Being able to explore and discover cities and towns in open-world games can be rewarding. Making it to Whiterun in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is a good example, as it's the first major city and opens up with a lot of new features. While the following games have more limited worlds, they are complemented by cities that add more flavor, rather than focusing on wide-open plains.
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These cities are often characters unto themselves, with unique cultures and vibes that permeate every street and alley. While some of these fictional open-world cities may be based on real-world locations, they are distinct from video games, with a few licensed-based examples thrown in too. They will be chosen based on how fun they are to explore and how much they add to the game’s experience.
Willamette (Dead Rising)
Let’s Go Shopping
Dead Rising
- Released
- August 8, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Survival Horror
Willamette is the fictional Colorado city where most of the Dead Rising games take place. The first, including the recent remaster, will always hold a special place for fans as it gave them an entire mall, the Willamette Parkview Mall, to play around in, with ace photographer Frank West fighting for survival with a slew of off-kilter weapons.
Willamette wasn’t so much a character as the Willamette Parkview Mall was, which is a slight knock against the game. Still, no one can deny how great the town looked from above in the intro with those picture-perfect mountains in the background. Sleepy towns are the best locations for zombie games.
Pacific City (Crackdown)
It’s Orbin’ Time!
Crackdown
- Released
- February 20, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
Pacific City is the setting for the first two Crackdown games, with the first being the popular favorite of the trilogy. Players assume the role of a super soldier within The Agency, an organization that has vowed to keep the peace, however possible.
Players can explore the city, collect orbs, and then get increased strength from them to truly feel like a super-powered being. From destroying enemies with ease to leaping over tall buildings, getting around Pacific City was half the fun of Crackdown in the early days of the Xbox 360.
Gotham City (Batman: Arkham City)
The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: Arkham City
- Released
- October 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Gotham City is a place that needs no introduction for fans of Batman. It’s always been an amalgamation of major U.S. Cities, such as New York City and Chicago, but set in the DC Universe. As fantastical as it is, Gotham City does technically belong in the U.S., and no game represents it better than Batman: Arkham City.
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After Arkham inmates escape, part of the city goes on lockdown, and only Batman can bring justice to the lawless streets. Beating up criminals is always fun in the Arkham games, but there was something particularly satisfying about getting around Gotham City, from grappling hooks to gliding. The setting does lose some credit as there are no NPCs to interact with, but it's still an iconic open-world map.
Greenvale (Deadly Premonition)
Small Town Energy
Deadly Premonition
- Released
- February 23, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Greenvale is an homage to small-town life in the U.S. In Deadly Premonition, which was inspired by the quirky fictional town of Twin Peaks in David Lynch's Twin Peaks series. Francis York Morgan comes to this sleepy town to investigate a murder for the FBI, and soon finds there is something strange afoot.
Getting around Greenvale and the surrounding countryside is kind of a pain, and not at all the reason to play Deadly Premonition. The goofy townspeople inside Greenvale and the main story are what keep this game afloat.
South Park (South Park: The Stick Of Truth)
Friendly Faces Everywhere
South Park: The Stick of Truth
- Released
- March 4, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Many South Park games preceded South Park: The Stick of Truth, but this was the first one that gave players access to the entirety of Colorado’s fictional town of South Park and some of its surrounding areas. It was the ultimate fan game, featuring plenty of callbacks and inside jokes, like the return of major characters who may be a bit too spoiler-heavy to get into right now.
The South Park comedic bits were on point, but so was the turn-based gameplay. There was something there for everyone, and there will probably never be a greater representation of South Park as a series and as a town than this.
Steelport (Saints Row: The Third)
One Of America’s Oddest Cities
Saints Row: The Third
- Released
- November 6, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Steelport is a major city in the Saints Row series, with Saints Row: The Third being a particular favorite among fans. While Grand Theft Auto eventually got more serious with its sequels, Saints Row: The Third cranked the silly up tenfold.
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Players could cruise around in cars, motorbikes, or even jets. They could become a toilet through virtual reality and arm themselves with guns both realistic and... Otherwise. They could scam residents out of money with fake car injury schemes. The list goes on, and the best part is that the game can be enjoyed in co-op, which really elevates Steelport as a location with a friend in tow.
Night City (Cyberpunk 2077)
Claw Your Way To The Top
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Night City is a major character in Cyberpunk 2077, as it is teeming with life. The rich get richer and the poor are left to struggle from an honest day's work with little pay to coming up with a dangerous scheme to get themselves a few extra eddies. Players are V, who very much falls into the latter category as someone who is trying to survive.
Even though the game takes place in the far future, all of today’s problems are present, which makes Night City a video game location that is easier to believe in despite all of the future tech and hyperviolence.
Los Santos (Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas)
Welcome Home, CJ
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Released
- October 26, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
Los Santos first appeared as a major location in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as a play on major California locations like L.A. It got even bigger in Grand Theft Auto 5, but Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is still the better of the two games.
Players got to live in the 90s as a gangster trying to do right by his family. Additionally, there was an interesting territory mechanic that allowed players to take over Los Santos with their gang and then defend it from rivals. This arguably gave players a stronger connection to Los Santos, and it's one of the major reasons why it became a legendary PS2 game.
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