Marvel’s Avengers has been digging itself out of a pretty deep hole for the past year that it’s been on the market. From a shaky launch to frustrating monetization mechanics, Square Enix and developer Crystal Dynamics have been doing what they can to make Marvel’s Avengers into an experience that more fans can be happy with. Part of that work has been adding long-requested heroes, and few have been requested more than Spider-Man. The world-renowned wall-crawler was promised as PlayStation exclusive DLC before Avengers even launched, and after over a year of patience, fans finally got their first taste of what to expect.
The team behind Marvel’s Avengers first teased Spider-Man through an image of how his suit will look in the game, and now fans finally have a full cinematic trailer that shows off the webhead in action. The acrobatic action that fans might expect is all there, and conversations are already starting on how this Spider-Man suit looks compared to others, but there’s one thing in the Spider-Man trailer that is arguably most notable. While Spider-Man’s look and how he plays are important, Marvel’s Avengers already looks like it has nailed its characterization of Spider-Man, and how he melds with the rest of the Avengers team.
Spider-Man’s Comic Relationship With The Avengers
Spider-Man’s history through the comics has seen him move back and forth from being a lone hero, to someone who becomes a dedicated part of a team. When he is a part of a team though, Spider-Man is often the brightest light among occasionally melodramatic heroes. Much like in the MCU, Avengers like Iron Man have served as a sort of mentor to Spidey, and he’s also built up a camaraderie with the likes of Wolverine and Doctor Strange. These relationships have served as a great source of entertainment over the years, and they show how Spider-Man’s constant quips and lightheartedness can forge strong connections.
How Marvel’s Avengers Sets Up Spider-Man’s Relationship With The Team
One of the biggest concerns leading up to the release of Marvel’s Avengers’ Spider-Man DLC is just how much depth would be given to the character. Fans have known for some time that this expansion wouldn’t be at the same scale as the War for Wakanda DLC, partly due to Spider-Man’s PlayStation exclusivity, so there were some valid worries over whether or not the webhead would feel like a fully integrated part of the game’s structure. While having Spider-Man in a game like Avengers sounds nice on paper, the DLC could feel pretty empty if he doesn’t add anything meaningful to the overall game.
Luckily, it seems that Crystal Dynamics has made sure that Spider-Man really fits in with the Avengers as much as possible. While they were brief moments, the end of Spider-Man’s reveal trailer showed him interacting with Kamala Khan and having a comedic conversation with Hulk about how to say his name. Not only does it show that the game is recognizing Spidey’s past comic relationships, but it also demonstrates how he will have the entertaining personality that is central to the character. So, even if the suit or the voice isn’t what some fans expected, the fun of Spider-Man as a character is all still there.
While this cinematic reveal provided some much needed relief for many Marvel’s Avengers players, Spider-Man’s gameplay and overall place in the game still remains to be seen. Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics will be pulling back the curtain very soon ahead of the DLC’s November 30 launch, and it will likely be the most important presentation in the game’s short history. As promising as Spider-Man’s characterization in Marvel’s Avengers appears, it’s going to take a lot more than that for his DLC to meet expectations.
Marvel’s Avengers is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
