Marvel’s Avengers' release was less than perfect, with bugs and complaints on the game’s gear system galore. Developer Crystal Dynamics has done what it can to work on these issues, and the game is slowly getting to a point where fans are mostly satisfied with the experience. AsMarvel’s Avengersbegins to expand with the addition of some long-awaited DLC, many fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of everyone’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
It was confirmed before the game’s release that the PlayStation versions ofMarvel’s Avengerswould get Spider-Man DLC, but not much information on the character’s inclusion has been divulged since then. All that’s really been announced is its delay out of its initial window, with many fans indubitably looking at this to betheDLC of DLC for the game. Considering how beloved Spider-Man is across the Marvel community, the immense anticipation of fans is understandable. At the same time, however, this hype puts a lot of pressure onMarvel’s Avengersand puts Crystal Dynamics in a particularly difficult position.
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Spider-Man’s Reputation
Marvel has produced a lot of characters over its long history, butfew have been as widely popular or influential as Spider-Man. Since his debut in 1962, Peter Parker has stood as the quintessential teenage hero that routinely defies all odds. Not only does Spider-Man take down supervillains by night, but by day, he’s just another kid trying to get through school. This storytelling has helped Spider-Man remain consistently relatable and relevant, as nearly every reader can envision themselves in Peter Parker’s shoes in one way or another.
Spider-Man’s long history has allowed fans to build up a strong connection with the character, but with that connection comes expectations. Fulfilling these expectations is what putsMarvel’s Avengersunder a unique amount of pressure. The game’s interpretation of the Avengers was mostly well-received by fans, after some initial tweaking anyway, but characters like Iron Man and the Hulk aren’t as widely known outside of the context ofthe Marvel Cinematic Universeor the hardcore comic fans. Spider-Man has almost always been relevant in the online community, regardless of background, and many fans expect him to be the same wise-cracking bastion of responsibility that he’s been for years.
Any interpretation that runs counter to what has been built up in the comics would likely be met with severe opposition. One of the biggest indications of what goes wrong when Spider-Man is written differently comes fromSpider-Man 3. When Peter Parker comes into contact withthe Venom symbiote, not only does he have an incredibly awkward dance sequence, but his character devolves rapidly. This scene mostly gets laughs now, but to some fans, it was a serious disgrace to a beloved character. It would be wise of Crystal Dynamics to think back on this when developing Spider-Man’s DLC, so it doesn’t make the same mistakes.
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In the Shadow of Insomniac
TheMarvel’s AvengersSpider-Man DLC is already in a tough place because of how much fans cling to the wall-crawler, but the pressure doesn’t stop there. In recent years, the superhero genre of games has experienced a major resurgence in popularity due to games like theBatman: Arkhamseries. Spider-Man has recently experienced similar success, withInsomniac’s award-winningMarvel’s Spider-Man. The game gave players one of the best Spider-Man experiences ever, and set the standard for what aSpider-Mangame should be. Unfortunately forMarvel’s Avengers, reaching this standard might prove to be difficult.
One of the things that madeMarvel’s Spider-Manso successful was the open-world of New York City and the satisfying web-swinging. While the combat ofMarvel’s Avengersmight be mostly solid, traversal is something that some fans have expressed concern towards. Movement can be clunky at times, especially withnewly added heroes like Hawkeyewho lose all momentum after using the grapple ability. Spider-Man is all about fluidity of movement, especially in Insomniac’s take on the character, so anything that doesn’t reflect that will likely be met with some criticism.
In addition to meeting the expectations set byMarvel’s Spider-Man’s gameplay,Marvel’s Avengersis also under pressure to deliver a solid story experience. The story ofMarvel’s Spider-Manwas deeply emotional and managed to seamlessly incorporate much ofthe webslinger’s rogues galleryin a completely original story. Crystal Dynamics will have the tall task of putting similar emotion and character into its interpretation of Spider-Man. Choosing the right villain will also be a crucial aspect of the DLC.Marvel’s Spider-Manprovided some fresh takes on fan-favorite characters like Doc Ock, and if the Spider-Man DLC villain is as underwhelming as Maestro, it could do irreparable damage toMarvel’s Avengers.
Expectations were already high forMarvel’s Avengersleading up to its release, and after the many pitfalls the game has experienced, it needs something to revive interest. The Spider-Man DLC has the potential to bring a lot of positive attention to the game, but at the same time, it could be a huge gamble for Crystal Dynamics. Not much is known about the DLC, which has only added on to the pressure, but Crystal Dynamics has assured fans that it’s still coming. It seems like the developer has a better idea ofwhat the future DLC slate looks like forMarvel’s Avengersafter the announcement of Black Panther, so hopefully information on the Spider-Man DLC will come sooner than later.
Marvel’s Avengersis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
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