10 U.S. Places That Inspired Video Games
Not all video games take place in far off lands, strange and exotic. Some take place right here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. For your reading enjoyment we’ve gathered up some of the most iconic games that were inspired by the most iconic of places.
1. Los Angeles, CA
You know it, you love it. It’s the sprawl that has it all, and it’s the muse for Grand Theft Auto 5. Developed by Rockstar Games and originally released in 2013, this game has sold over 52 million copies (13 for every resident of Los Angeles). While the fictional city of Los Santos doesn’t match the City of Angels 1:1, it does include all the fun parts. Santa Monica pier (called Del Perro), Whiskey A-Go-Go (Tequi-la-la), & the Griffith Observatory (Galileo Observatory) are but a few that make an appearance. Oh, and truly a marvel of imagination, you can do the impossible: drive from LAX to the Hollywood in under 3 minutes.
2. The Olympic Peninsula, WA
Cold, wet, and green. No, it’s not your kale smoothie—it’s the place of inspiration for Deadly Premonition. In a game that places story over graphics, it’s basically some strange sort of cross between Twin Peaks and a Monster-Of-The-Week X-Files episode. The trees may be pixely, and the community members a little robotic, but the fictional town of Greenvale is about as Northwest-y as it gets.
3. Wyoming
In the upcoming indie game Firewatch, you play a lone fire lookout in the Wyoming wild. And being alone and isolated has never looked so good thanks to the team at Campo Santo and designer Olly Moss. Although details are still few and far between, rumor has it that Firewatch will be based around exploration and ambiance. Since this game is making the environment one of the most compelling parts of the narrative, it’s great to see that they picked somewhere so damn good looking.
4. Boston, MA
It isn’t modern Boston that’s featured in Fallout 4. It isn’t even colonial Boston. It’s alternate history, post-apocalyptic Boston. But it’s Boston nonetheless! It has all the necessities: Scollay Square, the Massachusetts State House. Heck, it even has Fenway Park turned into some sort of Bartertown-type place. It’s all the best parts of Boston, made Mad Max-y!
5. Seattle, WA
While the designers may have played fast and loose with the exactly layout, Infamous: Second Son definitely takes place there. Space Needle, Pink Elephant Car Wash, and the Pacific Science Center all make an appearance. They’ve even included the amazing rain. Unfortunately there aren’t enough craft breweries and coffee joints around to really hit all the Seattle stereotypes, but you get the picture. Fortunately, you’ll be viewing the city through the lense of a superhuman fighting an evil government, so it’s got that going for it.
6. Detroit, MI
No that’s not a typo, and yes, Deus Ex: Human Revolution does in fact take place in Detroit, just not a present day Detroit. Instead, it’s the year 2027, and people are upgrading themselves with robotic attachments! But this creates conflict and blah blah plot lines and such, so you play as an augmented detective who gets to stroll around this black and gold dystopia. This portrayal of Detroit’s future is one of hope: a dirty, criminal, pseudo-Blade Runner kind of hope.
7. Kentucky
As the name suggests, Kentucky Route Zero does take place in Kentucky, but it takes you on the backroads. In this point and click adventure, you’re on your own to figure out the mystery and eeriness of the abandoned truck stops and shrouded figures. It’s a minimalist take on Kentucky that relies on the rural areas and the space between stops on a roadmap. If Kentucky IS in fact this strange, then we’re all long overdue for a roadtrip.
8. The Southern United States
This one is kind of vague, but that’s because Left 4 Dead 2 does a roadtrip across it! Sure, it’s not a roadtrip most folks would want to be on, but there you have it. Starting in an alternate version of Savannah, GA, the “Green Flu” has broken out and it’s up to four survivors to band together and kill their way out of the city. Or small town. Or carnival. Or plantation. Or jazz club. The common theme is “shoot your way to safety”, and that’s about it. Oh, and zombies. Because that’s who you’re shooting. Lots and lots of zombies. So if you enjoy muggy climates and eviscerating the undead, definitely check out Left 4 Dead 2’s version of Georgia and Louisiana (and assumably Alabama, Mississippi, and maybe Florida).
9. The Suburbs Near You
That’s right! This video game may have been inspired by the suburbs YOU live in (or near, or know of)! In Octodad: Dadliest Catch you play a loving father and husband who just happens to be an octopus that wears a suit. One of the great parts of this game is the…unique means of controlling your character, which makes even the most seemingly simple task immensely difficult. If you’re looking for a new way to view your sleepy suburban life, you can try out this game to see the world through the eyes of a dapper cephalopod that walks like a drunkard.
10. Centralia, PA
This is one of the few places on this list that might be just as creepy as it’s video game counterpart, the town of Silent Hill. The real-life town has had a coal fire burning beneath it for over 50 years, leading to a total evacuation of all the residents. Just like the fictional town of Silent Hill, it’s constantly engulfed in a thick smoke, giving it that perfect “we shouldn’t be here” atmosphere.
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