How Insomniac Updated New York City In Spider-Man 2

Sony PlayStation Insmoniac Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has officially been released, and it is reportedly pretty good. If you’re interested in learning more, read our review.  

Spider-Man 2 uses the same open-world maps as its predecessor and Miles Morales’ quasi-sequel. That being New York City. Similar to how Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios handles its primary Kamurocho open world in the Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza) series, Insomniac opted for an iteration over reinvention approach for its New York City – with some big changes. The addition of Queens and Brooklyn to the Manhattan map, and the change from PlayStation 4 exclusively to PlayStation 5 are two of these changes. Spider-Man 1 and Miles Morales also run on PS5, though cross-platform. This is a larger, better-looking map. 

For a way to show some of these differences, I spent time taking photos of Spider-Man 2’s world and Spider-Man 2’s world from the Empire State Building. These pictures highlight key changes. The article is not too detailed to prevent spoilers but still, this should be considered a spoiler alert.

Note that in every case, the image on the left is Spider-Man 2 taken on a PlayStation 5 while the one on the right is Spider-Man 1 shot on the PlayStation 4 standard.

Lower Manhattan

Lower Manhattan is first. Most immediately – as you’ll see in all of these images – the graphical fidelity and draw distances have been significantly increased. It is most noticeable when I look at the added boats to the waters surrounding the image and One World Trade Center, the tall skyscraper in each picture. 

If you take a look to the left, you will notice that Governors Island has been added into the game. Liberty Island with its Statue of Liberty and, what is believed to be Ellis Island have been repositioned. These areas are not accessible. Brooklyn and the surrounding area have changed a little bit as well, but we will get to that in a moment.

Hell’s Kitchen

Hell’s Kitchen is visible across the Hudson River. The graphical quality is the only thing that stands out. 

Harlem

Same view from the top of Manhattan to Harlem. Let’s continue.

Brooklyn

This is where the fun begins. Brooklyn is a completely explorable location in Spider-Man 2. Personally, I find it pretty bland, but I also find most of the world of the Spider-Man games pretty bland – better seen from far above than up close and personal. Queens will be a different story, but it’s not too far off.

The first Spider-Man game featured the Chrysler Building. Spider-Man 2 doesn’t have it. When Miles Morales was released, we did a whole feature on why the building had been removed. It’s worth reading. It’s not yet back. That is disappointing. It’s one of my favourite buildings. Wish it were here. The same thing happens. 

Fisk Tower

When I explored this area, one thing that caught my eye was the fact that the building opposite what used to be the Chrysler Building has finished its construction. Fisk Construction was building it when Spider-Man 1 came out, but now the Fisk Tower is complete. Miles Morales was the first to feature this building, which I, like most others, didn’t realize until recently. This is a great opportunity for everyone to gain some knowledge. You’re welcome.

Queens

Queens, besides being the place where I live, is also one of Spider-Man 2’s coolest locations. The map has the best personality, with the exception of certain areas in Spanish Harlem. It feels like somewhere people might live – like me! It’s best to view this part of the game at street level. The game feels very different.

One thing I did notice, though, was that compared to Brooklyn in the first game, the Queens in Spider-Man 1 looked like an actual place – you just couldn’t go there. You can now. Now you can.

Also, Raft’s sign has changed.

George Washington Bridge

The George Washington Bridge is the last bridge I would like to mention. It’s fully functional in Spider-Man 1. Mile Morales then destroys the bridge. Spider-Man 2 still has it being built! Unbelievable. Mayor Adams would do better to invest in public infrastructure than flood the subways with police.

That’s it! You’ll probably find dozens of other changes in the city. Enjoy finding the changes yourself.