Back in 2018, Insomniac released Marvel’s Spider-Man exclusively on the Playstation 4, which was met with great critical and financial success. The game was actually the subject of my very first review for The Lobby-O, so I figured it only fitting to give its spin-off, Spider-Man: Miles Morales the same treatment. 

While Insomniac undoubtedly works on a direct sequel to the first game, it’s great to get this smaller-scale adventure following Miles as he takes on the responsibility of becoming the next Spider-Man. Considering the character’s recent spike in popularity, mostly due to the Oscar winning animated film Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse, seeing the spotlight shown more on this newer character is sure to please many fans.

Peter Parker in the first game was seen as a bit older than most versions portray him, out of college and very experienced in his role as Spider-Man. Miles in this way reflects a younger Peter as he’s just learning his way around crime fighting, how to balance normal everyday life with his new responsibility and what it means to be Spider-Man. One of the main reasons I love Miles so much is because he proves in all of his adventures that anyone could be Spider-Man. It’s not as though Peter’s qualities are unique to him alone and he’s the only one who could take on this role. Miles shows that it’s the person behind the mask that makes up who this superhero icon is. Many find it easy to look at Miles as the “other Spider-Man” both in the game and in real life, but in my opinion, Peter is no more Spider-Man than Miles is.

The story is nothing super unique in terms of the Spider-Man stories everyone’s seen before: a coming of age story where our protagonist juggles the weight of protecting his city while also trying to be there for the people he loves and keeping them safe. However it is nice to see it through the lens of someone other than Peter Parker and someone of my generation. The story is supported by a lot of standout supporting characters, some of whom help to develop Miles while others make up his new home in Harlem. And by the end, I did feel a sense of fulfillment in what I’d just played.

The basics and foundation of the gameplay from 2018 carry over into this game, with minor changes and additions that really add a lot to the experience. Swinging around New York City, Spider-Man feels even more graceful and fluid. There’s a lot more personality and detail in Miles’ movements and animations, which makes playing as him feel consistently fresh and exciting. There are less gadgets for him to use, but to balance that out, he outdoes Peter in terms of his abilities and powers.

This is definitely a must-buy for fans of the first game, and should act as a great starter experience for the Playstation 5 (if you can even get your hands on one). There is also a version for the Playstation 4 for those who would prefer to play on that platform. Miles only seems to be becoming more and more known and beloved by comic book fans and this game is sure to make some new fans out of players. While the stakes this time may not be as high and the story may be a smaller one, this is still a worthwhile experience for any Spider-Man fan, and could even act as a great introduction to the character for younger players.