The Future of Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Deciding Mary Jane's Destiny

Highlights

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 expands on elements from the previous games, including traversal, combat, and items, but also improves the infamous Mary Jane stealth sections.

The missions involving Mary Jane have been revamped to enhance speed and offer greater flexibility, introducing new tools such as a non-lethal stun gun. However, potential future games have the opportunity to elevate these missions to new heights.

To further empower Mary Jane, the forthcoming Spider-Man game could provide additional choices for stealthy and assertive gameplay in her missions, while also seamlessly integrating her into significant tactical or espionage undertakings.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has been released, and it builds upon the features of its previous installments. The game introduces changes to traversal, combat, and items, while also revamping the well-known Mary Jane stealth sections from the first game. Although these missions have been enhanced, the future installment of the franchise has the potential to further improve them. Despite the critical acclaim received by the first Marvel's Spider-Man game, there were critics who raised objections, particularly regarding the inclusion of the Mary Jane sequences.

The Next Marvel's Spider-Man Game Can Continue to Empower Mary Jane

These missions involve players taking on the role of Mary Jane, maneuvering stealthily past enemy groups to eventually gain access to offensive stealth tools. These missions were criticized by many for being dull, especially when compared to the exciting open-world Spider-Man gameplay that makes up the majority of the game. However, in Spider-Man 2, the Mary Jane missions have made a return. They are now faster and more open-ended, thanks to Mary Jane's training with Silver Sable between games. With the addition of a non-lethal stun gun, Mary Jane can swiftly disable enemies. These improvements set the stage for even better Mary Jane missions in future Spider-Man games.

Although Mary Jane begins Marvel's Spider-Man 2 as a noticeably formidable ally to Spider-Man, her power only amplifies throughout the game. Not only does her close-range stun gun evolve to incorporate a web-shooter, but it also gains a sonic attachment capable of eliminating symbiote enemies from afar. These additional enhancements deepen the Mary Jane missions in Spider-Man 2, but Insomniac has the capability to take it even further.

In Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the final mission involving Mary Jane is reminiscent of a third-person shooter. To enhance the gameplay experience, future games could adopt a similar approach for Mary Jane's sections, offering players various choices between stealthy and aggressive gameplay. This could include the option to switch between stealth and combat, similar to games like Metal Gear Solid and The Last of Us. By doing so, these missions would become more immersive and enjoyable challenges on their own, rather than feeling like a less fun alternative to playing as Spider-Man.

From a storytelling perspective, Insomniac's next Spider-Man game could greatly benefit if Mary Jane's role is expanded. Instead of solely assisting Peter and Miles, Mary Jane could become part of an elite force like SHIELD, utilizing her skills, knowledge, and training to contribute to high-stakes tactical and espionage missions. This progression would be a natural fit for her character, as she continues to grow stronger and more confident with each game. Perhaps these conceptual missions featuring Mary Jane could even serve as a launching point for her own standalone adventure.

The inclusion of the Mary Jane missions in Insomniac's Spider-Man games continues to be a topic of division among players. Although these slower missions are often criticized, it is evident that the developers value them from both a gameplay and storytelling perspective.

If Mary Jane is to remain a playable character, her skill set must be further expanded. Transforming her into a highly-trained, proficient operative who employs non-lethal firearms and stealth tactics would be the most logical approach in terms of both narrative and gameplay. Even if future games do not feature Mary Jane as a playable character, her missions establish the groundwork for enjoyable action-stealth segments involving non-superpowered characters in the franchise.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is currently available on PS5.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2

The follow-up to Spider-Man from 2018 and its spin-off Miles Morales, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is an exclusive game for the PS5 console. Developed by Insomniac Games, this open-world adventure features both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as main characters, who will face formidable enemies like Kraven, Venom, and Lizard.

Franchise: Spider-Man

Platform: PS5

Release Date: October 20, 2023

Developer: Insomniac Games

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Genre: Open-World, Action-Adventure

ESRB Rating: T for Teen (Blood, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence)

Estimated Gameplay Time: 20 Hours

Metascore Rating: 91

Editor's P/S

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has taken a step in the right direction by improving the Mary Jane stealth sections, but there is still room for further enhancement in future games. Expanding Mary Jane's role to include more choices for stealthy and assertive gameplay, as well as integrating her into significant tactical or espionage missions, would elevate these missions to new heights and make them more enjoyable for players.

In terms of storytelling, it would be compelling to see Mary Jane's character continue to grow and evolve. Having her join an elite force like SHIELD would provide her with opportunities to contribute to high-stakes missions and utilize her skills and training in new and exciting ways. This progression would not only be a natural fit for her character but also open up the possibility for her own standalone adventure, allowing players to experience the world of Spider-Man from a different perspective.