Summary
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is out now, and the game expands upon most elements that were present in its two predecessors. This means that traversal, combat, and itemshave been changed inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, but the infamous Mary Jane stealth sections of the first game have been reworked as well. While these missions have been improved, the next game in the franchise can make them even better. While the firstMarvel’s Spider-Mangame was critically acclaimed, it certainly had its critics. One of the most common points of contention was the inclusion of the Mary Jane sequences.
Warning: the following contains spoilers for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
These missions give players control of Mary Jane as she has to sneak her way past groups of enemies, eventually gaining access to offensive stealth tools later in the game. Many maligned these missions as boring, especially in comparison to the exhilaratingopen-world Spider-Man gameplaythat makes up the bulk of the game. InSpider-Man 2, these missions are back, but they are faster and more open-ended, as Mary Jane has trained with Silver Sable between games and can use a non-lethal stun gun to quickly dispatch enemies. These improvements set the stage for even better MJ missions in futureSpider-Mangames.
The Next Marvel’s Spider-Man Game Can Continue to Empower Mary Jane
While Mary Jane startsMarvel’s Spider-Man 2as a noticeably more powerful ally to Spider-Man, she only continues to get stronger as the game continues. Her close-range stun gun eventually gets upgraded to include a web-shooter, and later a sonic attachment that can dispatch symbiote enemies from a distance. Thesenew features deepenSpider-Man 2’s Mary Jane missions, but Insomniac can push things even further.
Since the final Mary Jane mission ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2is essentially a level out of a third-person shooter, the next game could simply follow this approach for the Mary Jane sections. Instead of forcing players through linear stealth sections, these missions could offer several different options for both stealthy and aggressive gameplay, perhaps even allowing players to go in and out of stealth similar to franchises likeMetal Gear SolidandThe Last of Us. This way, the missions could be deep, satisfying challenges in their own right, and wouldn’t feel like a less enjoyable alternative to the Spider-Man gameplay.
Insomniac’s nextSpider-Mangamecould also benefit from a story perspective if it were to take this approach with Mary Jane. Instead of just helping out Peter and Miles, Mary Jane could join the ranks of an elite force such as SHIELD, using her experience, training, and intelligence to help with tactical or espionage missions of great importance. This would make sense as a natural progression for this version of the character, who appears to be getting stronger and more confident with each game. Perhaps these theoretical Mary Jane missions could even be a springboard for the character’s own half-sequel.
Players continue to be divided over the inclusion of the Mary Jane missions in Insomniac’sSpider-Mangames. While these slower missions are still some ofMarvel’s Spider-Man’s most critiquedmoments, it’s clear that the developers care about them from both a gameplay and storytelling perspective.
That said, if Mary Jane is going to remain a playable character, her skill set will need to keep being expanded, and turning her into a highly-trained, capable operative who uses non-lethal firearms and various stealth tactics makes the most sense in terms of both narrative and gameplay. Even if future games don’t have Mary Jane as a playable character, her missions set the stage for enjoyable action-stealth set-pieces as non-superpowered characters in the franchise.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.Explore an expansive Marvel’s New York with faster web-swinging and the all-new Web Wings, quickly switching between Peter and Miles to experience different stories, epic new abilities and high-tech gear.Wield Peter’s symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric powers in battle against new and iconic Marvel Super Villains – including an original take on a symbiote-infused Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and more from the Marvel Rogues’ Gallery.
