Key Takeaways
- London’s rich history and cultural significance make it a popular setting for video games, from the Victorian era to the modern day.
- Games like The Order: 1886 and Watch Dogs: Legion depict London in different light, from steampunk to dystopian futuristic settings.
- The variety of video game adaptations of London, from Sherlock Holmes to Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, showcase the city’s endless charm and appeal.
Ah. London. The Big Smoke. The Great Wen. Londinium. There are just as many names for the capital of the United Kingdom as there are people. Who would have thought this Roman backwater would have endured so long- and been in so many video games?
London is a pop cultural icon, so it’s no wonder that London has been in its fair share of video games. These games range from spooky and macabre to quirky and colorful. The many faces of London Town have been captured by studios such as Maxis and Sega, but it always keeps that certain English charm. These are the best depictions of London in games.
10 The Order: 1886
London of Yesterday, Technology of Tomorrow
The London of The Order: 1886 is a dreary, mysterious London. The Order: 1886 is set in a steampunk version of London where vampires and werewolves fight against weary knights. Blimps fly in the gray sky above while monsters stalk the twisting streets below. This London may be in the realm of fantasy, but it is rooted in the very real aesthetic of Victorian London.
Particularly it seems to be inspired by the grimness of Whitechapel in the 1800s. Whitechapel’s most notorious resident, Jack the Ripper, even plays a part in the story. The Order: 1886 may be a story of monsters and men but it depicts a very real time from London’s history.
9 Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Wario takes the gold!
Okay, so Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games may not be the most typical depiction of London. It’s a sports game focused on a rivalry between a plumber and a hedgehog. What does this have to do with London? Quite a lot, as it was made to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics.
Mario, Sonic, and their friends adventure around the city as they compete in various sports. This game is a celebration of a specific time in London’s history, as well as a celebration of the spirit of competition between Nintendo and Sega. Also, you can have Waluigi menace London in synchronized swimming, that alone makes this the best version of London ever.
8 Watch Dogs: Legion
Big Brother in London Town
The London of Watch Dogs: Legion is different in style from the oppressive macabreness of Victorian London, but it isn’t different in themes. Watch Dogs: Legion tells the story of a dystopian London which has fallen under a surveillance state. The familiar streets of London Town have been warped into a neon mockery of their former selves, and it is up to players to set things right.
When London is depicted in video games it is usually as its modern self or its Victorian past. This London is new and exciting, if tragic. Watch Dogs: Legion’s version of London may be dystopian in nature, but it sure is nice to look at.
7 The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures
“Objection, my dear Watson.”
The autopsy report has just been updated: The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures has one of the prettiest portrayals of London on this side of the pond. For one thing, it has actual color, as many versions of London (especially Victorian London) focus on drab and dour color palettes. Great Ace Attorney: Adventures focuses more on blues and whites to create a brighter London.
This makes it both pleasant to look at and serves as an excellent contrast for the mysteries lurking within. The Ace Attorney series is great at making settings that resemble our own world but are just slightly askew. This London, with its quirky detectives and steampunk technology, is totally Ace Attorney- and totally fun.
6 Alice: Madness Returns
London Meets Wonderland
There’s something in the London of the Victorian Era that just inspires the mind. So many stories have been set in this period- and so many have been retold during it. Alice: Madness Returns is a retelling of Alice in Wonderland with some very different choices.
The Alice of Alice: Madness Returns is a tortured young lady searching for truth, and the London of her world is just as twisted. This London swings between fantastic and realistic, switching as Alice’s mind does. There’s even a fusion between London and Wonderland that appears at the end of the game: Londerland.
5 Grand Theft Auto: London 1969
All We Had To Do Is Follow The Damn Double-Decker, CJ
London was swinging during the Swinging Sixties; anything went, which makes it the perfect setting for the chaos of the Grand Theft Auto series. Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 is an expansion pack for 1997’s Grand Theft Auto, and players were given the chance to trade in Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City for Camden Town, Soho, and Mile End.
The gameplay was largely the same, but new weapons, new cars, and a swinging soundtrack made this expansion stand out. While it didn’t have a great reception at the time, Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (and its soundtrack) has become a cult classic in the years since.
4 Sim City 4
Now Loading: London
Okay, bringing up a SimCity version of London might be cheating. Just a little. London can be built in pretty much any version of SimCity, but SimCity 4 was the first to come with a pre-built London. Unfortunately, the London of SimCity 4 wasn’t fully finished. However, mods do exist that fill out London.
And, of course, London can be built by the players themselves. The main draw of SimCity (in any of its versions) is building and what can be built. With the power of SimCity 4 in hand, any version of London is possible. And that makes it one of the best depictions.
3 Vampyr
London Bites
London has inspired so many different video games. It’d be impossible to list them all. One of the more popular versions of London to come out in recent years is Dontnod Entertainment’s Vampyr. This London is set in the post-World War I period, where Spanish Flu stalks the crowded streets and vampires rule the night.
The oppressive nature of Vampyr’s London matches the oppressive nature of the game. The semi-open world system allows players to feel immersed in the dismal streets of London. Many artists over the ages have talked about the crime-and-sickness-infested streets of London, and Vampyr shows this in full. Hey, it’s not always fun and games in old London Town.
2 Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
It’s Always Jack the Ripper, Isn’t It?
Of all the Londons that have been seen in games, few have been as open-world designed as the London of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. Assassin’s Creed has always been known for its open-world design, but the London of the Assassins and the Templars was something special. It was fully maneuverable on both foot and carriage, with tons of things to explore while the characters traveled.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’s London was another exploration of Victorian London, and it captured the twisting and winding energy London had during the 1860s. This London is a world filled with danger, and exploring it to find that danger is part of its charm.
1 Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments
Sherlock Holmes is arguably the most famous British character to ever come out of London. If there’s a more famous resident of London than him, we can’t name them. While he’s no stranger to adaptations, Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments is by far one of the best video game adaptations of the great detective- and one of the best adaptations of London for video games.
Crimes and Punishments’ London is a place filled with mysteries. Holmes and Watson must solve the mysteries plaguing the city while interacting with the world around them. This London was the most advanced of Frogware’s cities and is a treat to explore. It’s elementary, my dear readers.
