Learn how the Insomniac Games development team was inspired by nature to create the most realistic lizard
A more beastly lizard, a little man and a hint of real science behind it. Yes, we’re talking about how Insomniac Games brought real biology into fantasy in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
This villain, who has enthralled us since the comic pages, now has a unique touch that on the one hand honors his origins and on the other hand makes him scarier than ever. We are not talking about digital makeup, but about complete immersion in nature to describe every scale, every aspect and every movement of this enemy of Spider-Man.
The Lizard in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Come on, have you ever seen a lizard and thought, “Hey, he’s going to do some really bad things”? Well, Jacinda Chew, Senior Art Director at Insomnia Games, did. The team researched real lizards to come up with a design that was true to life but at the same time reminiscent of the comic book “Curt Connors”.
“We study the skin of lizards a lot. Actually, the skin is very dry, but people expect our lizard to be much thinner. Even though it has the skin of that lizard, it’s brighter than what you see on a real lizard.” said Chew.
And what about eyes that seem to react to light? And that has a scientific basis. “We’ve made eyes that react to light in real time on PS5, based on how animal eyes work in nature,” Chew added.
Science meets fantasy.
Ah, but not everything is science. Insomniac is also revisiting the original Marvel comics to give Lizard his signature sense of horror and humanity. They gave him a beak, animal-like eyes, and an unfriendly appearance so that he wouldn’t look like a simple lizard with superpowers.
“We always go to the comics first,” Chew said. “Then with Marvel, we brought our personal touch. It can come from the gameplay or the narrative of the game.”
El Lagarto 2.0: bigger, meaner, greener
Here’s the twist: this lizard is unlike any you’ve seen in comics or movies. It’s big, bad and green in every way. He’s stripped off any clothes and lost all humanity, which means no philosophical discussion with Peter Parker at this point.
“It’s a big difference… We know people want to see the lizard in the lab coat, then they want to see it big. We enjoyed leaving clues for the players,” said Chew.
A soulful but balanced bastard?
In retrospect, the lizard is not new to the world of entertainment. In the year But the most interesting thing in his character is always duality: the internal struggle between his humanity and his animality.
Comparing this new interpretation to previous incarnations in movies and series, we notice how Insomniac Games has gone a little further. Here the focus is not on duality but on animals. While the lizard still retains some human characteristics in the previous films and series, in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, the villain seems to have reached a point of no return. This design choice can deliver a more intense and exciting gaming experience than ever before, allowing us to face more wild and unpredictable Lizards than ever before.
And what about the game?
For the fans watching: Yes, during some scenes in the game you will get nostalgic moments with the Lizard in your classic lab coat. But also prepare for a more menacing version of him who wants to take advantage of his animal nature to become an even more fearsome villain.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be available on PS5 on October 20, 2023. Let the countdown begin!