Spider-Man 2 debuted to positive reviews last year, though many gamers were disappointed by a surprisingly brief story and large, but disappointingly lifeless, open world.
While fans were able to take control of Venom for a battle with Kraven the Hunter, the character's role was smaller than expected and the final act was deemed too similar to 2008's Spider-Man: Web of Shadows.
Insomniac Games was hit by a huge leak last year, with details about its Wolverine video game - and even plans for a Venom spin-off - all finding their way online sooner than they'd have liked.
Now, one gamer has taken a deep dive into the PC build of Spider-Man 2 to unearth scrapped plans for the Life Foundation Symbiotes to make an appearance. It's hard to figure out how they'd have factored into the version of the sequel we've all played, so they were presumably ditched from the story relatively early on.
Still, getting to battle Phage, Lasher, Agony, and Riot would have been a blast and, in the final version, Scream was the only one to appear when that symbiote briefly bonded with Mary Jane Watson.
It's also claimed that Venom once appeared much earlier in the game, with his arc revolving around "separation anxiety." As this information is taken out of context, piecing all this together is easier said than done; however, we'd be shocked if these ideas aren't utilised in Insomniac's planned Venom game.
There's no word on whether that will be set during the events of Spider-Man 2 or whether a new host will bond with the alien symbiote for a new adventure which sets the stage for a third instalment (which will likely shift the focus away from Peter Parker and to Miles Morales and Cindy Moon, a.k.a. Silk).
You can take a closer look at Spider-Man 2's scrapped symbiotes in the X posts below (via GameFragger.com).
Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, return for an exciting new adventure in the critically acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise for PS5. Swing, jump and utilize the new Web Wings to travel across Marvel’s New York, quickly switching between Peter Parker and Miles Morales to experience different stories and epic new powers, as the iconic villain Venom threatens to destroy their lives, their city and the ones they love.
Spider-Man 2 is now available to purchase worldwide.