Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Director Knows MJ Is OP, Doesn't Care

Insomniac's senior creative director doesn't care that Mary Jane is "a little OP" in the divisive stealth missions of Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

[zsquaresoff]

MJ missions don't bother anyone except for fans of a certain console who's expiry date is 2027.

[H9]

Nice try, but the vast majority hates MJ missions

[Lexreborn2]

I found them fun, felt like a last of us lite

[xHeavYx]

Personally, I thought that MJ missions were way more interesting than the ones from the last game.

[Eonjay]

I really find it repulsive when people go around trying to convince groups of people to 'hate something'. That practice runs deep in videogame culture, religion and politics.

[repsahj]

Good thing I'm not one of that vast majority. XD

[MrNinosan]

Really? In the Xbox forums, or where did you find them?

[goldwyncq]

Translation: Anyone who criticizes my precious PS5 exclusives, no matter how valid the criticisms are, are Xbox fanboys.

Stop treating games like they're sacred and immune to criticism. A true fan of a game would want a game that they like to be even better, and acting blind to its faults won't help anyone.

[shinoff2183]

Yet xbox players have a issue with criticism with starfield. Works both ways.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Actually no. Her missions are forced into the narrative and unnecessary. I also find it funny how these extremely highly trained hunters can give me all I can handle as Spiderman but MJ literally takes them down without trying, even in a chokehold.

[Lexreborn2]

Well MJ was trained by Silver Sable and has a high end taser that clearly isn’t standard issue. And, in the missions you have with her she just has to get past grunts that aren’t even great in Kravens eyes.

And if you get spotted with her you are legit dead on sight. But the most important fact of the scenario and bear with me for this reveal.

It’s a video game with a controlled narrative. Yup… crazy I know how games and entertainment are going to have to do certain things for entertainment value am I right.

[Christopher]

***Well MJ was trained by Silver Sable and has a high end taser that clearly isn’t standard issue.***

A taser more powerful than Miles who has lightning in his blood and has unlimited charges as well. C'mon now.

***It’s a video game with a controlled narrative. Yup… crazy I know how games and entertainment are going to have to do certain things for entertainment value am I right. ***

Crazy how people will complain about how writing certain controlled narratives ruin the entertainment value, right?

[Lexreborn2]

@Christopher

In what way did you get the taser is more powerful than miles? Aside from the gameplay they made it very clear Miles with his Negative charged Electricity was extremely powerful against the symbiotes and humans. As far as her she was only able to hurt the “Big” Symbiote because of the drums that were left around which isn’t really a “power up” for her.

Sorry she just has the capability to aim?

And if you are going to say there are narratives that stop you from enjoying something as simple as a female with a futuristic taser that was a big issue to the protagonist in the first game. That’s honestly a stupid hill to die on, you guys are acting like she didn’t go from a chick throwing a clicker and hiding to someone who took their life serious enough to get training while dating the biggest target in New York.

Disagree all you like, I already stated my views on them at least constructing a narrative around her growth, But, for the hell of it we will act as if insomniac just completely left field through undeserved character development. Righhhhhtttt

[Christopher]

***In what way did you get the taser is more powerful than miles?***

Did we play the same game? None of his abilities one shots anyone by the time MJ comes along and has a massive recharge rate.

***as simple as a female with a futuristic taser that was a big issue to the protagonist in the first game. That’s honestly a stupid hill to die on, you guys are acting like she didn’t go from a chick throwing a clicker and hiding to someone who took their life serious enough to get training while dating the biggest target in New York.***

It's not her training, which still isn't going to equal up to trained hunters who go toe-to-toe with both Spider-Man, but the act of a massive plot device that just doesn't make sense except to solely make her appear more powerful while at the same time asking why two inventor-minded super heroes haven't integrated it themselves.

Perhaps it doesn't affect the story the same way as you, but it's not like the opinions of others are any less valid than your own.

Give me MJ moments, but if you want her to be a super hero then make her one. Don't just give her a device that doesn't make her stronger, just makes the object powerful.

