This is a game about Miles learning how to be a hero on his own terms (echoes of “Into the Spider-Verse” abound), and the intimate story it weaves hinges on local politics and gentrification in a way that allows Insomniac to make the bite-sized scale of this Spidey adventure into a feature, not a bug.
But as that sinister enemy learns the hard way several times over, this Spider-Man just works differently.
One especially devastating encounter with a certain super-villain even ends with the declaration that “This Spider-Man is broken.” Ouch. It doesn’t help that bad guys treat him like a cos-playing nuisance, and even NPCs grumble out loud about how they miss the other guy. Those are some mighty big shoes to fill, and Miles can’t do anything to change the size of his feet. Too nuanced and expansive to play like a glorified piece of DLC, but too small and self-contained to be confused for a proper continuation, “Miles Morales” feels more like the video game equivalent of a Christmas special than anything else.Īlso, Miles suffers from a major case of imposter syndrome that seeps into every facet of the game around him: Its relationship to the robust and beloved predecessor is mirrored by the self-doubt Miles feels about suddenly being Manhattan’s only Spider-Man after Peter Parker decides to join MJ on vacation. 'Bridgerton' Season 2: Everything You Need to Know About the Netflix Hitįor one thing, the game is considerably smaller than its predecessor, as it was rushed through development in order to be ready in time for the release of the PlayStation 5 (and may only exist because of Sony’s urgent need for a splashy launch title). The Best Marvel Gifts: Top Merch for Die-Hard FansĮmmy Predictions: Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - 'Ted Lasso' vs. James Cameron Says Marvel Features Not 'Epic' Like Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune'