As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I can confidently say that Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a breath of fresh air in the world of AAA gaming. Unlike its predecessors, which seemed to be suffering from third-act bloat, Miles Morales manages to tell a compelling story without stretching itself too thin.
If Insomniac Games had continued with numbered entries for Marvel’s Spider-Man, it might have become a highly acclaimed series. However, the advantage of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales as a spin-off is that it wasn’t compelled to spread itself too thin or expand excessively to meet the length requirements typical of modern AAA story-driven games like Marvel’s Spider-Man and its anticipated sequel, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. This freedom allowed for a more focused and potentially superior gaming experience.
In essence, the length of a game should not determine its quality, and in the case of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, some might argue that a shorter run time (approximately 5 hours compared to Marvel’s Spider-Man’s 20 hours) is beneficial. This is due to the trimming of unnecessary elements, ensuring a more polished player experience. Although the stories in Marvel’s Spider-Man and its sequel have been well-received, there’s a case to be made that they both struggle with third-act bloat or a hasty conclusion that struggles to balance all the game elements added at the last minute.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Franchise is Full of Third Acts Moving at Breakneck Paces
In the games Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, the main villains are not fully developed due to their limited screen time. For instance, Martin Li, who becomes Mr. Negative in Marvel’s Spider-Man, fades into obscurity once Otto Octavius transforms into Doctor Octopus. This isn’t just coincidental; the relationship between Peter Parker and Otto is carefully crafted throughout the story, making it relatively easy to anticipate that Doctor Octopus would emerge as the mastermind behind the Sinister Six.
Instead of giving Li’s narrative significant attention initially, only to have it fade into the background when the Raft breakout occurs, it would have been more impactful if Marvel’s Spider-Man had reduced its length by approximately five hours. This adjustment could have allowed the game to solely focus on Li’s storyline, while hinting at Otto’s transformation into Doctor Octopus for a sequel, thereby giving Mr. Negative a larger role.
In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, similar to previous instances, they undermine the villain who has been the focus throughout the game. However, Kraven meets an untimely end at Venom’s hands and doesn’t get a chance to linger. This sudden demise leads to a city-wide symbiote invasion that doesn’t receive enough emphasis due to its limited presence in just one third of the game. Moreover, if Kraven is not to be revisited in future installments, it seems short-sighted unless Insomniac is indeed concluding their Marvel’s Spider-Man series with a third part, which would be disheartening on its own merit.
Insomniac’s Next Half-Sequels Can Learn from Miles Morales’ Brevity
Overlooking Miles Morales within the Marvel’s Spider-Man series could prove to be a significant oversight. Despite Simon Krieger of Roxxon being a rather unremarkable adversary, the game manages to create something extraordinary with Phin Mason’s Tinkerer and an enhanced Roxxon Rhino in its limited duration. In much the same way, Miles Morales offers engaging side missions and city activities through the FNSM app, delivering them effectively and immersively.
In simpler terms, Miles Morales game experiences similar problems found in mainline games, like having an overabundance of side missions that can be excessive at times. One particularly problematic example is the quest related to Aaron Davis’ Prowler, which features annoying sound samples. Despite these issues, the game primarily offers fantastic moments overall, despite its shorter playtime.
Insomniac hasn’t confirmed any future partial sequel yet, but it would be wonderful if they did, focusing on another character or even continuing the story of Miles Morales. Regardless, any potential half-sequels should take care to preserve the elements that made Miles Morales successful, ensuring a standalone installment that is impactful and not overly prolonged.
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2024-09-21 22:53