Spider-Man is back! Maybe not the same one you quite remember from the 2018 Marvel’s Spider-Man but his new co-hero/trainee, Miles Morales. I hadn’t known much about Miles before 2018’s Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse film as I’m only familiar with Spider-Man through film, shows, and games. Miles is a newer iteration but his film has actually grown to become my favorite version of the hero. Spider-Man: Miles Morales not only gives us a deeper understanding of who is but also shows just how much of an impact he has on the city that never sleeps. He’s not a throwaway newbie, he’s Spider-Man!
Story
The story puts you in the shoes of Miles, the newest Spider-Man in training. Peter has to leave the city with MJ for the Daily Bugel, so now it’s up to Miles to hold out just for a couple of weeks while he’s gone to keep the city intact. Along the way, he finds himself in the middle of a war between the energy company Roxxon and the new gang called The Underground. Miles’ strength is tested by those in power and those he loves constantly. It’s a really strong story about family and even though it was short, it hit home a bit more for me than the first game.
The developers did an incredible job at fleshing out Miles more to make you really feel for him and the situations he faces throughout the story. His father died being a hero, his mom is trying to save the city by running for office as a councilwoman, and he has to deal with all of that plus the fact that he’s now gained super-powers and is trying to keep the city from falling apart. On top of that, the city isn’t accepting him as Spider-Man because they don’t think he’s at the same level as the OG Spider-Man. There’s a lot more for Miles to prove and by the end of the game, it’s extremely satisfying to see what he becomes.
Gameplay
All of your favorite aspects of the 2018 game make their way into this side-story/sequel. There’s obviously the amazing swinging and acrobatic mechanics that stunned the gaming world, combined with the awesome Arkham-Esque combat. While these are things we’ve seen, Insomniac Games made sure to make Miles unique when comparing him to his mentor. His swinging maneuvers alone, are very different. His swinging technique is his own and really brings the same kind of presentation we saw in Into The Spider-Verse. Some of the moves he does are ripped right of the film in fact.
It’s not limited to his movement though either. His combat style while fundamentally the same is quite different in the new elements added. He possesses some really overpowering venom powers that Peter doesn’t. These are extremely valuable and I found myself always saving up to use them. They’re special move sets that you’ll build up with combos during fights. I found that they come most in handy when dealing with bad guys that are heavies or ones that love to block. My favorite part of these powers is just how cool they look. It’s always an empowering moment to see Miles activate this orange colored electricity and totally demolish the on-screen evil-doers.
Miles can turn invisible with his cloaking abilities as well. This helps in situations where you’re trying to sneak around and take each baddie out quietly or it may be a good idea to use it as an evasive maneuver. It’s really funny to see the enemies react to him disappearing because they start to shoot all over the place as if you’re the Predator or something. It has a cool-down but it isn’t something that you’re always going to need except for when you’re sneaking or getting your business handed to you.
I’m not sure if it’s just me but I felt like this game has a lot more areas where you could be stealthy as opposed to the first one. I was really digging it, especially with the added fact that Miles can go invisible. I’m thinking that this was on purpose because of that but I really hope we get more of it in the next one no matter which hero we play as. Luckily, there weren’t any of those boring MJ or Miles missions from the first one in this title. Those to me were the only thing that had a negative impact on it gameplay-wise.
There a ton of characters in this short game but Miles’ arch-enemy by far is the almighty Rhino. They squared off a bit in the first one and now that Miles has powers, it’s time to take their grudge to the next level. We come in contact with Rhino a few times in this game and his bickering with Miles was always entertaining to hear. The battles themselves were actually really engaging, especially the first one where you climb on his back and tear through a holiday decorated shopping mall. I won’t go into further detail about that point of the game but it’s all pretty epic, to say the least.
Besides the main story, there’s a bunch of things to do within NYC that both uncover some story details as well as unlock awesome collectibles. Miles’ best friend Genkie runs an app that allows people to ask for Spider-Man’s assistance whenever needed. There are some really silly moments through these side missions and some awesome gameplay moments too. The criminal activities and enemy hideouts that were present in the first game are back as well as some little activities you can complete in order to unlock better attributes for this new Spidey. He has all new kinds of unlockable skills, gadget enhancements, and moves to further his enemy takedowns.
There’s a whole new roster of collectibles for Spider-Man to track-down and grab. Most are really well hidden. I might be wrong but the first game didn’t seem to hide the collectibles very well. This one feels more creative in that regard. When you collect these items or complete specific objectives and missions, you’ll of course unlock a whole new line of awesome Spidey suits. Each comes with their own enhancements and game-changing attributes. Some will actually make your Spider-Man look like the Miles version from Into The Spider-Verse and it’s pretty awesome.
The devs did exceptionally well not only at bringing us another look into their own Spider-Man universe but also gave us some proper enhancements that make this game stand on its own. I can only hope that we get even more updated mechanics going forward in the series. Because we have two Spider-Men now it seems inevitable that the next game will also allow us to play as both of these heroes. Whether it be picking which one we want to play the entire story as or if they switch off at different points. There’s a world of possibilities for this IP and I am eagerly waiting for the next taste I get of the series.
Visuals
This game did a lot for me with its visuals that no game has ever done. I frequently visit NYC during the holidays but due to the ongoing pandemic, I am unable to. Because of what Insomniac was able to achieve, I can now say that I did in fact go to NYC. I was able to visit most of my favorite spots and got the chance to reminisce with my wife about our times together in Manhattan. I’ve never had such a deep connection with a game as much as I do with this one and it’s honestly priceless to me. I’m unashamed to say we cried because of it.
Audio
Miles brings his own spin on the score with the addition of hip-hop and reggaeton beats overlaying the orchestral elements from the first title. It’s really well done and you feel for Miles’ passion behind it. It’s as if you get his struggle without him having to even speak. Voice work too is phenomenal. From Miles all the way down to pedestrians crossing the street, everything is well done.
Replayability
If you found replay value in the first game, then you will find the same here. There aren’t DLCs to come back to, but the awesome story, gameplay, and photo mode offer enough for true Spidey fans to come clamoring back for more. The holiday setting alone warrants a playthrough for me annually to take in the holiday sights and vibes. You can also bet that I’ll be hitting this one up when I eventually upgrade to a PS5 as well.
What It Could Have Done Better
I had various in-game bugs that didn’t seem to do any actual harm but just annoyed me. They were mostly issues visually, especially when I would do attacks near walls. It would react comically most of the time and luckily I never got stuck or anything along those lines. I also had audio go out for characters during cutscenes a couple of times. Nothing was game-breaking but they definitely made me grumble when the issues presented themselves.
Verdict
Spider-Man: Miles Morales takes what we loved in the first game and adds even more features and enhancements to propel the series further. The story, gameplay, and setting all nailed it for me and drew me into Miles’ life. Even though this may not be as long a game as the first one, you won’t have to worry about the sluggish moments that we complained about in 2018. Anyone who enjoyed the first game needs to give this a try even if to just rent. This is a step forward for the series that already felt like it was near perfect. I cannot wait to play the next game!
