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RVA Game Cave Issue 7: Spider-Man: Miles Morales

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In this edition of RVA Game Cave, columnist Jonah Schuhart finds that Spider-Man: Miles Morales can do whatever the last Spider-Man game can… and a good bit more.

The Sam Raimi Spider-Man films have left an irreversible mark on the generation of movie-goers that grew up in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Until then, there had never been such a high-budgeted, well-produced piece of broadcast media featuring the character. However, the influence of these films extended beyond the medium it was originally presented in. As with many movies in the era of the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, Sam Raimi’s take on Spider-Man and its sequel received their own video game adaptations. It was the adaptation for Spider-Man 2 that set a major precedent for how a Spider-Man game should look and play.

Since then, many major Spider-Man video games have attempted to replicate the success of Spider-Man 2. However, none seemed quite up to the task until 2018, when Sony published Marvel’s Spider-Man on the PlayStation 4. This game managed to surpass its predecessor by both refining and expanding upon the core mechanics developed on the PS2 while telling a genuinely entertaining and touching story. Now, Marvel’s Spider-Man has received a semi-sequel in Spider-Man: Miles Morales for both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

Ostensibly, Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a large-scale DLC (downloadable content) expansion for its predecessor. Despite being packaged and sold as its own game, it uses many of the same basic assets and systems as Marvel’s Spider-Man. The models for many enemies, civilians, and even the environment are exactly the same. Miles Morales’ Manhattan is nothing more than a winterized version of the exact same map used in the previous game. That being said, it’s an incredibly well-made DLC expansion that adds just enough new stuff in the right places for it to be worthy of a purchase. The fact that it is also priced lower than most games is a cherry on top.

It’s fair to say that the biggest appeal of Spider-Man: Miles Morales is simply that there is more of the same. Usually this is considered a very bad thing, but an idea doesn’t necessarily need to be complex, or to evolve, to last a long time or be considered worthwhile. These things can help improve both its lifespan and reputation, but longevity and value are not inherently excluded from the plain. This is what the developers at Insomniac, and by extension Spider-Man 2’s devs, Treyarch, were able to capitalize when developing their games. In both cases, the success and quality of the games was determined by simple ideas that never seem to get old.

Perhaps the most important of these ideas is traversal — more specifically, web-swinging. It was doubtlessly the most enjoyable and influential element of Spider-Man 2 for the PS2. Many Spider-Man games that followed tried to replicate it, but none created a system quite as graceful and pristine as Insomniac created for Spider-Man 2. Not only did they improve the general smoothness and feel of regular swinging, they also added the ability to zip towards and vault from obstacles. The ability to weave special acrobatic tricks in between each swing for experience improved it even more by making the entire process more engaging. 

Spider-Man: Miles Morales uses the exact same swinging system, but with a new flavor added. As with many of his animations, Miles’ swinging and tricks reflect his unique personality. Miles has only been Spider-in-training for a year at the time of this game, so his swinging technique lacks the refined postures and forms of the more-seasoned Peter Parker. Still, the swinging gameplay itself is actually better. Miles has more tricks, along with a brand new way to tie those tricks together to make longer trick combos. It’s a small improvement from the last game, but it makes all the difference.

The same can be said for the game’s combat. Miles lacks all the gadget options Peter had, but he makes up for it with his own unique Spider-powers. Aside from all the regular Spider-Man abilities, Miles can also release bursts of bioelectricity and turn himself invisible. Both of these powers are used to great effect. His bioelectric “Venom” powers make him a powerhouse in open combat, capable of stunning entire groups of enemies for long periods of time. Meanwhile, his camouflage lets him slip in and out of stealth combat. Unfortunately, stealth isn’t quite as robust as it was in the previous game. Because Miles doesn’t have Peter’s repertoire of gadgets, and because Venom is mostly useful for open combat, Miles simply has less options when he’s not diving headfirst into combat.

Granted, these detractions are somewhat supported by his character. Miles Morales’ story is all about a newbie Spider-Man coming into his own. He’s supposed to lack the finesse of his more experienced peers, even if the end result of expressing that is at the expense of the gameplay. 

This inconsistent quality also extends to the game’s story as well, especially to Miles’ character. Unlike Marvel’s Spider-Man, where Insomniac seemed to have a fair grip on the core elements of Peter Parker’s personality, they do not seem to know what they want to do with Miles. He’s supposed to come off as this awkward teenager who doubts his own abilities and doesn’t seem to feel up to the task ahead of him, and yet, aside from a few bad decisions he makes over the course of the story, Miles is a genius at almost everything he attempts. He’s a scientific wiz attending a highly-graded private school, a competent musician, and a decent fashion designer. The only time Miles seems to struggle with anything at all is when it comes to being Spider-Man.

