Beyond the comics, it can be tough to remember the true malice of Venom. It’s been a long time since the maligned Spider-Man 3 brought Sam Raimi's take on the symbiote to life, and since then Venom has often been hosted in mainstream culture solely by the long-suffering Eddie Brock. Whether the darkly comic turn offered by Tom Hardy or the brutish outings of games like Marvel’s Midnight Suns, the character is expressed through its enduring host and their insatiable anger. But what I saw at the PlayStation showcase was far more scary – a slow, simmering rage.
From the moment Peter Parker appears in his symbiotically-modified suit, it’s clear he’s relishing a dark new power. As your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, Peter does have a tendency to play with his food, stringing up his foes with a quick quip, but where appropriate, he often leaves them alone without too much long-term harm. Here, though, he’s angry from the very outset, tossing Kraven’s goons around with wrathful vigor. It’s a writhing, muscular moveset, robbed of the agility that makes Spider-Man so recognisable.
