Summary
It’s no surprise that Mary Jane and Miles’ powerless stealth sequences were the most divisive portions ofMarvel’s Spider-Man. In a game where theSpider-Man power fantasyis obviously its selling point, hardly anyone might prefer a relatively dogged stealth segment. Most of these instances were thankfully story-driven and therefore had some degree of urgency and anxiety-inducing interactions, but especially on subsequent playthroughs they can be underwhelming.
It was then surprising to see stealth sequences return for MJ inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2. Fortunately, MJ comes far more prepared to hold her own in the sequel as her time inSymkariaapparently resulted in some more offense-oriented training, allowing her to sprint toward unsuspecting enemies to taser them unconscious. Insomniac has gone on to publicly state how crucial these sequences are for MJ in the franchise, leavingMarvel’s Spider-Manwith an interesting dilemma in future games.
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Insomniac Has Made Mary Jane Essential to Marvel’s Spider-Man
Playable MJ sequences were reprised forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2to accentuate her character more and demonstrate how she is an equal part of the equation to Peter and Miles. It’s true that without these sequences she’d easily slip backward into obscurity as a side character let alone a love interest, whereas giving her playable missions prevents that from happening due to her relevancy in tense, narratively rich moments. Indeed,MJ’s whole plight inMarvel’s Spider-Manis that she deserves to be seen as an equal partner, andMarvel’s Spider-Man 2needed to perpetuate that with evidence of her holding her own—even if MJ being capable of taking out countless trained killers is rather preposterous.
New Features Added to MJ’s Gameplay in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Enemy attacks are a one-hit knockout onMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Spectacular difficulty, meaning players won’t see the tranquilizer effect come into play and sprinting at enemies still needs to be done so strategically to avoid head-on, point-blank attacks.
MJ Not Having Gameplay Now Would Be a Character Backslide
If MJ was allowed to take a backseat and not hop into gameplay, there wouldn’t necessarily be any way to show that she is still as vital and has her own role to play. Of course, cutscenes could always aptly demonstrate how important MJ is without fans needing to play as her for any period of time. Unfortunately, though, if Insomniac features MJ in aMarvel’s Spider-Man 2sequel and doesn’t provide her with playable missions, it might give fans the impression that she isn’t as influential or significant in the story anymore.
This might not be true depending on what her role in the narrative is, but MJ missions have now become a patternable feature with meaning and implication. Taking those away, particularly after they have finally become somewhat interesting with third-person shooter-like mechanics, could be a huge detriment to MJ’s character and the way fans perceive her moving forward.
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.
