It follows on directly from 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man, during which Miles Morales became Spidey after being bitten by a radioactive spider that had recently escaped from the genetic labs of Oscorp.
As revealed to Peter at the end of the first game, Miles had developed abilities similar to the original wall-crawler, though — as we will discuss — his abilities also encompass varying powers Peter does not possess.
But before you pick up the controller and take the reins in the Miles Morales video game, here's everything you need to know about the latest hero to bear the title of Spider-Man.
Who Is Miles Morales?
For those unfamiliar with the character’s comic book origins, Miles Morales was an original creation of acclaimed comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis, who made his first appearance on the pages of Marvel’s Ultimate Comics, where he would eventually take the place of Peter Parker as the alternate universe’s version of Spider-Man.
Although Miles was not a resident of the core Marvel universe (the 616 universe), he would eventually make the transition due to his popularity, made possible by the shattering events of 2015’s Secret Wars.
Miles has since gone on to star in his own animated feature film, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.
And, of course, he made his video game debut as a supporting (and sometimes playable) character in the PlayStation 4 exclusive release Marvel’s Spider-Man — voiced by Nadji Jeter.
What Is The Miles Morales Video Game About?
As mentioned, the character has been given the spotlight in his own video game, which will present Miles as a fully-fledged superhero in his own right, one year on from the events of the first game.
Now a legitimised wall-crawler, we join Miles during the winter as he protects the streets of New York City, particularly his residence of Harlem, in the absence of Peter — who is seemingly away during the time period of the game.
Caught up in the middle of a power struggle between two warring factions, the energy corporation Roxxon and the criminal group Underground, Miles must step up to the mantle of Spider-Man to defend the people of his neighbourhood from the fallout of the conflict.
With Miles' mother leading an election campaign as an aspiring politician, this places her in the crossfire of these groups, giving Miles a decidedly personal motivation to put an end to the fighting.
Who Is Miles Morales' Best Friend?
Miles' mother isn’t the only personal attachment the young hero will have during the Miles Morales video game.
Our protagonist's comic book friend Ganke Lee, who is aware of Miles' superhero alter-ego, will be supporting him across his many crime-fighting adventures, and he will no doubt require saving at some point during the game’s runtime — that is almost a certainty.
Unfortunately, if you’re hoping for Miles' father to appear as a prevalent cast member, you’re out of luck. In the original Spider-Man game, Jefferson Davis was killed at the hands of the Inner Demons — a group led by the nefarious Mister Negative.
However, Miles Morales' uncle Aaron Davis could be making an appearance as the comic book villain the Prowler, who is Miles' most recognisable antagonist.
Who Are The Villains?
The Miles Morales video game will pit our hero against supervillain the Tinkerer, who is the leader of the Underground.
This name may ring a bell if you are familiar with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with Phineas Mason (the Tinkerer) appearing alongside primary villain Adrian Toomes (the Vulture) in film Spider-Man: Homecoming.
This iteration of the Tinkerer, however, will look very different to the one fans are familiar with, no longer appearing as an old man.
This Tinkerer will be taking the fight to the streets instead of hiding away in a lab. And she — yes, she — will be armoured head to toe in futuristic tech, allowing her to square off with Miles in a direct physical confrontation.
Joining the Tinkerer, it is to be expected that Roxxon will also spawn its own big bad villain. Who this is, though, we don’t know.
What Can Miles Morales Do?
For anyone following the video game series, you may have noticed that Miles is a little different from Peter. And we don’t just mean his iconic suit.
The character can also be seen using a range of unique abilities, in addition to the traditional Spider-powers of strength, agility, Spider-Sense, and so on.
First off, we have an invisibility power of sorts. This allows Miles to camouflage himself and become instantly hidden from enemies, which is very helpful for scenarios that require a degree of stealth.
Venom Blast is another new ability unique to Miles, which is visualised as yellow electricity. This can be used in combat to shock enemies, allowing the player to inflict greater damage.
It also allows Miles to perform wider-reaching area of effect attacks, such as a ground pound or producing a chain of electricity, useful for incapacitating larger groups.
For any fan of the character’s comic book appearances, they will be glad to know that developer Insomniac Games haven’t nerfed him in any way for the Spider-Man: Miles Morales video game, bringing all his individuality to the forefront.
And each electricity-charged punch and kick will be given more weight from the PS5’s DualSense controller, which provides intuitive haptic feedback.
Will Spider-Man: Miles Morales Be On PS4?
Although seemingly originally poised as a PS5 exclusive, the Miles Morales video game will also be available to PS4 owners, with Sony seemingly not wanting to leave the console generation behind just yet.
And for those that choose to stick with their trusty PS4, the game will be playable on PS5 once you finally make the jump to the new console.
Alongside the release date for the new PS5 console, it was also revealed that Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be released on 12th November 2020.
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