There’s been no shortage of confusion regarding the size and scope (and the very nature) of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales since its announcement, and though Insomniac and Sony have already cleared the air about those things, the game’s creative director Brian Horton recently posted an update on the PlayStation blog to give more specific details on the game.
As suggested in previous reports, Horton clarifies that Miles Morales, which is a separate and standalone entry in Insomniac’s Spider-Man universe, will be similar in size and scope to Uncharted: The Lost Legacy- which essentially means it’s going to be shorter than Marvel’ Spider-Man, but will still be a full-fledged game, more or less. Certainly, according to Horton, it’s going to be “a can’t-miss next adventure in the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe.”
“We know a lot of you want to know how big this game is,” Horton wrote. “Our team at Insomniac has been working incredibly hard to bring you a fantastic Miles Morales adventure since we concluded development on Marvel’s Spider-Man. You’ll experience a full story arc with Miles, one that’s more akin to a game like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in terms of overall scope. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an important, heartfelt, emotional and essential experience to expanding the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe. And we hope it will be for you as well.”
Horton also dropped some narrative details about the game in his update, and why Insomniac decided to focus on Miles as the central character in this story.
“As we continued with the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe, we knew that Miles’ origin story as a Spider-Man was something that needed its own game,” he wrote. ” Miles’s multicultural background reflects a more modern, diverse world and we wanted to give players a new story, with new set-pieces, fresh villains, and unique quests across Marvel’s New York City.”
So what exactly is the central premise for Miles’ origin story? As the reveal trailer made abundantly clear, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales’ New York City is all covered in snow. Kicking off about a year after the first game’s events, just before Christmas break, a war has broken out in New York between two as-of-yet unnamed groups- an energy corporation and a high-tech criminal army. At the heart of this war is Miles’ new home in Harlem, which, of course, ropes him into this whole story.
But where does that leave Peter Parker? Don’t worry- Horton says that though this story is all about Miles Morals, Peter still remains an integral part of this universe. Bryan Intihar, creative director of the first game, is currently working on “big things for the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe”- which probably refers to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
“It’s been great to also work with Bryan Intihar, who directed the first game, as he continues to imagine big things for the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe,” Horton wrote.
“Many of you fans have wondered if Peter Parker is OK,” he added.
“Don’t worry, we still have much of Peter’s story left to tell. But this game is all about Miles, a critical part of our Spider-Man universe, and you won’t want to miss what happens.”
Meanwhile, Horton also provided some brief details on how Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be leveraging the PS5’s hardware to improve upon its predecessors. This includes redone assets for New York City, faster loading times thanks to the SSD, support for the PS5’s 3D audio and the DualSense’s unique functions, and more.
“We are also excited for the game to demonstrate the power of PlayStation 5 this holiday,” wrote Horton. “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales will show off near-instant loading, ray-tracing, 3D audio and the DualSense controller. We’ve upgraded our characters with 4D scans and improved skin shading for more realistic looking characters and spline-based hair that moves far more naturally. Many of the city’s assets have also been updated to take advantage of the new console. As you experience Miles’ story, you’ll see, hear, and feel things in a whole new way, all thanks to PS5.”
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is out this Holiday as a launch title for the PS5.
