Video game developers set their films in major American cities far too often. As a result, most gamers find it refreshing when a popular game explores a foreign city—say London. Fortunately, these video games got everything right with their representation of the UK capital. Which one have you played?
Grand Theft Auto: London
GTA is one of the most famous video games of all time. So, when developer Rockstar dedicated an entire edition to London City, every gamer in the UK wanted to play it. And why not? Set in 1969, GTA: London gives you thirty cars to ride throughout the capital as you complete up to thirty missions.
In the spirit of GTA, committing crimes is the name of the game. Again, cars get totalled fast, so figure test out the thirty cars to discover which one can take the most hits without getting much damage.
Unfortunately, GTA: London is a pretty old game. Released in 1998, its graphics are too pixelated some people might not want to touch it. But if you can look past its flawed visuals, you’ll have a delightful time touring London.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
The Call of Duty franchise has a history of changing its settings faster than it releases new sequels. With Modern Warfare Three, it was time to give London City the credit it deserves. So, what parts of the city can you view from the game?
The Canary Wharf skyline is the most dominant location in the game. Perhaps that’s because soldiers battle primarily in the London docklands, which are located nearby. That said, you also get views of the House of Parliament and Big Ben.
But perhaps the most exciting experience of Modern Warfare in London is fighting inside tube trains. You can play the game alone or play it online in a multiplayer setting. Either way, you can expect formidable challenges every time you get into a mission. Due to the challenge brought by the game, it is also inevitable that some hardcore and competitive players would rely on safe cheats just like the products from Battlelog.co. Everyone just wants to be ahead of their game yet rule out the chances of getting banned.
What’s more, Modern Warfare Three isn’t just about pointless shooting. It’s also about capturing flags, accruing points and helping your team dodge enemy fire. Again, it’s not entirely set in London, meaning you’ll get to travel across multiple cities in Europe and the US.
Sherlock of London
Ever since the TV series Sherlock Holmes became an international hit, online game developers have been fighting to acquire its licensing rights. At least once software provider owns the rights, Rabcat, and last year created one of the most popular video slots.
The game is beautiful by design and has a level of attention to detail some of the best slots online can only admire. Yet it also lets you spin its five reels free of charge. Of course, you must use money to bet if you want to win actual cash.
But no one would blame you if you remained glued to your computer to play the slot for free hours on end. It’s a profoundly gripping game and not just because it features Big Ben and Baker Street in the background.
It follows the narrative of Sherlock Holmes and two detectives out to solve some of the city’s most heinous crimes. Mr Holmes is the game’s wild image, and when he appears on three reels, he converts all other symbols into winning icons. The detectives, in contrast, help you win free games—usually thee to fifty free spins.
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Designed exclusively for PS3, Uncharted three is one of the main reasons people chose PS3 over Xbox or Wii a decade ago. It was visually impeccable, well-paced and got a lot of things right. First off, Nathan Drake isn’t one a trick pony.
He can climb buildings, solve puzzles, shoot with pristine accuracy and be fun to hang around with. That said, the game commences at a London club. You only need to listen to the cockney accents around to guess the location right.
A fight begins soon after, and Drake doesn’t stay in London much longer. Despite that, this is a game lots of people approve of. The level of details in fights is magnificent, and its challenges will keep you hooked the game longer than you might have anticipated.
ZombiU
Designed exclusively for WiiU, ZombieU is one of the best 18-rated video games created for the Nintendo Console. It looks compellingly scary. It’s full of zombies and gives you just a pistol and a cricket bat to get started.
With that in mind, you can use your gamepad to scan buildings for special weapons. Killing zombies also scores you better weapons. But beware you’ll die frequently. The zombies in the London-set video game are rough and aggressive.
That means you must also be proactive and ready to discharge any weapons you have in your arsenal. Use your bat to take down one or two zombies. But light up your Molotov cocktails immediately they gang up against you.
You’ll discover more weapons with progress, at which point you’ll get guns you can use to fight off the zombies gung ho. Still, you might want to limit your use of ammo. They are precious gifts in the game. And how you maximize their power goes along in determining how many zombies you annihilate.
Watch Dogs: Legion (2020)
Watch Dogs isn’t out yet. But since its announcement last year, it’s all GTA-style video game fans have been talking about. Here’s why. Unlike all other Watch Dogs, this game lets you choose one of several leads to be your protagonist.
Each of them has unique traits and skills. However, they all have their bases in a futuristic London. There will be flying cops, drones left, right and centre and superb graphics representing the city’s most iconic places.
Crucially, you’ll want to make decisions judiciously. Everything you do will be added to your stat sheet, whether that’s your past injuries or forgeries you’ve made. Of course, most details about the game are based on what Ubisoft says it will be like. Regarding how thrilling it will become, we’ll have to wait and see.
The Getaway
Released back in 2001, there’s a chance you might not appreciate the dated graphics in this game. But if you’re after a game that represents London precisely, this is the one. At one scene it takes you to Hyde Park and the Tower Bridge. At another, you’ll tour the West End and the London Bridge.
Although the tours around London feels incredible, there’s a lot of hate or like about this game. One the one hand, it’s jam-packed with action. From the time you start to the end, it’s all about killing people.
The only time you’re not fighting is when you are confronting your team members or swearing at your rivals. The presence of bugs and graphical issues might all be frustrating to many people. But if you’re out of options for a GTA-style game, it’s worth a shot.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
For a long time, the Assassin’s Creed franchise seemed to be teetering away from originality. Each sequel felt like an imitation of its prequel, albeit with a few changes. You had to complete near-similar missions and deal with the same locations.
Syndicate came to correct that stereotype. Set in Victorian-era London, you lead an army of men and women hell-bent of saving the city from tyrannies. It replaces supercars with horses and walking on rooftops with swinging through ziplines.
In many ways, the game feels fresh and authentic—the kind of change you’d have asked for if the Assassins franchise was becoming weary for you. You’ll have to play the famous twins Jacob and Evie Frye. Again, it wouldn’t be Victorian London without some notable faces like Charles Darwin, Charles Dicken and even Alexander Bell.
Game-wise, you have to combine your wit with fighting skills. It doesn’t care how you complete missions, though, which is what makes it more exciting than most other Assassins Creed games.
