Mason Muehlbauer's Portfolio

Introduction 

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales was developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is a third person action video game that follows Miles Morales as he learns to become a true superhero on his own after Peter Parker conveniently goes on vacation for a few weeks. But why am I covering this game? First Spider Man is one of the world’s largest and most popular superheros. Second, the fluid game play that was refined from the first spiderman game developed by Insomniac Games, swinging around the city and using your webs and parkour in combat. Third, new and improved user interfaces and user experience throughout the menus in the game.  

Gameplay 

There are two major elements to the stellar gameplay of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, fighting and traversal. Both were key in the original Marvel’s Spider-Man game of 2018 which was also developed by Insomniac Games. Allowing the player to freely swing all around a giant New York City was mind blowing and the fluidity and ease of this traversal was groundbreaking in the third-person action genre of gaming. In fact, swinging around the city is so enjoyable I find myself taking the time to travel across the city instead of fast traveling through the subway. Fighting also has this fluidity of almost a dance where you dodge, punch, use gadgets and special abilities to take care of the bad guys. There is a combo tracker that keeps counting up in combat as long as you don’t take a hit and keep dolling out the punishment. Overall, the combat in Miles Morales is very similar to the 2018 installment. However, Miles as a character has a few inticing and visually stunning new abilities that change how you play, including more stealth that doesn’t suck this time! 

User Interface and User Experience 

Miles Morales’ User Interface and Experience also get some additions and refinements. The skill tree is rebuilt and much easier to navigate and understand. This comes along with Miles Morales having more abilities than Peter Parker in the 2018 installment in the franchise. So, this refinement was extremely necessary with an increase in abilities. Also, there is a new phone app (screenshot above), it is simple and clean, and the tabs are descriptive, and each activity or crime shows its distance from the player. As someone who has tried to create a phone app in a small group indie game before it is not as easy as it seems!  

Inspiration 

Miles Morales is a huge inspiration to me as an aspiring video game designer. The fluidity of gameplay, refinement and additions to the user interface and experience. Insomniac’s ability to keep the essence of the first installment alive in Miles Morales even with new characters, story, abilities, and UI/UX. Specifically the swinging and movement is something I want to try and replicate in a 2D small project myself! Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an amazing and inspiring game, and I am looking forward to the follow up Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.