Summary
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2presents Peter Parker and Miles Morales with some of their greatest challenges yet. New York has once again been flung into mortal danger, thanks to the likes of Kraven, Venom, and the Lizard. It makes for a grand story with even greater consequences, but it’s in stark contrast to an essential part of the webhead. Ever since the character’s inception, his tagline has been that he’s the “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,” highlighting how he’s just like any other service worker. WhenMarvel’s Spider-Man 2throws alien symbiotes into the mix, it starts to take the neighborhood out of the equation.
Luckily for fans of Spidey’s smaller stories, Insomniac hasn’t forgotten how important it is for the character to connect with his community.Spider-Man 2’s side missions take multiple opportunities to ground the experience and emphasize how important the wall-crawler is to everyday individuals in NYC. Miles in particular gets a side mission that exemplifieswhat it means to be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, while also showcasing the rich history of African-American art in the United States. Though it slows the action down, it’s a much-needed change of pace between the otherworldly threats thrown at the game’s Spider-Men.
RELATED:Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Miles Morales’s Most Divisive Suit Has One Major Issue
Spider-Man 2’s Cultural Museum Side Mission Shines In All The Best Ways
The Basic Premise of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Cultural Museum Side Mission
As Spider-Man, Miles Morales can find himself face to face withthe likes of Sandmanbefore most people get out of bed in the morning. When he isn’t taking on NYC’s inordinate amount of supervillains, however, he’s helping his community along with his mother, city councilwoman Rio Morales. Rio serves as Miles' eyes and ears for issues that are more personal to the residents of Harlem and surrounding neighborhoods. InMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, Rio directs Miles toward an emerging issue with a Harlem cultural center, kicking off the standout Cultural Museum side mission.
In this questline, a Harlem cultural center is looking for funding while attempting to organize a gala that would feature instruments and other items from Harlem Renaissance artists. Miles soon discovers that many of the instruments were stolen, and him and Rio must put their investigative skills together to preserve this essential showcase for African-American history. The story that unfolds may be very different fromSpider-Man 2’s main narrative, but it evokes the same charm of comic stories that make taking care of the community the most important thing at that moment.
The Museum is The Main Highlight of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Cultural Museum Side Mission
After Miles has gotten to the bottom of the cultural museum’s robbery, the side mission reaches its highest point. Players are able to attend the gala and view the many exhibits it has to offer, each of which highlight some of the most significant African-American writers, musicians, and performers of the early 20th century. Insomniac spared no detail in providing the history for each of these artists, with perhaps the most impressive being an exhibit centered on poet Langston Hughes that features the entirety of his poem, “The Weary Blues.” It all makes for an endearing tribute to African-American art that slows downSpider-Man 2’s action, but is nonetheless engaging and entertaining.
Spider-Man stories may be at their most epic when they tackle massive threats, but his service to the community is paramount to his character.Insomniac has taken risks with its version of Spider-Man, but it hasn’t forgotten how important the friendly neighborhood aspect is. The Cultural Museum side mission isn’t the only one that brings Miles down to earth, but it’s perhaps the most compelling due to its subject matter and the personal connection Miles has to the conflict. The whole city may not be at risk, but that doesn’t stop Spider-Man from ensuring his community is protected.
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.
