WithMarvel’s Spider-ManandMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Moralesnow under the company’s belt, Insomniac Games has amassed quite the number of suits in Spidey’s arsenal. From the now-iconic Advanced Suit with the white spider to the Programmable Matter and Iron Spider Suits which come complete with mechanical arms, there is something for everyone when it comes to picking out a favoriteSpider-Man suit. Still, one suit in particular has more love, care, and attention put into it than any other suit - making it stand out in Spider-Man’s wardrobe.
The suit in question is the Bodega Cat Suit, which was introduced inMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Obtained by finishing the game and completing the “Cat’s Pyjamas” side quest, the Bodega Cat Suit outfits Miles in a variety of casual wear worn over a version of his classic red-and-black suit. A red sweatshirt with an upside-down spider logo coupled with an oversized white T-shier covers his upper half, while red-and-black sneakers round out his lower body attire.
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A Suit That Ties Into New York
While the casual wear seems a tad normal for a Spider-Man suit,this cements Miles as a street-level hero; one who does not mind looking like the people he helps in his friendly neighborhood. This is reflected in many of the main and side missions inSpider-Man: Miles Morales, but the Bodega Cat Suit is most heavily related to the side mission “Looters!!!”, wherein Miles is tasked with saving local bodega owner Teo’s cat. After going through a power station and fighting loads of thugs, Miles safely tucks Teo’s cat (who is named Spider-Man) into a backpack and swings him back to his worried owner. Teo thanks the new Spider-Man, accepting him as Harlem’s protector.
This looks to be the end of another unremarkable side mission, as players don’t see much of Teo or Spider-Man the cat once it is completed. However, much to the delight of cat lovers everywhere, Insomniac Games went the extra mile and incorporated the cat-backpack animations into a suit. Lo and behold:the Bodega Cat Suit was born.
The Bodega Cat Suit Was A Big Collaboration Between Departments
In a GDC 2021 talk, Insomniac Games Studio Art Director Gavin Goulden explained how the Bodega Cat was acollaboration by many departments at Insomniac. The narrative team created not one, but two side missions that involve Spider-Man saving cats, so animation had to find a practical way for Spidey to carry them through the city. This resulted in the production of cat-backpack animations, wherein the cat would move around inside the backpack as well as occasionally meow to announce their presence. Once the missions were finished, the animation team added the existing cat-backpack animations to the Bodega Cat Suit, along with some extra animations.
With the Bodega Cat Suit equipped, Spider-Man the cat can be found chilling in a backpack on Miles' back. He has the same appearance as in the “Looters!!!” side mission, albeit now with a fully customized Spider-Man cat mask. He also meows and moves around in the backpack occasionally. However, the the biggest draw that gets players to equip this skin is that Spider-Man the cat will sometimes pop out of the pack andaid Miles during combat, swiping and clawing at opponents. He isn’t a full-on NPC companion, but rather an additional set of animations that play randomly when players perform finishers on bad guys.
These animations add a new layer of character (not to mention a whole new character) to an otherwise mundane skin. Many people love cats, and the Bodega Cat Suit emphasizes how bodega culture is prevalent in New York City. While suits like the Uptown Pride Suit and Purple Reign Suit subtle hint at New York culture and Miles' background respectively, the Bodega Cat Suit references both with a clean set of clothes and a bodega cat that is itching to fight crime. It isn’t the flashiest suit, but the Bodega Cat Suitperfectly encapsulates who Miles isduring the events ofSpider-Man: Miles Morales. He’s just a kid who lives in Harlem, fights crime during the winter, and really, really loves cats.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Moralesis out now on PlayStation 4 and PlaStation 5.
