My first real experience as the famous web-slinger, in a purely polygonal sense, came in the year 2000, when my dad surprised me with a copy of Spider-Man for the original PlayStation. I couldn’t believe what I was experiencing, and the elation that came from donning original and secret costumes as our one and only friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man was something my little heart could hardly contain at the time.
Fast forward some 20 years — past the national treasure that was and remains Tobey Maguire and his stint as Peter Parker, past Andrew Garfield’s amazing work (see what I did there?) and just past Tom Holland’s miraculous time on screen alongside some of Marvel’s greats, to today. In 2018, Insomniac Games took it upon themselves to create a masterpiece of a Spider-Man game that tugged on all of our heartstrings but that also, for the first time, showed us Miles Morales in all his polygonal glory.
I binged Marvels’ Spider-Man on my PS4 all the while grading papers. I worked tirelessly to obtain that coveted platinum trophy that only so many other web-heads managed to obtain. Above all, I waited for Miles to shine in ways only Insomniac could make possible, and today during Sony’s huge PlayStation 5 showcase the comic book and internet world were turning up: Miles Morales had finally arrived.
Set in the same universe as its previous title, gamers finally have the opportunity to don the iconic black and red suit as one of our favorite heroes. Gameplay for Spider-Man: Miles Morales featured the eponymous character, as well as some new faces and foes. The elation from all those years ago has set in and at this point has doubled in magnitude and importance. It comes after years of pushing for character representation and diversity that many have longed for, and nerds of color the world over are celebrating the chance to finally be greater — to be ourselves. Spider-Man: Miles Morales is set to release November 2020.
