It’s pretty much part and parcel that all things comic book-related, when springing onto other mediums, should adapt the original source, or at least stay as close to it as possible. Spider-Man PS4, though, is playing by its own rules. Insomniac Games director Bryan Intihar has confirmed that the Spider-Man PS4 story will be a wholly original one.
Responding to a fan question on Twitter about which comic storylines were adapted for the game (H/T ScreenRant), Intihar reveals that we’ll be playing through an “original story” come September.
It’s an original story.
— Bryan Intihar (@bryanintihar) 15 July 2018
It’ll be a refreshing change of pace for a superhero property to stand on its own two feet away from the blood, sweat and ink of its comic book cousin. Insomniac appear to have been given carte blanche from Marvel when it comes to penning their own story.
That’s not to say certain story beats and other aspects aren’t ripped from the comics. Mister Negative, purportedly a massive part of the Spider-Man PS4 story, is a popular recent addition to the webhead’s rogues’ gallery. In addition to that, the Sinister Six also look to be showing up in-game (though Venom is reportedly absent), and have been a thorn in Spidey’s side for years in the comics. It’s sure to be a mix of well-loved characters and a completely fresh idea. That’s okay in my book.
E3 2018: Who is Spider-Man’s Mystery Villain?
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Who is Spider-Man's REAL Big Bad?
Let's get to the bottom of this...and bring me pictures of Spider-Man!
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The Kingpin
Perhaps the safest bet of the lot, as it's already been confirmed that Kingpin (real name: Wilson Fisk) enjoys a sizeable role in Spider-Man.
And given his ties to the city's criminal underbelly, Fisk's villainous team-up certainly makes sense from a business perspective – get rid of Spider-Man, and criminal hijinks can continue unabated.
Is he the game's true big bad? It's possible, but we're more inclined to believe it's actually...
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Norman Osborn
Norman Osborn, the straight-laced politician who's running to be the next New York Mayor by the time Spider-Man kicks off.
That would certainly explain the genuine surprise heard in Peter's voice ("Wait! You?) at the tail-end of Monday's trailer, and we all know that comic book villains have a habit of hiding in plain sight, only to be outed as lawless criminals. It's basically Scooby-Doo, albeit with less ghosts.
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Doctor Octopus/Otto Octavius
Another close candidate, not least because of his ties to the Sinister Six in Marvel Comics.
Doc Ock is also one of the few Spidey characters capable of crafting new, tech-savvy suits for each of his accomplices, and his grudge against Peter Parker is really the stuff of legend at this point.
There is one caveat, though; how does Peter Parker recognize Octavius in the game? Remember, Insomniac haven't openly confirmed Doc Ock's involvement, so file this one in the rumor cabinet for now.
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Mysterio/Quentin Beck
Another Spider-Man foe who has stealing headlines of late is Mysterio (real name: Quentin Beck) no thanks to Jake Gyllenhaal's casting in the film sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming.
And while that doesn't have any impact on Spider-Man, necessarily, it's worth noting that Beck's illusions and trickery can be cinematic as well as intriguing, opening up plenty of gameplay possibilities if the dev team at Insomniac want to push Parker's spider-sense into overtime.
Mysterio also has strong ties to the Sinister Six, but again, if the game's off-screen antagonist is the one true ringleader, then it's more likely that the Raft's prisoners fall under the command of another Spidey villain.
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Venom/Eddie Brock
Arguably one of Parker's greatest ever foes, Venom (Eddie Brock) is a character who needs no introduction. He's also poised for a spinoff movie of his own this fall, meaning Brock is currently high on everyone's watch list.
Not only that, Insomniac has refused to rule out a potential cameo from the infamous symbiote, though to be fair, Eddie Brock's raging alter-ego was never known for its organisational skills.
Osborn and Octavius are still the prime suspects, then...
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Miles Morales
Admittedly the biggest curveball of the lot. Mile Morales is in Insomniac's Spider-Man game, though his role appears to be more akin to fan service than that of a top-secret villain.
