Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 November 2020
*4 and a half out of 5*
Insomniac’s mini-sequel/spin-off to the excellent 2018 Spider-Man. In Spider-Man: Miles Morales you play as the titular hero learning the ropes and responsibilities of being Spider-Man and having to take on a new villain known as the Tinkerer.
With the PS5 not releasing until later this week (19th November) and it being near impossible to get a preorder of one, getting the PS4 version day one was always going to be the option, and when I do eventually enter the next generation this game comes with a free upgrade as well.
Graphically the game is still phenomenal and builds upon the already excellent previous game. The snowy winter time setting, the golden lighting of the sun and Miles’ new dynamic electricity fuelled combat animations all stand out and its clear that Insomniac are teetering on the next generation technology even for the PS4 version.
Gameplay takes the familiar elements from the previous game in terms of stealth, combat and swinging. The latter feeling even more acrobatic and natural, with Miles’ aerobic and charismatic animations as he grows in confidence and taking more risks in the role. In addition to the regular combat fisticuffs, Miles also has bonus ‘Venom’ (not the character your thinking of) powers that can be charged up and cause electrical devastation.
The story is substantially shorter than its predecessor. I beat the main story in around 8 hours (possibly less) and cleared up all the side activities in another 3-4 hours, so really there is a solid amount of content here for a spin off. The story is engaging and has some excellent blockbuster sequences. The personal and family focused edge shines through, as well as Miles having to gain New York’s trust and respect. Aside from the very generic villain Simon Krieger, the other antagonists (Rhino, Tinkerer & Prowler) all are well implemented and have fun boss fights.
As for negatives, the game can be a little choppy at times in terms of frame rate and a lot of the side missions are the usual and repetitive busy work for the minor crimes and hidden caches. However a couple do standout due to the personal investment, such as the sound matching Prowler side story, the Spider-Man training sims and the surprisingly emotional scavenger hunt left by Miles’ father.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a great way to swing into the next generation (even on PS4). Bringing back everything great about the last game in terms of its gameplay, as well as adding and improving on it in some areas. The story whilst shorter is a blast to play through and the game looks fantastic and truly jaw dropping at times. Aside from some repetitive side missions, this is a near perfect smaller side title, that I can’t wait to see what’s next.
