Spider-Man: Miles Morales Is Short, Stylish and Worth It

My Steam review line for this one was "With great power comes great exaggerated swagger," and Miles has swagger to spare. Miles Morales is a smaller game than the first Insomniac Spider-Man, but it's a tighter one, and in moment-to-moment play it often feels better.

What it is

Peter's out of town, so Miles is on his own looking after Harlem. It's winter in New York, there's snow on everything, and a new villain is causing trouble. The main plot follows pretty familiar beats, but the personal side of it, Miles finding his place in his neighborhood, hits home.

The side missions do a lot of the heavy lifting there. They build up his relationship with the people around him, and they're some of the best parts of the game.

What worked

The powers. Miles's venom abilities add an electric punch to fights, and camouflage opens up real stealth options. There are fewer gadgets than in the first game, but the new powers more than make up for it. Combat feels more dynamic, and it encourages you to get creative.

The swinging. Better animations and a few new tricks make web-swinging even more satisfying than before. Snowy Manhattan, with the holiday lights up, is a great place to just go for a swing.

The PC port. This is an excellent port. It scales well across different hardware, supports DLSS and FSR, handles ultrawide monitors properly, and works well with a controller or keyboard and mouse. Ray tracing looks spectacular, especially the reflections and the snow.

Tip

Ray tracing looks incredible here, but it's the setting most likely to cause stutter. Pair it with DLSS or FSR if your card is mid-range.

The soundtrack. Hip-hop beats mixed with heroic themes, and it suits Miles perfectly. The voice acting is strong across the board.

What didn't

It's short. About eight hours for the main story, sixteen to twenty to see everything. The lower price helps, but if you're expecting a full-length sequel, you'll be disappointed.

Unskippable cutscenes. Even in New Game+. That one's just annoying.

The villain. The main plot is predictable, and the big bad feels underdeveloped next to Miles's personal story.

Minor bugs. A little stutter with ray tracing on, and the odd animation glitch during takedowns. Patches have taken care of most of it.

Worth it?

Yes. Newcomers can jump in without the first game, though you'll miss some character context. Spider-Man fans will love how well Miles is handled. It's focused and polished, and it proves Miles can carry a game on his own.

If you want more Marvel in a completely different shape, I spent a lot longer in Marvel Rivals than I expected to.