#GamingBytes: 5 changes Spider-Man makes to New York City
Spider-Man PS4 has undeniably left its indelible mark on gaming. One of the biggest in-game attractions was New York City which allowed gamers to sling across the Big Apple as Spider-Man. However, as someone with a particular affinity to the city, and having spent some time there, a few noticeable changes jump out. Here are five changes the game made to New York.
Who is the real kingpin here?
Spider-Man's known villain Wilson Fisk has a huge tower, a monument with Fisk written in gold. The tower is located at Columbus Circle, which is close to Central Park. In real life, the Fisk Tower closely resembles Trump International Hotel. However, the Fisk tower is technically located at the place of Time Warner building. Nonetheless, the game's reference is not lost on gamers.
The bull and the bulldog
One of the most famous landmarks in New York is the charging bull on Wall Street. However, the game replaces it with Lockjaw, the massive teleporting bulldog from its own series. Reportedly, the bull might have been excluded due to the cost of licensing it in the game. We cannot complain. Lockjaw is an adorable character and it was fun clicking a picture in-game.
The day New York City stood still
The 9/11 attack on Twin Towers will, forever, be etched into every New Yorker's memory. However, due to America's resilience, the Freedom Tower was built. In-game, it has an unnamed location and does not exactly resemble Freedom Tower. The 9/11 memorial is also missing, probably due to its sensitive nature. A tour guide talking about 9/11 is Insomniac's way of acknowledging the tragedy.
The boats they keep on sailing
One of the most iconic things in the Spider-Man is the Manhattan ferry. Both the game and films have popularized the water transport that carries New Yorkers to Staten Island. In the game too, going towards the Hudson River will show ferries. However, they sail in the wrong direction. Instead of going toward Staten Island, they appear to be going up the East River.
Living life on the high line
On the west side of Manhattan, there are old elevated railroad tracks, that have now been gentrified and turned into a park called the High Line Park. However, in the game when you swing by, the park is still under construction. If you are in Manhattan though, do visit the park. It offers a good view and has some decent pizza and gelato outlets.
