Synopsis:
In the latest adventure in the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe, teenager Miles Morales is adjusting to his new home while following in the footsteps of his mentor, Peter Parker. When a fierce power struggle threatens to destroy his neighborhood, the aspiring hero learns that with great power must also come great responsibility. To save all of Marvel’s New York, Miles must take up the mantle of Spider-Man—and own it.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Reviewed on: PS5
Also available for: PS4
Cast: Nadji Jeter, Griffin Puatu, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Troy Baker, Ashly Burch, Jacqueline Piñol, Yuri Lowenthal, Fred Tatasciore
Developer: Insomniac Games
Directors: Brian Horton, Bryan Intihar, Marcus Smith, Ryan Smith
Writers: Ben Arfmann, Nick Folkman, Max Folkman, Mary Kenney, Lauren Mee
Lead Gameplay Programmer: Joel Bartley
If you didn’t know who Miles Morales was until recently, you’re not alone. Miles debuted in Ultimate Fallout #4 (Aug. 2011) by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli. His lead role in 2018’s animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse pushed his name into living rooms around the globe. Insomniac Games clearly draws some inspiration from that film, but this standalone mini-Spider-Man adventure is less bombastic and doesn’t feature dimension-hopping characters. What it shares is focus: Miles Morales—a fresh-faced web-slinger who must learn to use his powers, hide his secret, and become a hero.
In Insomniac’s 2018 introduction to its Spidey-world, Miles was mostly a bystander. The follow-up DLC, The City That Never Sleeps, teased Peter training the next-gen webslinger, and we all expected to see Miles share the spotlight in a sequel. Instead, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales arrived as a PS5 launch title, letting us check in on both Miles and Peter sooner rather than later.
The story picks up months later. Miles now wears his own suit and teams with Peter on missions. An explosive opening set piece with Rhino aside, the narrative keeps its focus tight on Miles and his family.
After the death of his father in Marvel’s Spider-Man, Miles and his mother Rio move back into his grandmother’s home in Harlem. Rio is running for city council, and Miles is trying to balance Spider-Man life with family. “How does Peter do this secret identity stuff?” he asks himself early on. Just as Peter ships off to Europe for work, a tech-savvy group led by the mysterious Tinkerer wages war against the Roxxon Energy Corporation—run by the very oily CEO Simon Krieger. With Peter gone, Miles has to stop both sides from tearing the city apart.
The story is tighter, and Miles’ journey feels more personal than Peter’s did in the first game. Not that Peter’s adventures didn’t get personal (RIP Aunt May), but here there’s little fat. You could rush the story missions in 3–4 hours, yet you’ll want to do the optional side quests and collectibles along the way. There are fewer than in the first game, and they’re more connected to the main plot. You’ll meet characters who crop up during campaign beats, and the ending hits harder if you’ve gotten to know Harlem’s residents.
Swinging around New York is as joyous as it was in 2018. Miles flings through the air with a bit less polish than Peter—but it feels natural. Combat and traversal are largely the same, with two key additions Miles has over Peter: “Venom” abilities (hold L1 for heavy bioelectric strikes) and short-burst invisibility for stealth. The latter makes sneaking fun again and opens new ways to clear rooms; in 2018, once stealth broke it was basically over, whereas Miles can dip out and re-enter stealth.
Peter is the hero of New York City; Miles becomes the hero of Harlem. There are breadcrumbs for Peter’s next adventure, but I left Miles Morales wanting to come back to Miles ASAP. It’s a tightly told story; if anything, you may wish for a little more time with a couple of characters before the credits roll. If Peter headlines Insomniac’s full sequel, here’s hoping a more fleshed-out Miles Morales follow-up isn’t far behind.
