Webbed feat

MARVEL GETS PS5 OFF TO A SPECTACULAR START…

Halfway between DLC and a new game, this expansion is another sparky superhero action-adventure that comfortably captures the spirit of the best Marvel films. With Peter Parker taking a long overdue vacation, his replacement has plenty to deal with: hi-tech anarchists The Underground are taking on energy corporation Roxxon, with the overspill leading to trouble for the citizens of New York.

Swinging between skyscrapers feels as immediate and exhilarating as the previous Spider-game, but Morales has a few extra bio-electric tricks up

his spandex sleeves. In combat, that means dodging flying fists and bullets to charge up crackling energy that can stun your opponents; elsewhere, electrical tethers come in handy to solve simple environmental puzzles. Though it’s tempting to make your way to each waypoint without ever touching the ground, procedurally generated crimes encourage you down to street level, as do side quests that ask you to record local sounds to create homespun beats.

What the story lacks in surprises it makes up for in pacing, without stinting on introspection, as our hero overcomes his self-doubt to embrace his destiny as the city’s new protector. The presence of a Spider-Verse suit seals the deal: it mimics the 2018 movie’s stepped animation style and adds comic-book effects to your punches and kicks. This, like Morales, is the ideal holiday-season MCU substitute. Chris Schilling