events ofArkham Asylumgives it a ton of room to stretch its legs with creative leniency.
Originshad the responsibility of representing many iconic characters’ backstories and first appearances in the canon, such as Batman’s first encounter with Joker, and had to establish what events would take place and which villains would be around during Bruce Wayne’s second year of crime-fighting. Now, one of the most exhilarating pieces of news about the Arkhamverse in the last decade is thatCamouflaj and Meta’sBatman: Arkham Shadowwill be continuing in this line of prequels and behaving like a sequel toOrigins.
This means that the Arkhamverse may be free to continue exploring its continuityand there is still a ton of rich history that is ripe for picking. So, even thoughSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguemoved ahead with the series in the continuity’s present day, the book thankfully isn’t closed yet onArkhamgames overall.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguerecently revealed that the actual Justice League was held captive and were not the characters Task Force X had killed, but with Kevin Conroy’s passing it would still be surprising to see a future mainlineArkhamgame taking place after the events of Rocksteady’s live-service shooter that features Batman as a playable protagonist.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Has Oodles of History to Delve into
Marvel’s Spider-Man’s mainline continuityhasn’t ceased yet, but all signs point toward Insomniac ending it after this third, upcoming entry. If so, there would be a bunch of missed opportunities left unexplored for both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, let alone Cindy Moon and whoever elseMarvel’s Spider-Man 3debuts.
Going back to the series’ unexplored past wouldn’t make its present-day potential any better, though it could at least allow Insomniac or another developer to relish in Peter’s formative years, as teased multiple times via poignant flashbacks inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2. This franchise could have an even greater shelf life if it adopts thesame approach asOriginsandShadowin the Arkhamverse, especially if the only way the story could continue onward is by dipping its toes into origin tales throughout the eight years precedingMarvel’s Spider-Man.
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.
