New web crawler swinging to the city How does this game compare to the Insomniac Games' last game.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales was released on November 12, 2020, as a PS4 game and a launch title for the PS5 by Insomniac. Considering the success of their previous game, what new elements does this game introduce, and is it as fun as the previous Spider-Man game?
Story Exposition
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales starts with Miles and Peter accompanying the police as they transfer Rhino to a new facility capable of containing him. Until a mistake by Miles leads to an accident that releases Rhino and several other criminals. After tidying up the chaos and assisting Peter in stopping Rhino, Miles discovers that not only are his powers evolving, but being Spider-Man demands more sacrifice than he ever imagined. With Christmas approaching and old friends appearing, how will Miles manage to balance his everyday life with his responsibilities as a hero?
First Impression: Gameplay
Playing the game when you first start feels very similar to Insomniacs old game, however you find that you are limited to only four gadgets but is offset by Miles new powers and having a new way to gain and execute finishers. The fighting in the game is a lot smoother than in the last Spider-Man game, and the auto-tracking is a bit more advanced, allowing you to quickly lock on to enemies that are close by to help create awesome combos. With the city embracing the Christmas spirit, it's delightful to see the winter streets covered in snow, adorned with Christmas decorations, and featuring small changes to the city we've already explored.
As you engage in combat, additional adversaries are introduced alongside the familiar thugs we have become accustomed to. Two new adversary groups have been introduced in this game. The first, known as the Underground, utilizes nanotechnology to create unique weapons. The second consists of security personnel from a new corporation called Roxxon. As you continue to play you, you'll notice the conflict start growing between these two factions until an outright war breaks out in the city.
Pros and Cons:
The game still feels very much like it's previous predecessor. A hero in the middle of a concrete jungle trying to save as many people as he can. What sets the game apart is that we begin with a novice hero who is as inexperienced in their role as the player. This approach is evident not only in Miles' story but also in the player's surroundings and even in the character model showcasing cool, youthful, yet daring moves while swinging. With the introduction of Miles' new abilities, new adversaries emerged. Fortunately, they appear to be vulnerable to his venom (electrical) powers, adding an intriguing element to the game as you explore how uniquely you can craft each combo. To help incorporate the new system in mechanics the auto lock feature was greatly improved, locking on to the nearest enemy to allow you to just push a button to continue the combos without having to rotate the camera. Having elite enemies called brutes that already have higher defense be imbued with new tech and weapons make them nearly impossible to take out unless hit with some kind of electrical attack. Alongside the newly enhanced mechanics, new stealth features have been introduced. You can now stealthily approach enemies from almost any angle, including from walls and ceilings. This addition enhances the experience of feeling like the heroic "wall crawler," a much-needed improvement from the previous game.
There are a few major downsides to this game however that stops it from overcoming it's predecessor. Firstly, the new auto-tracking feature can be quite troublesome when you're surrounded by enemies. During combat, if too many foes are close, the auto feature struggles to lock onto a single target effectively. It's challenging to maintain a proper combo when your character keeps switching between enemies, and if you try to move towards a distant enemy, you might quickly get pulled towards another target you weren't even aiming for. Secondly the city although familiar feels smaller than the original game with much of the building feeling slightly bigger than what you would remember. Third is the story although interesting seems to finish all to quickly making this game feel more like a DLC than a sequel. Lastly and the biggest while the game introduces new enemies, their clear weakness to electricity makes it too easy to overcome and even more so once you've acquired specific skills and components that let you exploit Miles' electrical abilities which you can acquire early on. Even when on a higher difficulty setting, the game merely increases the enemies' invulnerability phases, which can catch you by surprise but these changes makes the game more irritating than challenging.
The Final Score: 3.1 out 5
Rating Score Card and Importance Value
Overall, the game was quite enjoyable to play. Despite being shorter than expected for an Insomniac title, it provided just enough content to achieve 100% completion. Many of the classic side quests, such as time trials and challenges, provide players with the opportunity to push themselves to perform better and faster. The Mile's story is intriguing at first glance, but as soon as you begin to analyze it, questions arise that reveal plot holes. Although the game was short it definitely felt like Insomniac tested out some of their new features for future Spider-Man games. This provides a quick insight for future games hopefully mixing some of the old with the new and providing a very Spidey-Spectacular experience.
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