Spider-Man 2 fans hopeful for Carnage DLC and Spider-Man 3
It's time to "marvel" at the achievements of Spider-Man 2, as Insomniac's follow-up to the 2018 PlayStation exclusive is the talk of the town. While there are many titles in the running for Game of the Year, it's Spider-Man 2 vs Starfield setting the console wars alight in 2023.
Neither Starfield nor Spider-Man 2 are perfect outings, but that hasn't stopped some from praising the latter as the best superhero game of all time.
Proving that bigger is sometimes better, Spider-Man 2's story is an easy highlight, bringing back familiar foes and new threats like Kraven the Hunter and Venom.
SPOILER WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man 2's The Flame side mission
Spider-Man 2 hints at Carnage
Spider-Man 2 ties things off nicely, and while we won't go too far into spoiler territory here, it definitely sets up the proposed Spider-Man 3 and a long-awaited villain turn for a particular pumpkin-throwing baddie. This isn't the only tantalising tease of where we go next, with a clear wink to Cletus Kasady, aka Carnage.
For those who've played Spider-Man 2, you'll know all about "The Flame" side mission. It sees Peter Parker team up with and go against Yuri Watanabe, who has now taken on the vigilante mantle of Wraith. The pair investigate a series of fires and a villainous cult leader...confusingly called The Flame.
Things come to a head as the cult leader tries to steal a symbiote sample from an Oscorp train. The Flame's endgame is to burn away his enemies and bring about "Crimson Hour" - hmmm, what colour is Carnage again? Additionally, Watanabe confirms she's investigating his aliases of Archie Abel, Walter Wachtman, and Cletus Kasady.
In the comics, Kasady was an unhinged serial killer who led the Cult of Knull and worshipped the symbiote. The Flame even looks similar to Kasady, sporting the same red hair. If you aren't sold, Kasady's final words are, "When the Crimson Hour rolls over this earth, it shall bring truth, judgment, and carnage."
Could Carnage appear in Spider-Man 3?
Considering Venom was a big part of Spider-Man 2, saving Carnage for Spider-Man 3 might feel like retreading the same ground. This makes a Carnage-themed DLC the perfect fit for a Spider-Man 2 expansion by continuing the story.
Others called for a full-blown Spider-Man 3 return. One wrote, "The Flame missions in my opinion were so much better than the actual story missions at times. the Carnage story needs to unfold!" Another added, "How crazy would it be if Carnage bonds with Doc Ock and we get Monster Ock in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3."
The end of Spider-Man 2 teases a third game as the "final chapter," and given the success of this game as the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game, we can't see a world where we don't get Spider-Man 3. Either way, imagine if we get Spider-Man 3: Maximum Carnage. We can only dream.
