Video games are works of fiction, giving their creators the complete freedom to set their interactive stories anywhere and at any time, real, adaptation, or fiction. As a result, we’ve seen titles set in many weird and wacky places, such as the peculiar alien planet of the Oddworld series and the psychedelic Rainbow Road of Nintendo’s popular Mario Kart franchise.
However, not all developers turn to mythical realms as locations for their games. Instead, many look to the fascinating towns, cities, and villages found in every far-flung corner of our planet as the setting for their games.
When executed well, these digital worlds can make you feel like you’re really there. Sadly, though, some of the most realistic and immersive of these settings are in the past, making it impossible to visit and see just how hard the developers worked to nail the historic accuracy.
One of the best examples of this is Red Dead Redemption 2. The Rockstar Games team has crafted an open-world masterpiece with this title, offering stunning visuals that show you what living in parts of the United States was like in the late 19th century. The company also did a fantastic job with L.A. Noire, a game set in the late 1940s that accurately portrays life in Los Angeles as the “American Century” is just beginning.
While we may not have a time machine, we do have the ability to fly, sail, and drive around the world, allowing us to visit the real-life locations that inspired video game developers to create some of the most momentous titles ever created by the industry.
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Los Angeles
While you may not be able to go back to the time of L.A. Noire, Los Angeles is a city that has you will immediately recognise, even if you’ve never been there before. That’s because, even if you’ve never stepped foot in California or even on the North American continent, you have likely walked the streets of the City of Angels many times in video games.
There have been games set in the city on almost every generation of consoles, right up to modern creations like Grand Theft Auto V. Other popular games that have been set in the city include True Crime: Streets of LA, Midnight Club, and several Call of Duty releases. Although the level of detail varies, they are all unmistakenly in California’s popular coastal city, featuring landmarks like Santa Monica Pier, the Hollywood sign, and the Walk of Fame.
Egypt
Despite being originally invented in Los Angeles, video slots rarely feature their home city. Instead, a country thousands of miles away has become a must-visit location for the developers of these hit casino games.
Slot games have exploded in popularity in the last couple of decades, thanks in part to improved access via the internet and the fact that developers have created much more immersive versions of their games with improved graphics, immersive stories, and engaging bonus features.
One of the most popular places for these immersive stories to be set is Ancient Egypt. Leading casinos like PokerStars Casino offer dozens of online slots that feature famous landmarks like the Pyramids and the Sphynx, including hits like Book of Dead, Eye of Horus, and Ramesses Gold. Each one transports you to the time of the Pharaohs so you can experience the power they had at the time.
Of course, you can’t go back to live as an ancient ruler, but you can still see the monuments they left behind in Egypt, particularly in the country’s capital, Cairo.
New York
New York is another legendary city that’s known all around the world. It’s one of the biggest economic and cultural hubs on the planet and was once the United States’ movie capital before that moniker was taken by LA.
Ever since the birth of cinema, creative folks have been telling stories set in the city, and today, it is no different. Many of these come in the form of video games, including many famous titles like the Driver series, Duke Nukem, Godzilla, Gran Turismo, Max Payne, True Crime: New York City, Mafia, and several titles from the Grand Theft Auto series.
New York’s urban jungle is the perfect playground for video games because it’s capable of hiding so many adventures and offers a diverse mix of landscapes, from vast open spaces to towering skyscrapers, wide roads, and open waters.
It’s possible, with knowledge only from games like Grand Theft Auto, to roughly navigate your way around New York today and recognise sites like Madison Square Garden due to the accuracy of some of these titles. And if you’ve only been there virtually, it’s one you should definitely visit.