Fans of Marvel's Spider-Man from Insomniac Games were given a first look at the long-awaited sequel, which teased the debut of Venom alongside other villains like Kraven the Hunter. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 didn't reveal much of the highly-anticipated character, leaving his role in the game fairly ambiguous.

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Insomniac's version of Venom could be an enemy or an ally of Spider-Man, but the biggest question given the increased number of protagonists in the game is whether or not Venom will be playable. So today we are going to look at a few pros and cons on whether Venom should be playable or appear as an NPC boss in Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

10 PLAYABLE: It's Been A While Since He Was Playable In A Third-Person Game

Venom holds an unconscious Spider-Man with his tentacles in the Ultimate Spider-Man game

Some fans will have fond memories of games like Spider-Man & Venom: Maximum Carnage or Ultimate Spider-Man that allowed gamers to play as the symbiotic anti-hero in side scrollers and third-person, though it's been a few years since that was possible.

And while he's has appeared as a playable character in a number of fighting games over the years, it's been a while since fans have really been able to play as Venom in this format. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 could finally give gamers another chance at playing as the Lethal Protector in a game that isn't LEGO, connected to Disney Infinity, or available as a mobile game.

9 NPC BOSS: The Sequel Already Has Two Playable Characters With Peter & Miles

Marvels-Spider-Man-2-Peter-Miles-Morales-Feature

The first trailer focused heavily on both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, the latter of which starred in his own spin-off game in 2020 called Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Insomniac Games did reveal that the game will be single-player instead of co-op.

However, the sequel could feature dual protagonists that players can switch between, similar to how the Arkham series handled multiple characters. Adding a third protagonist with Venom could limit the experience with both Peter and Miles while also crowding the game unnecessarily, so it might be best for Venom to remain a boss.

8 PLAYABLE: Gives Players Another Fun Powerset To Build Up & Explore

The PS4 Spider-Man game, the best in the franchise so far

One of the draws of games like Marvel's Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the ability to level up and customize your character by gaining experience and unlocking skill points, which is fairly common in third-person open-world adventure games.

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Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is sure to include these RPG mechanics as well, and if Venom is a playable character, that's one more skill tree to advance in order to unlock new abilities, which could further extend the game for some players.

7 NPC BOSS: Venom Has Always Been A Great Final Boss In Spider-Man Games

Venom's final form from Spider-Man Web of Shadows

Venom has a long history in video games that date back to almost his first comic appearance in 1988, which was followed by his video game debut as a boss in games like The Amazing Spider-Man for the Gameboy or Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin from Sega Genesis.

Venom has continued to make memorable appearances as a level and final boss in games like Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows, so it would make sense that his appearance in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will follow suit and allow players to take on the villain instead of play as Venom.

6 PLAYABLE: Venom Could Allow Gamers To Play Both Sides Of The Conflict

spider-man vs venom

Of course, if Venom is both a villain and a playable character in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, it would provide a unique opportunity to gamers to play out both sides of the conflict. Fighting crime as Peter Parker or Miles Morales while also playing as Venom on the opposite side opens up a number of interesting avenues for the game to take.

Players can stop gangs of enemies as Spider-Man while Venom is making his own moves against the heroes. This would really fill out the sequel with alternate paths and potentially even different endings depending on the chosen character's storyline.

5 NPC BOSS: A Playable Villain Like Venom Could Distract From The Other Rogues

Kraven the Hunter hunting Venom

The first trailer for the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2 teased more than just Venom in the highly-anticipated sequel, as a voice-over with a heavy Russian accent implied that Kraven the Hunter would be making his debut in the Insomniac universe.

Kraven could be accompanied by other villains like Calypso, the Chameleon, or even Grim Hunter, as well as any other number of Spider-Man's villains who have yet to be announced. If Venom is a playable villain, it could detract from Kraven and the other potential rogues by putting the focus on Venom instead.

4 PLAYABLE: It Could Add A New Dynamic To Replace MJ's Stealth Missions

Peter and MJ in Spider-Man PS4

Marvel's Spider-Man featured a few moments that explored an alternate dynamic to Spider-Man's usual action-packed fight scenes, as players could play as Mary Jane Watson in a few occasionally frustrating stealth missions.

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While those missions weren't as well-received as other side missions in the game, it showcased the multiple types of gameplay that Insomniac liked to add to their world. If Venom is a playable character, his symbiote could allow players to operate camouflaged stealth missions using the suit or other interesting options that could further enhance the sequel.

3 NPC BOSS: Saving Venom For His Own Game Like Miles Morales Might Be Best

Scene from Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Marvel's Spider-Man first teased the character of Miles Morales before he received his own Spider-Man suit and starred in 2020's Spider-Man: Miles MoralesThe spin-off game perfectly sets the character up for the sequel, which is something Venom would benefit from as well.

Introducing Venom as an NPC or game boss serves to effectively introduce the character while his own spin-off game could then be fully explored properly and give gamers an even bigger opportunity to play as the Lethal Protector.

2 PLAYABLE: Venom's Teased Storyline Should Let Gamers Play Instead Of Watch

Harry Osborn with the Venom symbiote from Marvel's Spider-Man game

While fans of the character might be hoping to see Eddie Brock in the role of Venom, players of Marvel's Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales have seen his storyline teased throughout the games. These scenes revealed that this version of Venom was actually Harry Osborn, and the Venom symbiote bonded with him to help save him from a degenerative disease.

While seeing this storyline play out in cinematics would still serve as a pay-off to the character's build-up, most players will be hoping for the opportunity to play out the teased storyline instead of watching it in cinematics.

1 NPC BOSS: It's Hard To Imagine Tony Todd's Venom Making Quips During Gameplay

Marvel-Spider-Man-2-Venom-Header

While fans are definitely excited to hear Candyman's Tony Todd voicing Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the impact of his performance could be lessened if he's a playable character. While Peter Parker and Miles Morales have a number of quips that come out during gameplay, it's hard to imagine Venom dropping the same amount of ongoing commentary.

Keeping Venom as a villain and in cinematic scenes allows Tony Todd's performance as Venom to really stand out and add to the menace of the character, provided he is more foe than friend. Sometimes less really is more, which could be the case with Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

NEXT: Venom: 15 Best Quotes In The Film