Miles feels so real, giving us goofy web swings, that hint of American kid attitude and innocence we cannot not love. Pair this with the game’s fire soundtrack and beautiful visuals, and it’s an experience that builds on the previous Spidey tale as a good sequel should. It’s a must-play for both fans of the original game and newcomers looking for a relatable, powerful superhero action-adventure.
The absolute exhilarating feeling we felt when PlayStation teased the Spider-Man sequel in its PlayStation 5 reveal event hasn’t died down quite yet. Insomniac Games’ newest tile, developed for next-gen continues to impress.
This is why we have next-gen titles like Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Picking up in the winter months of the beautifully rendered city of New York, the game starts where Spider-Man left off, masking a new Spidey in the form of youngster Miles Morales. It doesn’t take its time diving into action, featuring an extended, pulse-pounding enemy encounter that can proudly stand alongside any of the previous game’s epic set pieces.
This time there are two Spideys, a single iconic super-villain, and more cinematic action than your little heart can handle. This is clearly a follow-up worth its name, bringing us brilliant integration with the PlayStation 5’s updated features.
Tightened up webs and missions
We’ll come out and say it: 2018’s Spider-Man title delivered one of the best open-world superhero experiences to ever run on a console. Coming in as a kinda-sequel to the previous game, Miles Morales picks up the Spidey journey where Peter left off. It doesn’t necessarily feel like much has changed in terms of setting or gameplay. At the same time, so much has changed and we’re here for it.
It’s a shorter instalment, yes. But we won’t call this a full game in itself. It’s more of an additional segment, or a longer DLC to the first game — it’s a leaner, meaner, more polished affair. Here you focus far more on story and cinematics, with the collectables and side-missions trimmed to make it feel more like a single experience. Miles is the only playable character, so gone are those sometimes tedious MJ missions (thank god).
With new power comes…
Not even an hour into the game and you’re greeted with new Spidey-capabilities. Miles discovers his bioelectricity-fueled Venom powers (which, by the way, have no relation to Eddie Brock’s famed alter-ego). You’re thrown into exhilarating fight-scenes, pounding bad guys all over the place.
It retains the smooth, combo-driven combat of the last game — but integrates familiar moves with powerful ground pounds, punches, and other table-turners that leverage this newfound (beautifully animated, we might add) power. Venom abilities bring along with it, its own skill tree — this allows players to improve and evolve the powers over time. And while they’re extremely devastating, capable of clearing entire clusters of enemies, they feel well balanced against the game’s extra-powerful foes.
You bet we have some new baddies — the story introduces a pair of primary antagonist groups – The Underground and Roxxon Energy Corporation – both of which pack their own secretive brand of anti-Spider-Man weapons and gear.
Developers have really worked to leverage the RTX capabilities of the PlayStation 5, developing beautifully glowing and shiny elements in each of the types of grunt baddies. Fighting the purple-clad enemies in dark settings is a sight to behold, featuring the beautiful snowy backdrop of NYC — we could do this all year.
Miles also brings a fresh camouflage skill to the fight, allowing him to temporarily disappear and satisfyingly eliminate clueless targets. This neat trick also gets a dedicated skill tree, making strategic stealth play a viable option for those who enjoy clearing a room without raising an alarm. Because sometimes that’s just the best strategy, or is it just us?
This gives you the unique ability to balance the camo and Venom skills, while utilising the benefits of Miles’ various suits, mods, and gadgets. It really makes for deep, dynamic combat that has an identity all its own while feeling like a Spider-Man game.
Just adapting
This wouldn’t be a review about a next-gen title if we don’t touch on the adaptive triggers and feedback features ion the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller. We’d be lying if we didn’t say that some of that realism and emotion comes courtesy of the PS5’s immersion-ratcheting tech.
The game is an absolute feast for the senses, from enticing visuals to the deep immersion through the DualSense controller. If the detail packed into Spidey’s surroundings doesn’t convince you, experiencing it all realistically reflected back at you in a window or puddle should do the trick for sure.
An experience only the PS5 can offer, is the hardware’s new DualSense controller. It undeniably gets most of the credit for making me feel like Spider-Man for a fleeting moment every day. The triggers tighten at the top of web swings, the vibration mirroring Miles’ powers slowly travel from one side of the peripheral to the other, and just about every action – whether you’re petting a cat or pummeling a bad guy – supports its own, specific haptic feedback.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Final Verdict
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales gives us what next-gen promised it would. And we’re not disappointed.
Miles feels so real, giving us goofy web swings, that hint of American kid attitude and innocence we cannot not love. Pair this with the game’s fire soundtrack and beautiful visuals, and it’s an experience that builds on the previous Spidey tale as a good sequel should. It’s a must-play for both fans of the original game and newcomers looking for a relatable, powerful superhero action-adventure.
It’s a no-brainer, really. Especially if you finished the first title craving more.