This is understandable, however. Being Spider-Man is an extraordinary task, even for someone as multifaceted as Miles. He constantly struggles to balance his vigilante and civilian lives, despite the two inevitably colliding in ways he can’t avoid. Granted, that idea is somewhat par for the course in a Spider-Man story, but this game manages to keep the idea entertaining as Miles repeatedly finds solutions that are different, yet equally correct as the ones made by Peter before him. In the end, the story of Spider-Man: Miles Morales isn’t quite as enjoyable as the heart-wrenching plot of the last game, but it is nowhere near offensive enough to ruin the experience.

In fact, even though the plot is somewhat lukewarm, the game is still improved by its presence. As fun as acting out the fantasy of Spider-Man is by itself, that fun is only increased by the added context of a story. Between that, and the absolute abundance of side content, Spider-Man: Miles Morales averages out to being consistently compelling. It’s a rare moment where the player feels bored or without direction. Whether they are completing all of the side quests, enjoying the humorous rantings of J. Jonah Jameson, or simply swinging about, they will still be satisfied with some proficiently designed Spider-Manning. 

I give Spider-Man: Miles Morales a 7/10.

Images via Insomniac/Playstation

RVA Game Cave Issue 5: Ghost Of Tsushima — Open Worlds Done Right

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In this edition of RVA Game Cave, columnist Jonah Schuhart dives into Ghost Of Tsushima: an open-world game that, unlike many others in its category, utilizes its entire map with challenges and exciting lessons on Japanese history.

When it comes to contemporary open-world games, many fall into the same trap, which inevitably subtracts from the liveliness and longevity of the experience. This issue is almost always directly proportional to the size of the game world. After all, how do you fill a large space with a proper amount of content? Even more difficult is overcoming the challenge of making all of that content meaningful and fulfilling. Too many open-world games struggle to fill their space with activities that either fail to reward the player for their troubles or fail to entertain the player to any significant extent. 

PHOTO: Ghost Of Tsushima on Playstation 4

Take the Grand Theft Auto series, for example. In many ways they are great games, but their open worlds are often filled with meaningless — or even boring — side activities that accomplish nothing for the player, because they have nothing to do with the core elements of the game. Nobody cares about random collectible number 357, or the inconsequential golfing mini-game, because they aren’t the focus of the game — and neither are entertaining or rewarding enough for most players to invest time in. They are simply filler content so that the devs can say that area of the game world isn’t a barren wasteland of insignificance. 

However, a hero has finally emerged from the fog of unfulfilling side objectives. It brings us an open-world experience that actually fills the world with desirable, entertaining side content that rivals the quality of its core focus. Without a doubt, Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima is one of the greatest video games to come out for PlayStation 4, and it is certainly the most thoroughly enjoyable open-world game of the past few years. 

This praise would be misplaced, however, if the main focus of the game wasn’t equally or more enchanting than its side content. After all, nobody plays a game just for its collectibles. And Sucker Punch did an amazing job at creating a unique, interesting setting and story that feels as fresh as a sip from a recently popped can of soda. 

What separates GOT from other games is that it is actually historical fiction, a genre of storytelling that has remained somewhat untouched in games apart from series like Assassin’s Creed or Civilization. 

Set during the first Mongol invasion of Japan in the mid-1200s, the player steps into the armor of Jin Sakai, a young samurai whose nearly dead clan acts as a retainer for the high-ranking lords of Tsushima island, the Shimuras. At the game’s beginning, Jin and his Uncle, Lord Shimura, lead all of Tsushima’s samurai into a heavily outnumbered battle against the invading Mongol forces. Out of the several hundred samurai who fought, only Jin and Lord Shimura survive the bloodbath. Unfortunately, Lord Shimura is captured by the Mongol’s leader, Khotun Khan, who offers Shimura an ultimatum between surrendering his homeland to the Mongols or watching them burn it down. From there, it is up to Jin to save his uncle and repel the Mongol forces before they completely take Tsushima and make their way to the Japanese mainland. 

PHOTO: Ghost Of Tsushima on Playstation 4

Ghost of Tsushima’s story and setting are unparalleled in their distinctiveness. It is clear that Sucker Punch’s team went out of their way to authentically bring feudal Japan to life in a way that is both educational and genuinely entertaining. It would be fair to say that very few Westerners possess in-depth knowledge about the Mongol invasions of Japan, and GOT does an amazing job at giving players a crash course on the basic events through characters whose stories are intensely gripping and universally relatable. This game could legitimately be used in a college course on Japanese history. Sucker Punch may be an American studio, but they made this game just as well as any Japanese studio could. 

