Washington may well be the capital city and Los Angeles is certainly the home to Hollywood but in terms of global appeal and fame, there really is no city like New York. Its iconic skyline, bustling streets and vibrant culture ensure that New York is always the center stage for everything, including betting and video games.
In this article we pay homage to the video games that have chosen New York as the perfect backdrop to their stories. Read on as we embark on a nostalgic trip through some of the greatest games ever made.
Assassin’s Creed III
If you have ever played a game in the Assassin’s Creed series you’ll know that one of the main draws of the game is exploring the virtual world around your character. Thanks to Assassin’s Creed, an entire generation of video game fans could make their way around Rome without once having to look at a map.
Assassin’s Creed III was the first game in the series to be set in North America and it allows players to explore New York at the start of the American Revolution. Whilst there are no skyscrapers to be scaled, it’s still fascinating to explore historic New York City as you clamber over buildings and take out British redcoats.
Max Payne
Released in 2001, the first game in the Max Payne series is still an absolute classic. In the game you play as Max Payne, a former NYPD officer and DEA agent who brutally and relentlessly hunts down those responsible for murdering his wife and child.
The game is iconic not just for its engaging storyline and neo-noir style, but for the incorporation of New York as its setting. In the middle of last year Remedy, along with Rockstar announced plans to produce a remake of Max Payne and Max Payne 2 for PC and the new generation of consoles.
Unfortunately at the time of writing, there is no concrete date set for the release of these remakes.
Tom Clancy’s The Division
The post-apocalyptic survival genre is always a popular one as the success of HBO’s dramatic portrayal of The Last of Us has shown. Whilst Joel and Ellie hold a special place in our hearts, they aren’t the survivalist characters we love.
In Tom Clancy’s The Division we play as an agent from the Strategic Homeland Division looking to survive in a post-apocalyptic New York City. As well as featuring an engaging and exciting storyline, players can also spend hours exploring the intricate details of the visually stunning New York setting.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
When it comes to detail there is no game on the market that depicts New York as stunningly accurately as this game. Gameplay and storyline-wise we must admit that we’re not overawed by this game but that doesn’t mean we haven’t spent hours and hours playing it.
We have spent hours furiously button bashing our way across the city, hanging from skyscrapers, flipping our way through Central Park and somersaulting off the side of the Empire State Building.
Grand Theft Auto 4
We’ve saved the best to last with this 2008 blockbuster. Liberty City, the fictional setting for this game is based on the Big Apple and features a stunning level of detail, with Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Manhattan and New Jersey all portrayed.
The story follows Niko Bellic, an eastern European immigrant arriving in Liberty City looking to embark on the American Dream. In true GTA fashion, Niko’s vision of the American Dream involves a lot of illegal activities.
With the release date of GTA 6 still unknown, fans of the series can satiate their need for the GTA universe by replaying this classic.