[h1]Spider-Man 1.5[/h1]
Spider-Man: Miles Morales was basically a tech-demo for Sony's PlayStation 5 when it launched, so calling it a spin-off or a glorified DLC is very fair in my opinion. At its core, this is a bite-sized return to the same version of New York City we just explored in Spider-Man Remastered. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or take the series to the next level, but it still delivers some solid upgrades and fun. It's a good expansion and it's still awesome to web around the city, which nobody does better than Spider-Man.
[b]Where the web actually connects:[/b]
• [b]Christmas Magic:[/b] Even though it uses the exact same map as before, the winter setting in New York gives the city a completely fresh look. The snow effects, improved lighting, and refined textures look pretty incredible maxed out, so they have definitely improved the graphics in this game. Nixxes also added ray-traced shadows this time, which makes the snowy streets look noticeably crisper and more modern. A better-looking game, no doubt.
• [b]Still An Amazing PC Port:[/b] Just like the first game, the technical optimization here is class. Spider-Man: Miles Morales runs like a dream whether you're cruising around the city or caught in a fight against The Underground. The performance is perfectly smooth and stable the whole way. This is a great port.
• [b]A New Spider-Man:[/b] Traversal and combat feel even better than the first game. The web-swinging has a faster, clumsier animation style that perfectly fits a rookie Spider-Man, and the expanded aerial trick system makes moving through the city highly addictive. On top of that, the addition of bio-electric Venom attacks—like the Venom Punch—and temporary invisibility completely changes the flow of combat, making encounters feel more explosive. Miles Morales is a different Spider-Man compared to Peter Parker and you can clearly feel it.
• [b]Solid Soundtrack:[/b] Another area where this spin-off is better is the sound design. The soundtrack is great, blending traditional superhero themes with hip-hop beats. It gives the entire game a cool, energetic vibe that perfectly captures Miles' personality and distinguishes the experience from Peter's more classic tone.
• [b]The Achievement Hunt:[/b] Insomniac Games made the exact same choice here by locking achievements behind a New Game+ playthrough. It’s still an annoying choice for completionists. However, the saving grace this time is the game's length. Because the campaign is so brief, rushing through the story a second time felt like less of a chore. Because of that, the achievements are actually easier and it made the game short and fun rather than long and tedious.
[b]Where the web snaps completely:[/b]
• [b]Where is the Plot?:[/b] Following up the excellent story from the first game was always going to be a challenge, and unfortunately, this game fails to fill those shoes. The plot feels very underwhelming, scaled-down, and lacks the emotional weight or high stakes of its predecessor. The new villains—Roxxon and The Underground—are very generic, and the writing often feels a bit too hollow to deliver any real impact. Nonetheless, it does an okay job, but it's not even close to Peter Parker's story in the first game.
• [b]A Short-Lived High:[/b] While the shorter length makes the achievement cleanup faster, the overall lack of substance is a double-edged sword. The main campaign clocks in at around 10 hours and is over before it really gets going. To make matters worse, the open-world activities lack variety; replacing standard side missions with tedious puzzles like collecting sound samples for a mixtape or chasing alley cats just to unlock suits feels pretty lazy and low-effort. Again, like a DLC in many ways.
• [b]Lazy Encounters:[/b] While the regular combat benefits from the new abilities, the boss fights are a massive step down. They are incredibly repetitive, predictable, and offer zero variety. Once you learn to abuse the invisibility mechanic to reset stealth or spam Venom attacks to stun-lock, even the toughest fights lose most of their tension.
[b]The final verdict:[/b]
Spider-Man 1.5 is exactly what the title implies: a transitional step rather than a full leap. The combat upgrades, faster traversal, unique musical vibe, and visual improvements are great, but the weak story and short runtime hold it back from reaching the heights of the original. If you want more web-swinging with a fresh coat of paint, it's worth playing, but don't expect a real sequel. Still, a fun game with fresh ideas and I recommend picking it up at a discount price.
