Amazing. Spectacular. Sensational. Just a few of the superlatives brandished by your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man on the covers of the comics, but also apt descriptors for this stunning semi-sequel to the 2018 superhero epic.
For this PS5 launch day title – version tested, though also available on PS4 – the focus switches to Miles Morales, the younger of the two Spider-Men. Don’t fear, Peter Parker fans: the OG webslinger is just out of town, leaving Miles to defend New York in his absence. The shift in focus to a younger hero just entering into his powers allows this game to explore Miles’ growth and development as a hero, areas the original game skipped over for Peter (and wisely so – no-one needs to see Uncle Ben getting shot again.)
This is a more personal story than the previous game, spotlighting Miles as he’s still trying to determine his identity. He’s definitively Spider-Man – but what kind of Spider-Man? Is he a carbon copy of Peter? Or can he do more, be more, with the role? It’s a brilliantly humanising approach, the sort of personal gravitas that Marvel stories deal best with, but also allows Miles room to try, fail, grow, and ultimately inspire. His first supervillain threat also has decidedly personal roots – and the villain in question isn’t necessarily wrong in their goals, which makes everything more complex.
Insomniac has masterfully merged Miles’ unique powers into the game’s combat.
Miles’ unique powers – your usual array of spider-bilities, plus bio-electric venom shocks and camouflage-based invisibility – provide the biggest mechanical distinction between this entry and its predecessor, and developer Insomniac has masterfully merged them into the game’s combat, which remains as speedy and fluid as ever. Successfully dodging and evading enemies builds Miles’ venom blasts, which can be unleashed as powerful punches, area attacks, or finishing moves. Combined with the frenetic flips, web-tricks, and agility of the base combat, they elevate each encounter. Meanwhile, camouflage skills make infiltration or stealth encounters even more fun – sneaking up on an enemy and disabling them unseen is a twisted delight – while the same brief windows of total invisibility open up some interesting mission objectives, such as taking photos of suspects up close, without being noticed.
Where Spider-Man: Miles Morales really impresses, though, is in its PS5 performance. New York has never looked better – climb to the top of the tallest building, and the vastness of the city is laid out before you in breathtaking detail. Every street bustles with activity, and you can explore from Harlem all the way down to the southern tip of Manhattan. The game proves lightning-fast too, both in terms of Spider-Man’s traversal techniques – web-swinging, accelerated launches from perch points, and a new venom-shock powered launch for greater height – and in fast-travel. Say goodbye to the subway train loading screens of the last game – the PS5 is so fast, Miles just pops up from the subway station seconds after you’ve selected it. The game also makes good use of the DualSense controller’s built-in features, with subtle ‘thwips’ emanating from the speaker each time you shoot a web, and highly precise rumble making the world feel more tactile. It’s a real showcase for the hardware, as much as a great superhero game in its own right.
Beyond that, there’s the same loving nods to the source material fans loved in the first game. A host of unlockable costumes pay homage to Miles’ comics wardrobe – including some seriously deep cuts, such as the ‘The End’ costume, which has appeared in precisely one comic – while others nod to his various animated appearances, including the brilliant Into The Spider-Verse. A variety of suit and visor mods allow you to further customise Miles’ look and abilities, allowing you to save New York in your own personal style.
Although Spider-Man: Miles Morales is more a refinement of the original 2018 game than a revolutionary sequel, its flourishes of new abilities and solid storytelling focussed on a great new character still make for a fantastic experience. Its brilliant use of the PS5 makes it an exquisite example of the capabilities of the hardware, too – a great start for a new console generation.