[Lexreborn2]

@Christopher
"Did we play the same game? None of his abilities one shots anyone by the time MJ comes along and has a massive recharge rate."

You mean the one shots you do on all enemies with Peter and Miles from stealth? The same thing MJ has to rely on to one shot anyone? The same web strikes and meter one shots you can do with Miles and Peter that put people down? Miles special literally covers a dome sized area and one shots enemies in it.

You sure YOU were playing the game at all? I platinumed the game after 36 hours. It was a blast and I enjoyed it without issue. I'm not going to get up in arms over a known fictional world where a man sized being is strong enoough to stop trains, hold up buildings and launch sewer caps while fighting a mini kaiju as "World breaking" Because MJ has a taser and knows how to crouch.

You guys act like you understand combat and how it has to go this exact perfect way. Combat in real life is nothing like that, even the most trained can be shook by someone not as well trained. We see it all the time... Look at Jake and Logan Paul against these UFC fighters. Look at what Francis did t Tyson fury. Combat is a wild card, and in a videogame/fictional world it just needs to be cool.

Why is that so hard to conceive? MJ missions felt like an homage to playstation classics like the Last of us and Uncharted.

[CrimsonWing69]

I mean, forget about MJ, have you not seen people complain about forced stealth missions in a ton of other games? They’re not that fun, you just muscle through them. Imagine if these weren’t in the game, would it be better or worse? I think for most it would be fine if they didn’t exist. I’d have loved something more like instead of MJ stealth, let’s have a Black Cat sequence where her combat felt really fast and fluid and was something fun to play.

[Rocketisleague]

They had her in batman arkham 2 and 3 so why not this? Black cat and nightwing where fun as hell. Spiderman has so many opportunities to pull in other stronger side content OR just focus on the cool parts of what is already there. This is just the tipping point that makes the batman arkham trilogy slightly better than insomniacs spiderman.

And the issue isn't sony here, it is just some western devs feeling the need to push their agenda through the medium.

[Abnor_Mal]

@Tocketleague

Cat Woman is in the Arkham games and she’s a DC character which is why she was in Batman’s game.

Black Cat is a Marvel character and she’s in the Spider-Man games.

Two separate characters for two separate IPs. Although they are somewhat similar as far as athleticism, and love interest to the hero.

[Rocketisleague]

This is true Abnor_Mal - My bad.

[Christopher]

No, I've completed the game and those missions really detracted from the superhero story and kind of trivialized the difficulty Peter and Miles were going against while trying to make MJ relevant as a 'hero' at their level. Non-powered people can be heroes, but they do that by going up against overwhelming power and odds, not being handed a plot device that makes them the most powerful person in the game. I don't mind playing side character missions, but MJ's just felt written in to elevate her and not to serve the overall story. She's an investigative journalist, why not do stealthy missions finding information, use the environment to avoid detection or cause mayhem as distractions, or anything but hand her excalibur on a silver platter. It's even more laughable on spectacular difficulty.

[Rocketisleague]

Its similar to She Hulk's angle, where the Hulk's difficulties are nothing compared to hers because she is, did know, she is in fact a women. Which means her life was harder than Bruce's life.

The director in the article is opening admitting sacrificing the narrative for the sake of elevating MJ, just for the sake of the strong women.

[SPEAKxTHExTRUTH]

Seems like you hate a certain console more than the imaginary fans of the other console you’re talking about…

[tbagmonster]

you must of loved the diverse death section or the diverse gay side missions

[ghostrider32]

It's almost 2024, and you're letting a fan base you can't stand live rent free in your head. Seek therapy, and get a grip on yourself.

[mjchitown]

hmmm funny when the new xbox coming the same year. stop spreading fake bs that wasnt said. you clown twisting words around. get a life and worry about the console thats firing many top executives.

