London is one of the most famous cities in the world with historic landmarks such as Big Ben and Tower Bridge. The well trodden streets hold so much history and the population is filled with people from all walks of life. So it’s really no wonder why it's such a popular setting for a number of games.
When it comes to games, the city can be turned into whatever the game developer wants it to be. Historical and prestige, or gloomy and crime-ridden – a videogame version of London can really have it all. Jump on the tube with us to revisit 10 of the most epic games set in London.
Ubisoft's first-person survival horror game is one of the most violent games set in the city of London, which is ironic considering it's a Wii U launch title. As players complete ZombiU levels, while hacking away at hordes of undead, they'll notice the eerily accurate representation of a post apocalyptic London.
It's possible to visit famous landmarks like Tower Bridge and Buckingham palace as you play the game, though strangely enough, Big Ben, arguably the city's most iconic landmark, is nowhere in sight. Also the city's actual inhabitants are slightly more approachable than the ones in the game.
9. Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (2011)
The mere thought of Sonic appearing in a crossover Mario game would've been totally absurd in the early 90s, yet it finally came to be with the Mario & Sonic series in 2007, and the third entry takes place in venues throughout the city of London.
The standout element in the game's third Olympic outing is definitely it's gorgeous backdrop. The UK's capital is prominently featured with a celebration of the city that Beijing and Vancouver never received in the earlier games.
Famous landmarks such as The London Eye and Big Ben offer real world iconography that perfectly blend in with the game's colorful characters. The developers' focus to elevate London ends up elevating the entire package, especially the "London Party" mode.
8. Grand Theft Auto: London (1999)
Nowadays, Grand Theft Auto games tend to be set in fictional cities like Los Santos or Liberty City. Back in the '90s however, Rockstar took a shot at re-creating London. Although the game's top down view might make it a bit difficult to make them out, all of the city's main landmarks can be located.
Taking into consideration that GTA London was released on the original PlayStation in 1999, both the accuracy and size of the game's map is quite impressive. Though due to it's extremely violent nature, this is probably the reason why this was the last GTA game set in a real-world setting.
7. Vampyr (2018)
Taking place in early 20th century London during the Spanish Flu epidemic, in Vampvr players take control of Dr. Jonathan Reid, a newly-turned vampire who finds himself at odds to save the city's flu-stricken citizens as well as feed on their blood.
Vampyr allows players to travel back in time to 1918's Whitechapel, while providing a strong and dark narrative that will please many horror fanatics. Reid must endure and take down Vampire hunters, Skals and other supernatural creatures while struggling to live with his choices and actions, which can either doom or save the city of London.
6. The Order (2015)
The Order: 1886 is set in an alternate timeline where supernatural beings threaten humanity's very existence. Beneath these frills and the historical inaccuracies which they introduce, it's still very easy to make out many of the characteristics that define the streets of London.
Upon it's release, The Order: 1886 was one of the most visually stunning games on the market and its rendition of the city played a huge role. Even with the glum ambience, the streets of London are still very much alive and the steampunk blimps that steadily float in the fog-filled sky make for some truly sensational views.
5. Assassin's Creed Syndicate (2015)
Set in 1868's Victorian London, Assassin's Creed Syndicate follows twins Evie and Jacob Freye as they are sent to London by the Brotherhood to aid Henry Green and their gang, the Rooks. One minute you're waltzing through a rundown district towards your next objective, the next you're sneaking in a broken-down building, picking off notorious thugs. This is Syndicate's playground.
At the tail-end of the Industrial Revolution, we see the themes of imperialism and labour rights including an studded cast of historic British characters from Florence Nightingale, to the infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper.
It’s not an exact replica as the map is clipped and pleated, bringing some landmarks closer together, nevertheless it still has that London feel, especially key areas such as the Palace of Westminster and Trafalgar Square. There's also a genuine thrill when scaling the hands of Big Ben's clock tower or walking along the carpeted floors of Buckingham Palace.
4. Blood and Truth (2019)
Upon learning of his dad’s abrupt death, he's given leave from the army, and is sent back to the mean streets of London where his family finds itself involved in an underground turf war with a mob of Cockney gangsters. It’s every bit as melodramatic as it sounds, and the script is amusingly self-aware from beginning to end.
3. The Getaway (2002)
The Getaway is an oldschool GTA clone which was released in 2002 and takes place on the streets of London. Not only does the game give a fairly accurate portrayal of the city, but it also features licensed vehicles including British manufactured cars like MG Rover and Jensen.
The storyline follows a similar formula to the Grand Theft Auto series, with two playable characters: Ex-con Mark Hammond and police officer Frank Carter, completing multiple missions over a span of a single day in a East London gangster-style plot.
2. The Last Stop (2021)
This story driven adventure gives players the most accurate depiction of the ordinary everyday life in London, from seeing passengers seated on the tube to walking the streets. While the game itself does deals with a supernatural theme, the setting couldn't be anymore realistic, (as long as you ignore the fictional underground stations).
Even though the tube stations have made up names, Londoners will definitely recognize the various locations as they make their way through the game. Even if there's nothing as iconic as Big Ben, the suburban streets will take you to Bermondsey and the train ride will transport you directly to the Circle and District line.
1. Watch dogs legion (2020)
Watch Dogs Legion is set in a near future, more avant-garde and cyberpunk-dystopic London, with an empowering message about unity and justice. The city's history and it's iconic landmarks are the backdrop for stark futurism, with parcel delivery drones and holographic adverts igniting it. Naturally, all of this also makes for an exciting playground for your hacking antics.
Apart from the physical aspects of London, in a game with no central protagonist, Legion does an exceptional job of recreating the diversity of the population. Players will encounter npcs from all walks of life, with a variety of different cultural backgrounds in each of the eight districts, making Britain's capital city an exciting yet realistic place to explore.
It's cool to see areas like Brixton and Camden recreated in such staggering detail, and there's something to admire in how much effort went into presenting various Londoners through a dystopian lens. Legion manages to capture the history and the cultural diversity of London, while also abutting it with the banality of a 21st century police state.
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video games