Everyone knows Spider-Man is New York's friendly neighborhood superhero, but many might not know New York City as well. Spider-Man 2 takes place in NYC, and some players may recognize names, landmarks, and locations as they explore.
But true New Yorkers will likely notice some inconsistencies with the in-game version of the City That Never Sleeps. Here is how similar and accurate New York City is in Spider-Man 2.
Is New York accurate in Spider-Man 2?
The map of New York City in Spider-Man 2 is not completely accurate to its real-life counterpart. While the in-game version captures the city's essence, it is not a 1:1 recreation. Spider-Man 2's New York is expanded from the original Spider-Man but does not include certain areas, such as the Bronx, and moving locations around and renaming them.
Certain iconic buildings and landmarks are missing from Spider-Man 2 as well. One of the most notable absentees is the Chrysler Building, which was removed in Miles Morales and did not return in Spider-Man 2. However, players can find iconic buildings and landmarks from the Marvel universe, including Fisk Tower, the Avenger Tower, the Sanctum Sanctorum, and many more.
It is virtually impossible to recreate New York perfectly in a video game, but Spider-Man 2 faithfully reimagines the city as best as possible. Some locations are moved, such as Little Odessa being farther north than in real life, typically found near Coney Island. So, while fairly close to New York, it is inaccurate.
Insomniac likely opted for this approach to give them more freedom with the game and reflect the comic book version of New York. But, it is not entirely clear why they moved certain neighborhoods to different locations. Regardless of the changes, Spider-Man 2's New York City feels truly alive and is one of my favorite open worlds to travel through.
For more information on Spider-Man 2, check out Best skills in Spider-Man 2 for Peter and Miles and Best gadgets in Spider-Man 2 & how to unlock them on Pro Game Guides.
Justin has been diving into fantasy worlds since he can remember. He is a certified nerd who has a deep love of reading, writing, and hiking. He has been writing since his college days, but specifically in gaming for two years. His favorite games are The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Banjo Kazooie.