[Levii_92]

Oh Jesus these freaking Sony triple Californian devs.. i swear to god 😂

[Vengeance1138]

Sounds like the creative director is quite the feminist, doing everything in his power so MJ doesn't have to get saved by a man?

[goldwyncq]

Turning MJ into John Wick is apparently their idea of a strong female character.

[Rocketisleague]

That's what he said if you watch the interview. Pathetic shills. I winder when the shilling will end. It has ruined the MCU.

With how badly the pandering has been received for the last 3 years you'd expect them to learn it only brings quality of the movie/game down. I can't help but cringe seeing it these days. It's almost 2024 please learn the lesson.

Just wait for Hailey dlc.

[Vengeance1138]

It's all because 2 companies own the vast majority of the stock market. Black Rock and Vanguard heavily push woke and invest deeply into companies that follow that ideology. No company actually believes in it, they do it because of the investments from Blackrock and Vanguard.
Though at the same time, it can also bankrupt your company in the case of Disney...

[SyntheticForm]

If you don't want to play as "Hailey" in the next game then you're racist and ableist.

[-Foxtrot]

The dialogue during one of the boss battles was like that

*SPOILERS*

When she turned into Scream and Peter had to literally apologise for being Spiderman and splitting his time between her and them.

Just sounded like someone who wrote it had some kind of arsehole ex boyfriend and was projecting a little

Then she manages to get the Symbiote off herself…HERSELF.

Peter had to have Miles beat the shit out of him and bells ringing

[CoNn3rB]

I was just cringing during that section, even my gf was like "what a self important bitch"

[Christopher]

Peter deserves to have someone support him the way Peter supports and reaffirms MJ. That was what I was thinking the whole time. Like, why is Peter the one saying the things he needs to hear himself? At least Miles steps in and offers some support. But, man, MJ is just written to be the center of attention for 'who has it hard'.

[Christopher]

The sad thing is, she actually does have to get saved by Peter. But through that whole sequence you get to have Peter compliment her and reassure her that he is sorry that he didn't see she was having a hard time, you know, that time she takes no time to comfort Peter about as he's dealing with his stuff.

[Shane Kim]

It was the worst parts of the game. Other then that it was a truly epic game.

[Inverno]

Time wasted making these sections, whether forced or optional, was time they could've taken to make Venom a fully playable character instead. How'd we go from Venom playable in Ultimate, and Goblin playable in the first movie game to playing as MJ with a Taser?

[neomahi]

So the writer of the article just assumes we know what "O.P." means? What's with all the cryptic terminology these days instead of just using plain English? It's like you have to carry around a Little Orphan Annie Decoder Pin with you everywhere you go now

[Puty]

Give her a suit then

[Christopher]

Pretty much.

[Rocketisleague]

This - and if you wanna build her up as a strong women don't shit on the men to do it.

[repsahj]

Seriously, even with this simple stealth mission by MJ, it still created an issue?

[Christopher]

There are 3 missions with MJ and it really does make her look quite OP and question why she has technology to take out enemies so quickly that Peter and Miles don't have.

[mastershredder]

Simp-ly amazing all the “spiderman purists” flipping out about what Mary Jane can do in videogame. This is what you get for all the multiverse BS.

[Abear21]

Spoiler alert—Peter and Miles are also OP in this game

[jambola]

They have super powers
It's different

[HyperCrush365]

you sir, are a more. on.

[jambola]

"I don't care if characters have bad inconsistencies"
Good to know

[jambola]

Honestly I'll take mj missions over the awfully designed tutorials etc
Literally one mission gave you the exact same tutorial 5 times

[Rikimaru-00]

here we go again, no name website looking for clicks.

[HyperCrush365]

It's everywhere.

[victorMaje]

It became annoying when it felt like they were trying to push the "she’s also a hero” part instead of actually using aspects where she was already one, like deeper or more investigative stealth missions.

[babadivad]

Jesus Christ...

[HyperCrush365]

We need this diversity, equity and inclusion garbage out of games. But there's not chance of that with the $$ behind it.