10 Games That Transform Real World Locations

admin February 16, 2025 0

Sometimes we’re so enamored by the spectacular views of the video game world that we often take our own for granted.

But the cityscapes of the real world can be just as captivating as the neon-drenched streets of Night City or the blood-stained alleyways of Gotham City.

Of course, the current generation of video games can’t always generate every inch of a dense city, so developers have to take some liberties in building them with painstaking detail.

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If it weren’t for the geopolitical, intergalactic, and civil conflicts in these locations, I would surely move.

Here are some games that transport and transform real-world locations into explorable, digital versions. Sometimes looking at your own neighborhood in Google Maps just isn’t enough, and you have to walk through it in a video game world.

10

United States Of America (Death Stranding)

Reconnecting A Fragmented Country

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The desolate, moss-covered landscape that Sam Porter Bridges hauls packages in Death Stranding is only called “America” by name, as there are practically no recognizable landmarks that indicate we’re in any of the states the game supposedly takes place in.

But there’s a good reason behind this: the titular Death Stranding event caused many void-outs, nuclear-like explosions that shook the world. This is also exacerbated by Timefall, a strange, deadly rain that accelerates the time of everything it touches, causing the grass to grow and die within seconds. The America in Death Stranding is practically a completely different world.

While Death Stranding takes place in America, its visual inspiration mostly comes from Iceland’s rocky cliffs and mossy mountains.

If you look at the map of the game, you might notice that many of the Knot Cities are based on real-world cities; Capital Knot City is most likely Washington D.C. while Edge Knot draws inspiration from Los Angeles.

9

Washington DC (The Division 2)

Explore The Capitol

The Division 2

In the world of Tom Clancy’s The Division and its sequel The Division 2, the Dollar Flu pandemic had spread throughout the United States, killing thousands of people and forcing the country into lockdown.

The Division 2 primarily takes place in Washington D.C. and replicates many of the historical and government landmarks that you might see today, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

As you walk through the city in-game, you’ll see the remnants of a chaotic outbreak, with defaced landmarks and demolished buildings. Don’t worry though, walking into a supposed Dark Zone won’t get you killed like in the game.

8

San Francisco (Watch Dogs 2)

Featuring The Bushman

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Watch Dogs 2 transforms California’s San Francisco into an urban playground where the player can explore and hack away to their heart’s content.

While it doesn’t strive to replicate every single street or pedestrian, Ubisoft has done its due diligence in recreating as many crucial details of San Francisco’s cultural relics, including the tourist attractions and even the Bush Man, a panhandler who hides behind leaves and scares passersby near Fisherman’s Wharf.

Like most games that portray real-world locations, Watch Dogs 2 cares about portraying its location in a way that shows outsiders what San Francisco is like while giving SF locals some Easter Eggs for them to recognize on their adventures through the city.

7

Tsushima Island (Ghost of Tsushima)

Officially Recognized By The City

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You know a game has done a location justice when its tourist association has partnered with the game to promote tourism.

Ghost of Tsushima takes place on the titular Japanese island of Tsushima, in the Nagasaki prefecture, and dramatizes a fictionalized version of the historical Mongol invasion in the late 13th century.

With jaw-droppingly beautiful vistas and a beautifully crafted ambiance, Ghost of Tsushima doesn’t try to replicate the real island nor strives for perfect historical accuracy, but takes inspiration from the island’s geography along with some creative liberties.

One of the most historically important spots you can visit in Ghost of Tsushima is Komoda Beach, where the game’s prologue takes place and when the Mongols first invaded Tsushima.

6

Paris (Assassin’s Creed Unity)

Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité

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Assassin’s Creed has always been known for taking inspiration from real-world historical events and implementing the game’s lore to fit into those cultural touchstones.

Assassin’s Creed Unity is no exception, as it takes place in Paris during the French Revolution in the late 1700s as the rebels fight to overthrow the corrupt aristocracy. You even get to experience the Siege of Bastille, one of the most significant events during the Revolution.

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Playing Assassin’s Creed Unity is like taking a tour through Paris’s history, as you can visit many historical relics like the Palace of Versailles, the Notre Dame Cathedral, or even the Catacombs.

5

Seattle (The Last Of Us 2)

Overgrown But Not Forgotten

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Thanks to the linear storytelling of The Last of Us 2, developer Naughty Dog was able to perfectly capture the city of Seattle and transform it into the ruined city that we see in the majority of the game.

As you wander through the abandoned and overgrown streets, you’ll notice that many of the buildings and structures are picture-perfect reflections of their real-world counterparts, most notably the Space Needle and the Seattle Central Library.

Most of the Seattle locales that you can slowly explore can be found during Day 1, where Ellie and Dina arrive at the city to search for leads in their hunt for Abby.

4

Kingdom of Bohemia (Czech Republic)

Going Medieval

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Most medieval games you’ve seen typically take place in England or France, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance and its sequel take place in the Kingdom of Bohemia, in what is now the Czech Republic.

In an attempt to be as historically accurate as possible to the real world in 1403, Warhorse Studios took extra measures to portray the many historical buildings like the Sazava Monastery.

Many areas between Sazava and Rattay are used as templates for the world in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. You can even explore every nook and cranny of the monastery, and find that the annoying weeding quest was all for nothing, as the same location in real life is completely overgrown.

3

Kabukicho (Yakuza 0)

Don, Don, Don, Donki, Don Quijote

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While I could easily include the entire country of Japan, especially the fact that most of Like A Dragon and its successors take place in Yokohama, I have to focus on Kamurocho as it is perhaps the most iconic location in the entire Yakuza franchise.

Inspired by the real-life Kabukicho in Tokyo, Kamurocho is the main setting for most of the mainline Yakuza games. This district is best known for its almost one-to-one portrayal of the Shinjuku ward’s Kabukicho district.

Complete with the SEGA arcade game centers, Don Quijote discount store, and many other restaurant corners, Kamurocho is the perfect place for would-be tourists to get a taste of Tokyo.

2

New York (Marvel’s Spider-Man 2)

Empire State Of Mind

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What’s more iconic than the concrete jungle that dreams are made of combined with the most recognizable superhero ever in human history?

Marvel’s Spider-Man and its sequel transport the dense cityscapes of New York into your PlayStation with an almost 1:1 scale.

Not only that, the game recreates several landmarks that the Web-Slinger can wall-climb and take selfies on.

As you’re thwipping and swinging through the streets of Manhattan, you’ll notice the ever-classic Empire State Building and the iconic High Line where New Yorkers and tourists alike walk above the bustling traffic.

Insomniac Games (understandably) replaced some with Marvel originals due to licensing issues, like a bronze statue of Marvel’s teleporting bulldog Lockjaw instead of the Charging Bull statue in Bowling Green, or Fisk Tower is curiously and coincidentally near where Trump Tower should be.

1

Hong Kong (Sleeping Dogs)

The Fragrant Harbor

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As someone who was born and raised in Hong Kong, I have nothing but praise and love for Sleeping Dogs (or maybe that’s the homesickness talking). It’s a highly underrated game that portrays my beloved hometown with so much creative liberty while maintaining its culture and identity.

From bustling traffic of taxis and buses to the thousands of hanging neon lights, Hong Kong is a city that everybody should visit at least once in their lifetime. Even if you can’t afford a plane ticket to Hong Kong, playing Sleeping Dogs is more than enough to capture the experience of being in the city.

It’s not just the scenery or the set pieces that make Hong Kong come alive in Sleeping Dogs, but also the cultural relics both old and modern, and the distinct Cantonese phrases and accents that you know United Front Games put a lot of effort into an accurate portrayal.

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