Bryan Intihar reveals Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s opening sequence, ASL, and accessibility options.

Get ready to swing through the streets of New York once again in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The highly anticipated sequel is now available worldwide, allowing players to step into the shoes of both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they combat crime and face new threats. Alongside the exhilarating gameplay, players can also explore a variety of new suits and styles, as well as customize their accessibility options.

If you’ve already delved into the game’s early hours and experienced its jaw-dropping opening, you may have some burning questions. Luckily, we had the opportunity to sit down with Bryan Intihar, the Senior Creative Director of the game, to discuss the game’s opening act. Here are some select excerpts from our conversation, edited for brevity and clarity. For the full interview, be sure to tune in to the Playstation Podcast.

Warning: This interview contains spoilers for the game’s first act.

The opening tutorial set piece was a deliberate choice from the early stages of development. In Marvel’s Spider-Man, players faced off against Kingpin to familiarize themselves with Peter Parker’s moveset. In Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, players took on Rhino as the newly minted Spider-Man. For Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Insomniac wanted to go even bigger.

Intihar explains, “Sandman was one of the first things we decided upon, like really early on. This was a meeting where I was like: ‘I want to open with Sandman’. We knew very early on that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was going to be on the PS5 console. We knew enough about the console, its capabilities, and how we wanted to push it. And we obviously knew it was going to be two Spider-Men. So, you say: new console. Big sequel. Two heroes. What is deserving of an opening for that? I think Sandman was our thing.”

The team spent a significant amount of time perfecting this mission. Intihar explains, “It’s not just about having a big character in the opening. Technically, it’s a challenge, from seamlessly switching between heroes to the intricate details required to make Sandman look good. We wanted to make a statement right away and show players that everything has been taken to the next level.”

Another aspect the team focused on was the impact of events on Marvel’s New York. Intihar reveals, “The thing that we haven’t talked about much until now is the second mission, which we internally call ‘The Aftermath’. We wanted to show that unlike the previous games, there are consequences to these big events. Players will witness the devastation and destruction caused by the Sandman event. We wanted to create a sense of cause and effect throughout the game, so players will see the aftermath of these missions.”

One of the standout characters in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales was Hailey, who communicates with Miles and her friends using American Sign Language (ASL). Hailey returns in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and plays a pivotal role in a particular mission.

Intihar shares, “That specific quest is one of my favorite parts of the game. It wasn’t something we initially planned, but the team proposed it, and despite not fitting into the schedule, they were passionate about making it happen. It’s a testament to empowering the team and their ability to make the game even better than I could have imagined.”

Accessibility is a crucial aspect for Insomniac and the industry as a whole. Intihar emphasizes, “Accessibility has been the biggest advancement in gaming over the past decade. We started focusing on it with Marvel’s Spider-Man and continued to add features in subsequent games like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Ratchet & Clank. Our goal is to find more ways for more players to enjoy our games. We want to make our games playable by anyone, and we’ll continue to add more features even after the game’s launch.”

When asked about his personal favorite moment in the game, Intihar highlights a mission in Queens involving Harry and Pete. He explains, “It’s not your typical Spider-Man content, but it’s a crucial moment for the game’s story and the relationship between Harry and Pete. We wanted to show their history and the ups and downs they go through. It’s about showcasing their lives outside the mask and adding depth to their characters.”

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is now available exclusively on Playstation 5. For more information on what’s new in the game, visit the official PlayStation website.

Background Information

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