If everything goes about inMarvel’s Spider-Man 3as transparently as it’s foreshadowed inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, it seems obvious that Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Cindy Moon will be sharing screen time somehow. Otherwise, if the third installment opens and Peter continues to ride the bench while refurbishing his grassroots edition of Harry Osborn’s Emily-May Foundation, Miles and Cindy could possibly beMarvel’s Spider-Man 3’s wall-crawling leads. Either way, Insomniac will hopefully do a better job of having its playable protagonists meld as companions than it did inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Peter Parker and Miles Morales’ Relationship Has Plateaued Since Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
The two protagonists’ friendship stemmed froma benevolent Peter hoping to ease a grieving Miles by giving him volunteer work at FEASTas a way to distract himself through altruistic productivity. Their relationship has ironically never been more delicate and rich than when Miles slugs Peter—dressed as Spider-Man—in a rush of educational adrenaline, much less when Peter actively stands up for Miles at FEAST without spitefully putting down an ignorant curmudgeon.
These two back-to-back interactions have yet to be matched in how emotional and organic they are, and that’s unfortunate because they both took place long before Miles received abilities similar to Peter’s. Indeed, the pair should’ve been able to convincingly and naturally grow closer as crime-fighting colleagues.
Peter and Miles don’t get to spend much time together inMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Moralessince the former Spider-Man is literally on the other side of the planet, but the opening sequence still delivers a highly anticipated team-up (featuring Rhino’s inmate transfer breakout as an excellent set piece backdrop and subsequent boss fight). Likewise,Peter finds time to call Miles from Symkariaand the two catch up periodically.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Has Great Team-Ups, But Peter and Miles’ Bond is Lackluster
LikeRatchet and Clank: Rift Apartbalancing Ratchet and Rivet in gameplay, Insomniac knew thatMarvel’s Spider-Man 2would balance Peter and Miles. Giving players the freedom to select a Spider-Man to play as in the FNSM app was ingenious as it makes swapping between them fluid, but it unfortunately couldn’t solve the issue of Peter and Miles not sharing the screen enough.
To be fair,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2does feature spectacular set-piece boss fights where player control is passed between each Spider-Man as they fight Sandman together.
Players even have a chance to thwart enemy faction crime in random citywide activities alongside whichever Spider-Man they aren’t currently playing as, and the camaraderie here is unlike anything that occurs in the sequel’s scripted story events as players can hug the other Spider-Man or embrace the60sSpider-Mancartoon memeby pointing at one another in prompted interactions. This is all well and good, and yet it is interesting how little time they actually make for each other otherwise.
In their day-to-day lives without masks and tights on, Peter and Miles feel far more disconnected.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is where the two should’ve shared the most screen time and had excellent chemistry since they were finally both in New York City as active, playable Spider-Men, and that’s not achieved in a fulfilling way.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Separating Peter and Miles for Playability’s Sake Comes at the Cost of Their Friendship
That’s not to say they don’t interact in pivotal story beats, but their conversations and how they communicate with each other are seemingly more transactional, almost as a professional courtesy rather than them truly being close companions. Of course, this might be a consequence ofInsomniac’sMarvel’s Spider-Manseries suddenly inserting Harry Osborn into the narrativeand having to quickly and persuasively portray them as childhood best friends, and yet that’s seemingly at the cost of Peter and Miles’ friendship being able to blossom simultaneously.
Peter and Miles being awkwardly distant actually serves the plot well when Peter’s behavior is manipulated by the symbiote and a boss fight against him eventually ensues, but that head-to-head confrontation could’ve been strengthened if it had felt like the bond Peter and Miles forged back at FEAST in the original game hadn’t wavered or weakened in the meantime.
Instead, it comes across like Miles is simply freeing his Spider-Man mentor from the alien substance that ails him while resenting Peter for not being responsive or compassionate any longer in their day-to-day lives.Both Spider-Men have their own lives and personal developments to tend to, and thus it isn’t surprising that they’re separated often.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is a single-player game, after all, and juggles Peter and Miles withassociable quests and open-world activities accessed within the FNSM app, let alone beats in the main campaign. The most Insomniac can do in these scenarios is put Peter or Miles’ voice in the other’s ear so they are speaking over comms as both characters can’t be playable at the same time. Plus, beyond FEAST, it’s unlikely that Peter and Miles would even see each other or keep in contact if it wasn’t for them both bonding over their shared spider powers.
But to see the Spider-Men not as close as they were in the last two games and not making actual efforts to hang out when it doesn’t concern the safety of the city is a shame. It’ll take quite a bit of development to truly sellMiles and Cindy as being potential step-siblings inMarvel’s Spider-Man 3, and if they too feel more like acquaintances sharing a unique bond instead of companions who enjoy each other’s company it may further exacerbate this dilemma.
