PlayStationThere have been a lot of superhero games over the last three decades, too many to even count. But 2009’s Arkham Asylum was a massive turning point for hero-laden games, creating a veritable blueprint for others to follow. Others did indeed try to follow in Arkham’s footsteps — but it wasn’t until 2018 that another studio would not just match Batman’s heights, but exceed them with Insomniac’s Spider-Man. But perhaps most surprisingly of all, is that Insomniac managed to outdo even itself two years later with Miles Morales — a sequel that distilled the first game’s formula into something nearly perfect. Miles Morales is a tightly designed superhero game with exceptional pacing that perfectly captures why Marvel’s most beloved superhero has endured all these years. The first Spider-Man squarely focused on an experienced Peter Parker, years after his superhero career started. That’s a pretty drastic difference from the origin story kind of setup we see when brand new universes are created. That’s what puts Miles Morales in such a fascinating space, as that kind of origin story within the context of a larger narrative. We’ve already seen Peter’s role in the world and his personal struggles, and Miles stepping into the mantle of Spider-Man has a ton of extra emotional weight because of that. Very few games can match the utterly sublime experience of swinging through New York as Spider-Man. | PlayStationPicking up the week before Christmas (yes, it’s a Christmas game), the second entry sees Miles still in training as a new hero. Miles has to step into the spotlight much sooner than expected when Peter takes an international trip with Mary Jane, leaving him as the sole hero protecting New York. That setup allows Miles Morales to explore two fascinating stories — making players feel the vacuum left by Peter’s presence, while also exploring Miles as a character and how he’s integrally different from Peter. And that imparts this sequel with a much more intimate tale that gets to the heart of Spider-Man — a young boy trying to do what’s right, while struggling to balance his human side and hero alter ego. This version of Miles is a fascinating hero, someone filled with doubts who’s grappled with finding his place in the world — but has a strong sense of duty for protecting others. The biggest strength of Miles Morales is how compact a game it is. The first Spider-Man already got to this to a degree, streamlining open-world elements to allow for exploration but not bog you down with a hundred hours of side activities. Almost every single side activity has some kind of narrative context — from finding time capsules that let Miles reflect on his relationship with his best friend Phin, to finding the virtual trainings Peter has left scattered around the city for his protege, giving further context into how Peter views New York. Miles Morales is surprisingly festive for the holiday season — with a strong theme of family to boot. | PlayStationWhat’s amazing is how Insomniac managed to pack so much fantastic character worth into a 12-hour game, without any beat feeling like it drags. The narrative of Miles Morales has phenomenal pacing that constantly pushes the overarching story along, while still giving those quiet personal moments that are integral to any Spider-Man story. That same idea translates to the gameplay of Miles Morales, a snappy action game that wastes no time. Miles’ Venom powers open up a wealth of new options in combat, making battles not just more mechanically satisfying, but oftentimes a lot quicker too. There’s a whole host of refinements on top of that too — more useful gadgets, a streamlined skill tree, better stealth through Miles’ invisibility, and more diverse side missions (saving a cat named Spider-Man as a particular highlight). Miles’ Venom powers are an absolute blast to play with and make combat feel a lot more dynamic. | PlayStationMiles Morales is a prime example of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it — just make it better. Every single aspect of the first Spider-Man has been tightened up or tuned in Miles Morales, and matched with a gripping story that moves along like an unstoppable train. In a bizarre way, it almost feels like Miles Morales is reminiscent of something like The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask — building on established formulas and assets to make something that harnesses its predecessor's spirit in a new way. And five years later, Marvel has yet to have another video game to rival it.Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is available on PS4, PS5, and PC.