Sony’s highly anticipated PlayStation 5 showcase got off to an incredible start today with a first look at gameplay for Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
The sequel to 2018’s critically acclaimed PS4 title, this installment, again handled by Insomniac Games, takes place roughly one year after the original and sees Peter Parker’s protégé stuck in the middle of a war between a shady organization and the criminal underworld. Up until now, fans have only seen screenshots and teaser clips of Marvel’s biggest video game release of the year (Marvel’s Avengers included) and, well, let’s just say that the wait was worth it.
Beginning with a stroll down the streets of Harlem with his friend, Miles swiftly finds himself forced to don the iconic suit and pursue a group of criminals attempting to steal a mysterious substance. Inadvertently causing an explosion of catastrophic proportions, the superhero frantically attempts to save civilians trapped on a crumbling bridge while also fending off enemies.
It’s here that audiences are finally treated to the visual feast that is combat, with Miles’ trademark Venom Strike and Blast abilities taking center stage. Unlike his mentor, Morales can build up potent energy and use it to launch himself at foes, causing devastating damage. The cinematic camera work here, it’s worth noting, too, is sublime as it slows to a crawl in order to allow the eyes to take in the insane amount of detail being rendered in every frame. Speaking of which, performance certainly looked a little wonky during certain segments, though with plenty of time still to go, we have faith that Insomniac can iron out any kinks ahead of launch.
Sadly, Sony stopped short of providing a concrete release date for Spider-Man: Miles Morales, though we at least know it’s intended to drop this Holiday season. Watch this space for more.