Key Highlights:
- Mary Jane Watson returns as a playable character in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, reigniting debate over her stealth missions.
- Reddit users are divided, with some welcoming her return and others frustrated by the prospect of more MJ gameplay.
- Insomniac has changed the missions significantly, giving MJ a stun weapon and removing automatic failure when detected.
Mary Jane Watson’s return as a playable character in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has divided players, with some welcoming her stealth missions and others disappointed that Insomniac Games has brought them back. However, the sequel makes several important changes to how these sections work, addressing complaints about the original game.
The discussion gained attention after Reddit user ludovic0_ shared an image reportedly showing an MJ playable section before the game’s October 20 release.
As GamesRadar reported, the reaction was mixed. User ApGod824 described the prospect as a worst-case scenario, while another commenter called for an option to skip the missions entirely.
Others welcomed the return. Pixelpanda5000 said they enjoyed the MJ and Miles missions in the original game, while kdk200000 acknowledged their initial frustration but found the sections increasingly interesting. Another commenter appreciated how these quieter sequences helped develop the story.
The disagreement stems largely from how MJ played in 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man. Without Peter Parker’s abilities, she had to sneak past enemies, create distractions and avoid detection. These missions offered a different perspective on New York’s dangers, but their restrictive stealth mechanics interrupted the superhero action for players who preferred controlling Spider-Man.
What interests me is that the criticism was never simply about playing as Mary Jane. The real issue was how little freedom the original missions offered compared with Peter’s combat and traversal. That distinction matters because Insomniac has directly changed the mechanics that made those sections frustrating.
Reviews published ahead of the sequel’s launch confirm that MJ can now use a stun weapon to incapacitate enemies. More importantly, detection no longer automatically ends the encounter. Players can fight back or attempt to recover when stealth breaks down, giving her missions a more active approach.
These changes preserve MJ’s perspective as an ordinary person facing dangerous enemies without making every mistake an immediate restart.
The improvements are also acknowledged in our Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 PS5 review, which finds the revised missions more flexible, even if MJ’s effectiveness against heavily armed opponents occasionally stretches credibility.
Whether players enjoy stepping away from Peter and Miles remains a matter of preference. Nevertheless, the returning missions are no longer simply a repeat of their 2018 counterparts, and Insomniac has made tangible changes to address their most restrictive gameplay elements.