But despite that, the game’s design decisions are still incredibly Western, though definitely not in a bad way. The game’s sword and stealth combat both feel like the natural evolutions of what games like Assassin’s Creed have tried to do. But instead of the counter system feeling lazy and easy to pull off, it actually takes a fair amount of skill to fight with any sort of efficiency, especially at higher difficulties. The same can be said for the game’s stealth mechanics, which lets players turn this game’s goal from being a samurai to being a full-on ninja. 

All of that is reinforced through the side content, which finds that perfect middle ground between filling up the game’s extensive open world and feeling fulfilling. There are no useless mini-games, and the collectibles are exciting to collect. Even things like the Pillars of Honor, or the Mongol Artifacts, manage to feel rewarding despite not reinforcing gameplay. One gives the player a cool new sword skin, and the other educates them on Mongolian culture and history. Beyond that, the game’s numerous side quests (especially the Mythic Quests) immerse the player in Japanese culture and history. No other game has made learning this fun. 

And the icing on this incredibly substantive cake is that, in my opinion, Ghost of Tsushima is one of the most beautiful games to ever be made. For a game that seems to celebrate all that is awesome about Japanese history and culture, it refuses to stop at the landscape. The player will explore everything from grassy fields to snowy mountains, and all of them are surreally breathtaking. They even added gaming’s most expressive and dynamic photo mode, for players to capture every detail the developers painstakingly rendered, making this version of Japan feel as tangible and stunning as the real thing. 

PHOTO: Ghost Of Tsushima on Playstation 4

All of this amounts to a game that feels more complete than a title twice its size. It may not be as big as Breath of the Wild, or have as many things to do as Skyrim, but it is more emotionally and spiritually gratifying than either of those games could be. Somehow, it manages to juggle an open world, a varied and expressive combat system, and an Oscar-worthy plot without dropping a single beat. In the space of an hour, players will go from dueling a black-cloaked ronin in a cherry blossom field to a lesson on the samurai Bushido code, to stealthily eliminating an entire regiment of Mongolian forces, to petting a cute little fox… and not a single moment will feel out of place. 

Ghost of Tsushima gets a score of 9/10. 

RVA Game Cave Issue 4: The Last of Us Part 2

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In this edition of RVA Game Cave, columnist Jonah Schuhart dives into The Last of Us Part 2. Following its predecessor, TLOU2 challenges the player’s moral code, and captivates even its harshest critics. 

Without a doubt, The Last of Us Part II  is the single most contentious game of the year. The degree to which it has left gamers divided speaks to an artistic quality, which goes somewhat deeper than the typical standards of good and bad storytelling. It may be abrasive and provoking, but it is an incredibly gripping and exhilarating experience. The Last of Us Part II tells a brutal, deeply nuanced revenge tale, in which players are at odds speculating on the validity of its message and the quality of its narrative structure. Regardless of its quality, the story’s narrative detail, care, and the polish given to the gameplay segments would make this title worthy of any avid gamer’s appreciation. 

PHOTO: The Last Of Us Part II via Playstation

The original The Last of Us was one of the most revered story-driven games released in the past decade. It told a hopeful, positive story, set in a bleak post-apocalypse world. It primed its players for a wholly optimistic message, then annihilated their naive expectations with a brutal twist ending. The protagonist players grow attached to is sympathetic, and may seem benevolent, but his good intentions quickly turn selfish when tested. Joel is not a good person. The implied consequences of Joel’s final actions in The Last of Us were incredibly dire, and its sequel only proves those implications to be all-too-true. 

The world of The Last of Us is not forgiving. It is not kind. It takes everything from its characters, and gives nothing in return. The quality of the game’s writing, animating, and acting only serves to deliver that feeling of emptiness to the player. Its original storyline brings us to the gameplay of The Last of Us Part II. (SPOILERS AHEAD!) 

Four years after the events of TLOU, a group of ex-Fireflies track Joel and Ellie back to the town of Jackson, where they have been living seemingly peaceful, happy lives. At first their intentions are unclear, but the player’s suspicions are proven true when the group swiftly takes Joel hostage and one member, Abby, savagely beats him to death in front of his brother and Ellie. From there, the player controls Ellie as she seeks bloody revenge on those who murdered her surrogate father. Along the way, she encounters resistance from several factions… and her obstinate dedication to her goals forces her along a progressively dark, needlessly violent path as her grief and need for revenge overshadow the positive characteristics that make her relatable. 

