Please, Spider-Man games, stop making me play Mary Jane stealth missions

Just as we're all wrapping our heads around the idea that the new Ultimate Spider-Man is an adult Peter Parker who is married to Mary Jane with two kids, Marvel has now unveiled our first look at Spider-Man's arch-enemy, the Green Goblin on the cover of Ultimate Spider-Man #2 by series artist Marco Checchetto. And he's got a real Sam Raimi, Willem Dafoe kind of vibe about him.

features a solid roster of playable characters, but one minor inclusion is definitely way worse than the other options. Bouncing between a variety of protagonists was a concept first introduced in the original, which occasionally set Peter's story aside to follow the footsteps of Mary Jane Watson or Miles Morales. Neither of these offered gameplay that was quite as dynamic as Peter's, with Mary Jane's segments, in particular, receiving some flak, but improves both of these options while introducing another that falls behind either.

Insomniac Games and Sony have rolled out Spider-Man 2 Patch 1.001.005 for PlayStation 5, addressing over 17 annoying issues.

The perfect DLC for could significantly improve the story, but it would be a completely different game in terms of both gameplay and narrative. The popular action-adventure title by Insomniac Games allows players to take control of Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they face new threats to New York City, but this time even more united. Both heroes take on their Spider-Man persona to fight crime in the city and stop Kraven’s plans, as they try to understand the presence of the Symbiote known as Venom. Other than Peter and Miles, there are many returning characters, such as Mary Jane.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 delivers an incredible story about heroes and villains grappling with loneliness.

It’s been a week since Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 dropped. The game received rave reviews, and gamers are having a ball playing it. The game mechanics are a dream; the graphics are spectacular, especially the spatial layout and design of New York and its surroundings. Gliding and web-slinging through the urban landscapes on a mission is an exhilarating experience. The game is great even if you change characters, like switching from Peter Parker to Miles Morales. Other highlights in the game are the story and Spider-Man’s gadgets. Reviewers can ramble about what’s been great about the game, but sometimes even great games come with problems. One such problem is popping up online from players complaining about a side mission with Hailey Cooper in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Mary Jane Watson plays a significant role in , both from a narrative perspective as Peter's girlfriend, but also as a temporarily playable character, and most interestingly as part of one of the game's more surprising twists. MJ was introduced to the Spider-Man canon in 1965; since then she has gone on to become Peter Parker's main love interest and the principal beneficiary of his affection in the franchise's many movies, comics, and video games.

Harry's fate in is somewhat ambiguous. Full name Harry Osborn, he's an old friend of Peter and Mary Jane's, going back to their school days at Midtown High. He also happens to be the son of brilliant scientist and shrewd executive Norman Osborn, co-founder of the — to put it mildly — unethical conglomerate Oscorp.

is full of unlockables and upgrades that can make Peter and Miles better — including Skills, Suit Tech, and Gadgets. In most cases, the game will have a brief description of what each upgrade does, letting players weigh whether or not they want to spend the necessary Tech Parts and other currencies on it. However, one Suit Tech upgrade completely hides that it makes finding Spider-Bots much easier.

continues many of the stories seen in its predecessors, from Peter and Miles grieving the loss of loved ones to the return of Harry Osborn and the long-awaited Venom symbiote. However, one character's transformation within the series may come as a surprise when they return in the recent sequel, at least for those who didn't play 's story DLC.

is replete with additions and improvements to the previous titles from developer Insomniac Games, but one feature that isn't present is a huge missed opportunity. The newest entry expands on its predecessors by putting both Peter Parker and Miles Morales at the forefront, testing their mettle and web-slinging prowess against threats new and old. From a world with increased density and scale to developments like seamless fast travel that can jump to any point on the map, Insomniac Games pushed the envelope in many ways while failing to implement an age-old option that generates fun.

Marvel comics, TV shows, and especially movies seem to have a requirement to emphasize the “what’s next” of it all, where the end of everything is also a tease for something else. Well, folks, Insomniac Games took that assignment, ran with it, and took a few extra laps just for good measure.