Spider-Man 2 has caused a fissure in its player base with the return of the first game’s controversial MJ missions. Despite some improvements, not everyone is convinced about their place in the game.
Spider-Man 2’s triumphant launch on the PlayStation 5 has players hooked on fighting crime and hunting suits. More dedicated enthusiasts are crafting epic scenes with the game’s photo mode or going the extra mile with Spiderverse fan edits.
Reception for Spider-Man 2 is largely positive outside of some gripes with a certain 80’s pop song. Unfortunately for certain players, a particular inclusion is taking them out of the action and it’s not Peter Parker’s crippling mortgage.
The return of the oft-maligned stealth missions centered around Mary Jane Watson has split players. Some think the improvements made to her gameplay make them a welcome addition and others bemoan their existence entirely.
A Tweet from Okami Games sparked the debate with the YouTuber praising how “amazing” MJ is in Spider-Man 2. “She really holds Peter down and her missions are so much better now,” he explained. “Love how Insomniac went all in on the stealth gameplay.”
Other players in the thread stand by Okami’s assessment and have compared MJ’s missions to games like The Last of Us and Resident Evil 4. “Her missions and their relationship were so f**king good,” one user replied. “A massive improvement from the first game.”
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Despite acceptance that her gameplay segments are an upgrade, most players still find no joy in them. “You and I had very opposite reactions to her missions,” a user responded. “They are better but the entire time I was just waiting to go back to playing Spider-Man”
Others in this camp felt her missions broke the internal logic of the game and diminished immersion somewhat. “We’re supposed to believe she’s taking down hunters trained by Kraven with a taser in a sweater and slips ons, while Peter and Miles struggle to even fight them at it times?” a user asked. “Her missions shouldn’t be in the game at all.”
While strong feelings for and against MJ’s stealth missions mark a bit of a rift in the community, most players agree on one thing: playing as either of the game’s Spider-Men is very enjoyable.
If you love MJ’s stealth missions and want to turn her into the next Sam Fisher, or you can’t stand them and want them to be over as fast as possible, our Spider-Man 2 guides can help with both.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: All suits for Peter Parker & Miles Morales | Spider-Man 2 Photo Mode | Main Story missions list | Can you play as Venom? | How to unlock Webbed Suits | Spider-Man 2 All Marko’s Memories | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 editions | Spider-Man 2 trophies & achievements | All Accessibility settings | Increase health & damage | Spider-Man 2 Photo Ops locations | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 map