[quote][b][u]Quick Summary[/u][/b]
[b]Story:[/b] A shorter but incredibly memorable story with excellent pacing, emotional moments, and a fantastic cast that kept me invested from beginning to end.
[b]Gameplay:[/b] Combat feels fresh thanks to Miles' unique powers and playstyle, while web swinging is just as enjoyable as ever.
[b]Mechanics:[/b] Rewarding side activities, enjoyable progression, and some fantastic suits make exploring fun throughout the entire game.
[b]Overall:[/b] An amazing follow-up that improved on many of my complaints with the first game. It may be shorter, but every moment felt worthwhile and I wanted to replay it the moment it ended.[/quote]
[h1]Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales – A Shorter Adventure That Left an Even Bigger Impression[/h1]
After finishing Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, I was curious to see how the series would continue with Miles Morales as the main character.
For me, ever since childhood, Spider-Man has always been Peter Parker. That was the version I grew up watching, so I genuinely wondered how this game would compare with someone completely different taking on the role.
I honestly ended up enjoying it far more than I expected.
The winter setting gives New York a completely different feel, and the improved lighting, visuals, and overall presentation make everything look even better than the first game.
One of my biggest complaints about Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered was that some of the open-world activities eventually became repetitive. Here, I could hardly say that at all. Crimes continue appearing throughout the city, and unlike the first game, they remain rewarding because completing them earns Activity Tokens that are actually useful for unlocking upgrades.
[h2]Story[/h2]
Without going into spoilers, the story is amazing.
Even though it is much shorter than the first game, it never felt rushed. Every mission had something interesting happening, and I was constantly looking forward to seeing what happened next.
I also really enjoyed the new cast of characters. It was a refreshing change after spending so much time with Peter Parker while still having a few familiar faces that nicely connect both games together.
By the time the credits rolled, I already wanted to experience the story again. Part of that was for the remaining achievements, but honestly, I also wanted to relive some of my favourite moments because I enjoyed the story that much.
[h2]Gameplay & Mechanics[/h2]
If you are planning to play this game and know very little about Miles Morales, I would actually recommend keeping it that way.
[spoiler]Miles has his own unique abilities that completely change how combat feels. Unlocking and using them throughout the game was one of my favourite parts of the experience, and they never stopped being fun to use.[/spoiler]
At first, I was a little disappointed because there are fewer gadgets compared to Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered. However, the more abilities I unlocked, the more I realised I barely missed them. They gradually offer many of the same possibilities during combat while still feeling completely unique to Miles. By the end of the game, I actually preferred this approach over having a larger selection of gadgets.
[h2]Side Content[/h2]
The side content felt much more enjoyable this time around.
The phone app was a great addition. It made replaying crimes for missed optional objectives much easier instead of waiting for the right crime to appear.
The shorter length also meant I never felt overwhelmed by collectibles or optional activities.
My personal favourite has to be the [b]Bodega Cat Suit[/b]. Seeing the cat pop out of the backpack during gameplay never stopped making me smile.
I also really liked the [b]Spider-Verse Suit[/b]. At first, I thought something was wrong because Miles intentionally moves at a lower frame rate. I later realised it recreates the animation style from [i]Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse[/i], and it is easy to see why so many people love it.
[h2]New Game Plus[/h2]
One thing I really liked was that New Game Plus gives you more than just another playthrough.
Unlike the first game, there is an additional suit, new skills, and suit mods that can only be unlocked in New Game Plus. The level cap is also increased, giving you another 10 levels to work towards instead of simply reaching the cap and stopping.
It made replaying the game feel worthwhile rather than just doing it again for achievements.
[h2]Final Thoughts[/h2]
This game completely exceeded my expectations.
Going in, I was not sure how I would feel about playing as Miles Morales instead of Peter Parker. By the end of the game, I was completely won over.
It improves on many of the things I already loved about the first game while also addressing one of my biggest complaints. The story is fantastic, the gameplay feels fresh, the side content stays rewarding, and the shorter length works in its favour.
I honestly expected to enjoy this game, but I did not expect it to leave such a lasting impression. Despite being a much shorter adventure, I ended up enjoying it even more than the first game.
If you enjoyed Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, I would absolutely recommend giving this a try.
