With great power comes great responsibility…
Meet Rhino, the first classic Marvel Super Villain to be unveiled exclusively for the upcoming video game from Beenox;The Amazing Spider-Man. This new, re-imagined version of Rhino was created specifically for The Amazing Spider-Man video game and will not be seen in the theatrical film.
The game picks up where the film ends. Parker is thrown into a new exciting storyline fighting a variety of baddies to try and save New York from devastation. This trailer shows Spider-Man putting his new web slinging skills to use moving seamlessly from buildings, New York landmarks such as the Brookyln Bridge before coming face to face with Rhino himself.
RHINO
The Amazing
Spider-Man Video Game Bio
At first
glance, Rhino seems like nothing more than an angry, mindless cross of
rhinoceros and human DNA, bent on mowing over anything or anyone stupid enough
to stand in his way. His mere appearance is known to scare many into believing
that Rhino and all cross-species are abominations that must be destroyed. Yet,
the few who have looked into his eyes (and survived) have reported their
surprise in sensing a degree of humanity there. Almost a sadness.
Unlike all of
the other cross-species, which were created after Curt Connors terrorized the
city as the Lizard, Rhino was the result of a pet project belonging to a
corrupt Oscorp executive with access to Connors’ research. Abusing this access,
he applied this top-secret knowledge to black-market dealings.
Without the
knowledge or consent of his superiors at Oscorp, the executive forcefully
enlisted the help of Dr. Michael Morbius, threatening to end the reclusive
biochemist’s career if he refused to help. Morbius reluctantly complied,
applying the rhinoceros DNA with which the executive supplied him to a
cross-species serum similar in nature to Connors’ own for the Lizard.
The next step
was to test the serum, and the executive’s underworld clients were all too
happy to provide his oblivious human test subject: a low-level thug named
Aleksei Sytsevich. If it worked, the mafia would have a new weapon on its
hands; if not...no great loss.
After an
excruciatingly painful transformation, Sytsevich was now a hybrid of man and
rhinoceros, ready to tear apart anything in his path – the executive’s clients
would be pleased. That is, if they are ever to receive their investment…
Background –
Developer Q&A with Stephane Gravel, Producer, Beenox and Chris Baker, Interactive
Manager, Marvel
How is Rhino
different in the video game than the comic books?
Stephane: We
really wanted to maintain the spirit of the film in all of the characters we
worked on with Marvel for the video game. We also wanted to make
sure to incorporate the core traits of his comic book character as well, which
resulted in Rhino’s intriguing and complex origin. This has also allowed
us to create the most animalistic and ferocious version of Rhino ever!
Chris: I
think the team has done a great job of creating a “movie Rhino” without
completely alienating his comic book roots. While he may not be a guy in a big
rhinoceros suit like he is in the comics, we do still retain elements such as
the character Aleksei Sytsevich and his ties to the Russian mafia. He’s also
not entirely bright.
Why did you
decide to go with a different version of the character?
Stephane: In
the spirit of the film, the game is taking a new look at Spidey’s origins,
including his nemeses. Building upon our main storyline, his creation is
based on a genetic experiment, which also ties to the overall story arc of the
game.
Chris: It’s
very important to root things in the film universe, where the rules are a
little bit different, but extra care has been taken to honor the comic book
source material as well. I’m not sure how in depth I can get without giving
away things about the movie itself, but rest assured that in addition to
including the science behind how the Lizard came to be, you pretty much have to
involve Oscorp in the mix – and heavily!
What more can
you tell us about Rhino?
Stephane: He
is a hybrid; part rhinoceros, part human. He used to be a human being, but he
can’t be considered human anymore. He is driven by animalistic impulses and
feelings of fear and sadness – in his current state, he’s extremely
unpredictable.
Chris: It’s
also notable that Rhino is the only cross-species experiment outside of the
Lizard himself who was first a human being. Our fiction in the game states that
even though Oscorp has continued Connors’ cross-species research, the company
isn’t so corrupt as to continue experimenting on human beings – so any other
cross-species enemies Spidey might come across were an animal first, crossed
with human DNA. In fact, only those directly involved in the experiment on
Sytsevich know that Rhino was human first – for the sake of his own reputation,
Michael Morbius, who was forced to create Rhino against his will, has told
everyone at Oscorp that the beast was a rhinoceros crossed with human DNA.
What are
Rhino’s motivations?
Stephane:
Rhino isn’t on a mission here. He wasn’t hired or out for Spider-Man’s
blood. He’s escaped from Oscorp and is only looking to survive. He
has been rampaging the streets of New York ever since.
Chris: And I
would add that Rhino’s rampaging is also rooted deeply in sheer frustration.
You have to realize, his brain was turned to such mush through the experiment
that anything resembling intelligent thought simply escapes him – but at the
same time, he possesses some semblance of the concept of intelligent
thought because he did indeed live it as Sytsevich. He knows it’s a cool thing
to have.
This is the
best analogy I can make for Rhino’s current thought process, and why it leads
to such frustration: You know those times in everyday life when you open your
closet door to get some random trinket, but you forget what you wanted out of
there in the first place? It’s pretty frustrating until you remember what
you’re after a second or two later. Now, imagine that feeling, but it never
ends. That’s what Rhino’s experiencing. And the “random trinket” he’s
looking for is his identity and what it’s like to think like a human being.
Wouldn’t that make you want to go on a rampage?
What is new
and exciting about this Rhino?
Stephane:
Rhino is one of the most recognizable villains of Spidey’s infamous rogues
gallery. We’ve taken a fresh approach to Rhino, inspired by the tone of
the movie. His origin is more grounded, more realistic. He’s a
grittier, more animalistic and more visceral version of Rhino, his thoughts
complicated by a vague sense of who he used to be and overwhelming feelings of
fear and sorrow.
Chris: I’m
definitely excited about how this new approach manages to honor both the new
movie’s universe and the character’s comic book roots. But honestly, the most
exciting thing is his appearance, and Beenox has simply created the most
fearsome-looking interpretation of Rhino I’ve ever seen. When it comes to
character design, these guys really excel.
Comic Book Stats
·
Universe: Marvel Universe
·
Real name: Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich
·
Identity: known to legal authorities by fake U.S. identity
·
Citizenship: Russia
·
Place of birth: unrevealed
·
First appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #41 (1966)
·
Occupation: professional criminal
