Summary
Theallure of open-world gamesoften lies in their ability to transport players to expansive, detailed environments that encourage freedom to explore and dynamic interaction with the landscape alongside the game’s central narrative. Some open-world games seek to offer a realistic take, referencing historical locations, cartographic archives, and satellite data to map real places, allowing players to explore cities they’ve never been to and travel back in time to historic iterations of famous locations.
These interactive real-world maps highlight a growing use of geographic technology like photogrammetry by game developers to craft stories that explore locations, both iconic and understated, that have a profound impact in the real world (as well as on screen). This list looks at open-world games with stunning maps recreating real world locations. Some of the maps directly recreate locations, such as London or Washington D.C., while others replicate exotic landscapes with historical twists.
WhileTrue Crime: Streets of LAis a rather dated game, it included a recreation of Los Angeles that featured major streets and landmarks, being one of the first games to mimic a real-world city in an open-world format. While the scale is not entirely accurate, fans of the game have praised its ability to accurately depict the atmosphere of Los Angeles.
Players take on the role of an LAPD detective who is recruited to a special branch to solve a case of serial bombings in Chinatown. Players can follow the main plot, orthey can solve random crimes and follow side-quests, which are aided by random events designed for emergent gameplay. What’s more, players can follow both ‘good cop’ and ‘bad cop’ pathways based on their actions.
Forza Horizon 4is a racing game with a dynamic open-world interpretation of parts of the UK, including Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands, and the Lake District. While the map is not created to scale, it uses its real world inspirations creatively, balancing a sense of authenticity and realism with fun racing gameplay.
The map in this game is not only stunning, but it also changes with time of day, weather, and the seasons, creating unique vistas that can be enjoyed inover 450 cars that can be collected, raced, and modified.
This tactical shooter offers a 1:1 replication of Washington D.C., which features all the iconic landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial and the White House, as well as capturing the surrounding neighborhoods in stunning detail. Fans of the game have praised it for accurately capturing the feel of the area and its urban design in a way that enriches the gameplay.
The Division 2tells the story of elite civilian agents fighting to save the country from lawlessness and chaos.The gameplay is varied, with a lot of dynamic interaction with the world, challenging missions, and intense combat. The later addition of Lower Manhattan in the ‘Warlords of New York’ Expansion further enhances gameplay, with a new story and unique items as well as a new map, which features highly detailed depictions of neighborhoods like Battery Park and the Financial District.
While the setting ofAssassin’s Creed SyndicateisVictorian-era London, the meticulous recreation of the city remains particularly impressive, with recognizable landmarks anchoring the world and detailed boroughs with unique architectural identities. Players have also praisedSyndicatefor the dynamic qualities of its setting, including interactive, original NPCs and the tactile quality that makes moving through the city easy.
While some have argued that the story ofSyndicateis not the most engaging or challenging when compared with otherAssassin’s Creedgames, it remains an interesting addition to the franchise. Players take on the role of twins Jacob and Evie, who are working against Templars who control London society.
Thishistorical RPGused cartographic data to recreate an extremely detailed map of 15th century Bohemia, much of which aligns with modern day geography of the Czech Republic. The map is so accurate that some players have been able to pinpoint specific map locations based on modern satellite imagery.
Kingdom Come: Deliverancefollows a blacksmith who fights against a rebellion that killed his parents. The gameplay balances puzzles,exploration, and combatwith decision-making in a dynamic open-world environment where different actions have varied consequences.
Set in a dystopian future version of London, players work within a hacker syndicate,recruiting NPCs to join their groupwhile fighting oppression in the city. Alongside the main story, there are other playable quests that further the wider narrative, many of which heavily involve travel and engagement with the game’s setting.
Watch Dogs: Legionoffers players a detailed recreation of London that features many of the central districts, including Westminster, Camden, Lambeth, Southwark, and more. With accurate landmarks and a precise urban layout, this map is particularly immersive — even if it misses a few minor details. One of the best aspects ofWatch Dogs: Legion’s map is how interactive it is; players can jump in the Thames, seize vehicles for personal use, and interact with people on the street.
Assassin’s Creed Unityhas been praised for its densely packed, ever-so-detailed map of 18th century Paris. The ‘radial scale’ system used to create this map ensured it felt realistic, with all the key landmarks in the right place, but details spread out further as players move from the center of the map. This means players can explore lots of the key districts of Paris, including Le Louvre, Le Marais, and the Latin Quarter, to name a few.
Players take on the role of Arno Dorian, an assassin looking for the truth behind the revolution, despite himself having some complicated relationships with Templar members, in thisimmersive iteration of the franchise.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024provides players with perhaps the most realistic open-world map experience of any game, featuring landscapes modeled from satellite data, machine learning, and 3D rendering to produce truly global flight opportunities.
As well as its classic flight simulation features,gameplay is enhanced with advanced mechanics and sophisticated physicsto produce the most realistic experience possible. Players have a variety of options when it comes to building an aviation career, as well as new challenges and tasks that encourage players to hone their skills.