Both Ellie and Abby pull off some needlessly brutal kills in and out of gameplay. It’s almost enough to want to stop playing given the game’s overall message. Is getting this violent really worth it? (Image via The Last Of Us Part II/Playstation)

Ellie’s story is followed and contrasted by the story of Joel’s killer, Abby. Abby’s life as a soldier for the WLF faction, and personal vendetta against Joel, have turned her into a brutal killer. At times, her actions even draw concern from her friends — who, while complicit in the murder of Joel, remain somewhat judgemental regarding the savage way in which Abby ended his life. Abby’s journey parallels Joel’s journey in the first game, as Abby is eventually put in charge of a child from the WLF’s greatest enemy, the Seraphites. The child, Lev, is a trans male who is forced to leave his primitivist society as a result of their transphobic religious doctrine. 

Abby’s desire to protect Lev from his hostile community, as well as her close interpersonal relationships with other Fireflies-turned-WLF, shed light on the ambiguous nature of the game’s world. 

Is Ellie justified in her vengeance simply because Abby killed her adoptive father? Is Abby justified in killing Joel, as he not only doomed humanity, but killed her father in the process? Are peace, and the sheer amount of lives at stake, worth either characters’ horrifically merciless, violent methods and goals? 

PHOTO: The Last Of Us Part II via Playstation

These are the questions that TLOU2 proposes to the player, as it progressively fleshes out the positive and negative qualities of both characters and their situations. The journey towards both characters’ eventual decisions leaves the player deeply conflicted. Players will be left adamant about their personal answers to the questions posed by TLOU2’s story, but it is unlikely their answer will perfectly align with both of the game’s protagonists. In the end, TLOU2 will force the player to perform disturbing, scarring actions in order to accomplish goals that directly conflict with their own moral code. The game’s ability to pose such a deep philosophical challenge to players only adds credence to the potency of its writing, and the skill of both its animators and actors. TLOU2 is ugly and depressing, and for that, it is all the more engaging. 

That level of engagement would be for nothing, however, if it did not remain interesting during gameplay. Just like in the original TLOU, players are given an arsenal of weaponry and craftable items to dispatch enemies. Likewise, players are expected to use a combination of stealth and open combat during enemy encounters. Seasoned players will adopt tactics that highly resemble the unpredictable, swift nature of guerilla warfare, as they duck through the game’s environments while isolating and picking off vulnerable targets. What sets these encounters apart from TLOU2’s predecessor, however, is the level of detail and complexity given to them. Environments are much more complex and varied, and any situation can be approached from a number of angles. Furthermore, enemy AI is much more robust, as groups of enemies utilize cooperative tactics that actively adapt to the player’s own approach. 

As always, enemies are numerous and smart. The player is usually a little short on ammo or resources, so they need to be smart and make a little bit go a long way, especially on higher difficulties. (Image via The Last Of Us Part II/Playstation)

This level of detail extends beyond the reach of the game’s combat as well. The story is given just as much respect in-game as it is during cutscenes. As if to drive home the point that even violent people have sympathetic lives, enemy AI have names, and their friends will often react with despair or anger when a player’s bullet flings their brains onto the wall behind them. Characters have natural, often lighthearted, dialogue during the game’s exploration segments that reveal their softer sides. Even minor details, such as Abby’s fear of heights, are brought to the forefront during certain moments. This constant humanization of deeply flawed characters (both in-game and out) are half of the reason TLOU2’s world feels as alive, and as depressing, as it is. 

Companion characters like Dina, Jesse and Lev are fairly well written overall. Most of them take some warming up to, but each one of them has a few (sometimes tragic) scenes that really sell their character by the end. (Image via The Last Of Us Part II/Playstation)

The success of TLOU2’s storytelling only services its contention. Many gamers actively criticize and dislike this title, both on the basis of its controversial revenge tale, and the political nature of characters like Lev and the traditionally non-feminine Abby. While many of these complaints are mired by personal bias and even outright bigotry, TLOU2 is not immune to criticism. As well-written as Abby’s section is, the game may be asking too much from players: it initially sets her up as worthy of hate, then immediately expects the player to sympathize with her when they step in her shoes. Spend the first 10 hours of a 30 hour game trying to kill someone, and it will never be easy to let that feeling go for the next 20. Apart from the fact that this decision only coincides with the game’s overarching themes, the reality that this switch affected many players so deeply speaks to the game’s ability to captivate and challenge even its most dire critics.

Whether TLOU2 is good or bad is nearly moot. Regardless of where the player stands, the story manages to capitalize on the captivating nature of its predecessor, and continues that legacy with gusto. No matter who you are, this game will challenge your expectations, and it will leave you with a sour taste in your mouth. Whether that sour taste is a worthy experience is up to the individual player, but the fact that it appears so potently is certainly worthy of a recommendation.

I give TLOU2 an 8/10.

Top Photo via The Last Of Us Part II/Playstation