RPGs used to have amazing cities back when everything was more connected via world maps. The NES and SNES RPGs were simpler, but in the PS1 and PS2 era, there were some truly outstanding examples in big franchises like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and so on.
The 10 Most Iconic Video Game Cities
These video game cities transport players to another world with their fantastic visuals and clever designs.
In the HD era, there were fewer cities created as the push was to instead create expansive open-world experiences and get rid of the world map. That said, throughout the years, there have been some RPGs with either one big city that is incredible, or multiple smaller towns and cities that are packed with detail. For RPG fans who miss the golden days of exploring towns and cities, perhaps these examples will suffice.
Find all 10 pairs
Find all 10 pairs
Cyberpunk 2077
Make Your Move In Night City
Cyberpunk 2077 takes place in one city, Night City, although players can also venture outside into the desert wasteland and come across small encampments. The city is easily the size of something akin to Grand Theft Auto 5, but perhaps even bigger and more towering.
There are more locations to visit inside, and the NPCs and traffic help make the city feel alive and clustered with everyone trying to make a buck. Since this is a cybernetic future, the team at CD Projekt Red was able to get more creative with building and character designs, adding more flavor to the mix.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A
What If The City Was A Gym?
Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes place entirely in Lumiose City, but players can still catch Pokemon. Some will wander around the city rooftops while others stick to predetermined zones, and wherever Pokemon hang out makes sense in context.
At night, the city becomes a Gym of sorts, with Pokemon Trainers all battling to become the best in the city. Game Freak was able to get a lot out of just one location, and it’s quite the expansive world, even if it doesn’t immediately look as open as past Pokemon entries.
Tom Clancy’s The Division
The Cold Streets Of NYC
Tom Clancy’s The Division is another game that takes place in one city, specifically a well-known one: New York City. During a pandemic event, most of the city was evacuated into sheltered quarantine zones, leaving behind disheveled homes, littering the streets with debris, which all allowed lawlessness to take over via various factions.
Players are then sent in to take back the city as the tactical force known as The Division. While players can only walk around in the city, the locations are nicely varied, and it does give off the aura of a cold NYC winter.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
A Paradise On Every Level
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the first Yakuza game that takes place within a U.S. city, Honolulu. The streets are jacked with colorful NPCs and shops, some that players can just walk right into without load times.
Best Open-World Games For Urban Exploration
Open-world games are getting bigger and more ambitious but some of the best focus on simple urban exploration.
There are also sections where players can explore a bit of the older districts in Japan from the series, but Honolulu is the main attraction. Whether it’s on foot or on a scooter, players can expect to take in a lot of sights and mini-games in between the turn-based combat.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Getting Past Midgar
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth recreates and expands the towns and cities that were in the middle half of the original version of Final Fantasy 7. The first town players came across after leaving Midgar in the PS1 version was Kalm, and it was just one square with connected shops to go into. Kalm in the remake is absolutely huge by comparison and wonderfully detailed to look like a quaint little German village.
There’s also Junon, Costa del Sol, Cosmo Canyon, and other big and small establishments to explore. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth truly feels like a game where Square Enix pulled out all the stops, from the town and world designs to the mini-games to the action-based combat.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Fantasy Done Right
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was a finale to the original trilogy, whose sequels kept getting better and better. CD Projekt Red definitely ended on a high note thanks to the expansive world it presented for players to explore. Novigrad, White Orchard, and Kaer Trolde are just some of the areas players can explore, each with its own set of NPCs and quests attached that could take players hours to get through.
Kaer Trolde is one of the coolest, as it is just a citadel, technically, but also a great living space for people nestled in the mountains. The design of every tiny camp and city is influenced by European folklore, which makes every location seem authentic to history, even though this is a world littered with monsters.
Dead Island 2
The Rough Streets Of L.A.
Dead Island 2 doesn’t take place on an island anymore, but the area is still bright and sunny. Players will start in the Hollywood Hills and then make their way toward the Venice Beach area, and these are just two iconic L.A. areas worth mentioning. The fun thing about this recreated city is that all the zombies fit the rich motif of the area.
Players will fight a lot of blinged-out millionaires, bikini-clad babes, tennis players, weight-lifting hunks, and more. The pomp and circumstance of L.A. is well-captured, even if it is exaggerated a bit in this first-person zombie brawler.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Medieval History
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is based on Medieval history in the Czech Republic, putting players in the role of a lowly member of society trying to work their way up. There’s nothing fanciful about the towns and odd cottages strewn throughout the world, but the historical value is unmatched, akin to an Assassin’s Creed game.
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It goes beyond Renaissance Fair attire, as the mannerisms of everyone are on point in these towns, too. Players will practically be able to smell the muck in the commoner districts and the wafting aroma of roasting chickens and stale beer in gathering hubs. It looks true to life.
Hogwarts Legacy
Welcome To Hogsmeade
Hogwarts Legacy doesn’t have a lot of cities to speak of, but that’s all fine with fans anyway, who just want to explore the world of Harry Potter with their own eyes. For those unaware, Hogwarts is a magical academy whose massive campus is city-like in design, filled with references to the books and movies from famous characters to iconic portraits.
Besides the surrounding grounds, players can also explore a legit village from within the lore: Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade is smaller in scale than Hogwarts, but authentic and full of Easter Eggs regardless.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Prague In The Future
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is the sequel to Deus Ex: Human Revolution, taking place in a futuristic version of Prague in the year 2029. Even in 2016, when this game was made, it seemed far-fetched to have the technology Prague does in 2029, but time makes fools of us all, as the saying goes.
Future or not, there’s still a quaint and homely charm to Prague as the houses look hundreds of years old. There are now flying cars and floating TVs to accompany the old world architecture. This juxtaposition between the old and new is why Prague is so interesting to explore, from the streets to the myriad of apartments.
Upcoming Games That Take Place In Sprawling Cities
If you’re starved for games with a detailed urban setting, these upcoming games are set in massive cites that are ripe for exploration.
