This review is played on a PlayStation 4 Slim, Review copy is provided by PlayStation Asia.
Into The Spiderverse has launched the character of Miles Morales into one that’s well-loved by the Marvel fan base and his introduction in the original Marvel Spider-Man game showed that people want the young Spiderman to get his own game.
So now, Spider-Man Miles Morales is the short but sweet sequel that not only helps expand the character in the game’s universe, it also helps showcase what next-gen gameplay could do even in its current-gen self. A slice of things to come but with some caveat. So is this game good?
Presentation
The visual look of Miles Morales is amazing, showcasing the artistry that the game has, which shines even in 7-year-old hardware. The snowy look of Christmas New York perfectly contrasts the red and blue of the spider-man suit.
The sound department also gets a more R&B beat feel to it as you swing across the many skyscrapers that littered Manhattan. Again drawing parallels towards the Spiderverse movie unintentionally but this new BGM beat fits quite well with the character you’re playing as.
And one interesting thing that I noticed while playing is the subtle feedback of the vibration within the Dualshock even during cutscenes. Like a pat on Miles’ back in one of the early scenes will make the controller vibrate, which a neat touch from the devs.
Gameplay
The core gameplay is quite similar to their original game, but with more added flare that you might expect from a young gun looking to impress. Miles’ new combos are electric and camouflage which fits rather brilliantly with the flow of combat. Making combos quite spectacular with air-juggles that you might see in fighting games.
Its side quest now exists under a nice in-game app that helps flesh out the city with the many various NPCs and earns rewards items that tie with upgrading your spider suit with more interesting gadgets.
Though, the only complaint I have in this department is their various different collectible items and VR missions which do help flesh out some part of the story but do not really click with me, due to it feeling like a chore than being fun. I rather play using the in-game crime app than collecting stuff but I’m sure that many others would love this sort of thing.
Content
Miles Morales is what you expected from PlayStation’s current sequel style by making a small but solid game that is quite different from the main story campaign. But asides from the tedious collection tasks, it is quite a solid 8-10 hours of enjoyable gameplay with an engaging story that takes quite unique liberties with their lore.
The upgradable stuff is the suits that unlock at certain points of the game or completing challenges. The suits are based on the many comics and media that included our titular main character from the 2088 suit to the famous “What’s Up Danger” suit that you all know and love.
Gadgets are also some items that you can collect and upgrade along your journey as the next Spider-Man. Its usage in the game can be useful for the likes of stealth sections and even help to extend combo, as mentioned above. Upgrading them can make the combo more unique to the point of having combos to the 100 if you can make it really flow..
Personal Enjoyment
Playing this Spider-Man game after being turned off by the original version made me love this game more. The game’s charm and atmosphere help make this game quite engaging to experience from start to finish.
Though I won’t do New Game+ to collect all of the little tidbits of content, I feel that it may deserve another fresh playthrough when I eventually get a PS5 just to experience the new effects like Ray-Tracing and more in-depth haptic feedback on the DualSense.
But I wouldn’t recommend its current price of 209 MYR though, as due to it’s the length of storyline and gameplay, a combo pack with a certain Spider-Man Remastered game is the better offer.
Verdict
Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales is the best small sequel to be produced by Sony so far, with it bettering its own main title thanks to it’s smaller but interesting story and more fun player character. It’s fun on PS4 but I reckon it’s way better on the PS5.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
The best small sequel to be produced by Sony so far, with it bettering its own main title thanks to it’s smaller but interesting story and more fun player character. It’s fun on PS4 but I reckon it’s way better on the PS5.
- Presentation 8
- Gameplay 7.6
- Content 7.5
- Personal Enjoyment 8