Is it Worth Buying Miles Morales on PS4? Yes, Absolutely.
The verdict is clear – Marvel‘s Spiderman: Miles Morales is absolutely worth purchasing and playing on PS4, even in the PS5 era. While the PS5 version offers enhancements like 4K visuals and faster performance, the PS4 edition still provides an incredibly fun, polished superhero experience. For most owners, it will be the most spectacular web-slinging showcase possible on the console.
Let‘s dive deep into the data and analysis across a range of factors to build the case for Miles Morales on PS4.
Game Overview – A Focused, Personal Spiderman Adventure
First, a quick recap on what Miles Morales actually is. Essentially, it‘s a condensed standalone sequel to 2018‘s acclaimed Spiderman game for PS4. It picks up one year later, with teenager Miles Morales succeeding Peter Parker as the wisecracking hero protecting New York City.
The scope is pared back compared to Spiderman‘s sprawling 30+ hour quest. Miles Morales clocks in around 7-8 hours for the main story, with some optional side content taking it to 10-15 hours total. But what you get is a tight, cinematic superhero experience focused on characterization and heartfelt moments.
Gameplay retains the same excellent feeling of momentum and flow during traversal, though combat ahora introduces Miles‘s unique Venom abilities and invisibility powers into the mix. It‘s less bloated – a tradeoff some may dislike but one that allows for greater narrative focus.
Table: Spiderman Games Comparison
| Game | Scope | Length | Protagonist | Release Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spiderman (PS4) | Massive | 20+ hours | Peter Parker | 2018 |
| Miles Morales | Streamlined | 7-15 hours | Miles Morales | 2020 |
So in summary – Miles Morales trims the fat for a more personal Spiderman story. Short and sweet rather than sprawling and epic.
Visuals and Performance – Still Impressive on PS4
But how does Miles Morales look and run on humble PS4 hardware in the age of PS5? Surprisingly well, actually!
On a base PS4, it runs at a pretty locked 30 FPS frame rate, only dipping slightly in particularly intense scenes. The resolution downscales dynamically between 1080p and 900p depending on workload.
Obviously this pales in comparison to the PS5‘s slick 4K resolution and unwavering 60 FPS frame rate. But for a late-gen PS4 game, Miles Morales is a visual showpiece. Lighting, textures, effects and environmental details remain highly impressive.
Ray tracing is absent, but other advanced rendering techniques like ambient occlusion and temporal anti-aliasing retain a modern sheen. The excellent art direction shines through regardless of pixel counts.
You‘ll notice the lower resolution in facial close ups, and some temporal shimmering on fine details. But Sony‘s first party studios have extracted every ounce of power from the aging PS4. This is as gorgeous and smooth an experience possible on the 7 year old hardware.
Performance Comparison between PS4 and PS5 Versions
| Version | Resolution | Frame Rate |
|---|---|---|
| PS4 | 900-1080p | 30 FPS |
| PS5 | 4K | 60 FPS |
So in summary – Miles Morales on PS4 takes some visual hits compared to PS5, but remains an impressive visual showcase nonetheless.
Content and Value – Two Great Editions
Sony has wisely released two versions of Miles Morales to cater to different needs:
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Standard Edition – Just the base game, priced around $50.
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Ultimate Edition – Includes Spiderman Remastered, usually $70.
The Standard Edition is the most affordable way to get access to Miles Morales alone. But the Ultimate Edition‘s inclusion of 2018‘s Spiderman completely remastered for PS5 represents incredible value, especially given that game still retails for $40 alone.
So while the Standard Edition is a cheaper way to enjoy Miles on PS4, the Ultimate bundle goes above and beyond to offer the complete advanced Spiderman experience across two games. Well worth the extra $20 for everything you get.
Either way, you‘re set up for dozens of hours of sensational Spiderman entertainment with these editions.
Post Launch Support – Plenty of Free Goodies
Insomniac Games has built a sterling reputation for continually enhancing their games long after launch. Miles Morales has been no exception, with a steady stream of free updates adding new modes, options, and suits.
Just one month after release, a big November 2020 patch added:
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New Performance mode with 60 FPS on PS5
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Additional quality of life improvements across all versions
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New accessibility options on PS4
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More Trophies on PS4
Since then, multiple new suits from comic book events have been added, along with quality of life enhancements. For a AAA game these days, such extensive post-launch support is rare and impressive.
This philosophy bodes very well for the inevitable sequels down the road. Insomniac treats games as long term platforms.
Is Full Price Justified for the Length?
The biggest question facing PS4 buyers – does Miles Morales justify its $50-60 price tag considering its 7-8 hour length? For comparison, Spiderman on PS4 can still be found for only $20, with over 3X more content.
There‘s certainly an argument Miles Morales offers "DLC scale" value rather than full AAA value on paper. The original set the content bar so high! But as always, assessments of worth are highly subjective.
If the story, characters and world resonate with you enough, those 8 hours could feel perfectly fulfilling despite preconceptions. Shorter games can have just as much impact as bloated ones.
That said, most budget-conscious buyers would be smart to wait for a sale knocking the price down closer to $30. At that point, Miles Morales becomes a steal given the sky high production values.
Have patience, and you can mitigate the short runtime concern.
Should You Upgrade to PS5?
This depends entirely on your financial situation and desire for the latest and greatest. Miles Morales with its 4K 60FPS enhancements and ray tracing certainly plays best on PS5. No doubts there.
But the experience remains so polished on PS4 that there‘s no need to rush out upgrading solely for this one game.
If you already plan to jump to PS5 soon for the bredth of big exclusives and improvements, then playing Miles on PS5 is a no brainer. But if cost is a concern, PS4 owners can happily stick with their current console and miss nothing integral. Miles plays great either way.
Play Order – Start with Spiderman PS4
Should new players dive into Miles Morales first, or go back to the original Spiderman game?
The recommendation is to start with Spiderman PS4. It properly introduces characters like Peter Parker and the overall tone. Miles Morales then becomes a great sequel with plenty of clever references and callbacks.
You can begin with Miles and not be totally lost – it‘s newcomer friendly. But you‘ll appreciate the evolution far more by playing its predecessor first. Hence why the Ultimate Edition including both games is such great value.
Think of it as watching the Lord of the Rings movies in order rather than starting randomly with The Return of the King! You‘ll be lost.
So begin with Spiderman, then treat Miles Morales as a top notch dessert. The games complement each other perfectly this way.
Suggested Play Order for New Players
- Spiderman (2018) on PS4
- Spiderman: Miles Morales on PS4 or PS5
This way, you get the complete story arc and transition between Peter Parker‘s Spiderman and the upstart Miles Morales.
The Verdict – Absolutely Worth Buying on PS4
In summary, Spiderman Miles Morales is a must buy on PS4 in this author‘s opinion. The visual downgrades versus PS5 are noticeable but nowhere near dealbreakers. It remains one of the most jaw-droppingly gorgeous, finely polished games you can experience on PS4 hardware.
The shorter length may disappoint those seeking another massive 40 hour epic like 2018‘s game. But focus on Miles Morales as a tight, emotionally charged character study rather than a bloated collectathon. Its sense of focus over filler makes it refreshing.
As this definitive guide demonstrates, the PS4 version delivers an exceptional Spiderman experience regardless. Provided you calibrate expectations for scope, it succeeds as both an introduction to Miles Morales and a fitting PS4 swansong before the generational transition.
For most gamers, it will end up being among the most technically impressive and just plain fun superhero games they ever play on the console. An easy recommendation.