There are few American cities quite as iconic and instantly recognizable as San Francisco. Diverse areas, famous landmarks, and the California setting have made it not only a popular tourist destination but a popular fictional one as well. Countless movies and television shows have chosen to set their story against this backdrop, giving their stories an extra flair of excitement.

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What makes San Francisco a standout location in video games is that, unlike in movies or television, gamers can actually explore every inch of the city to their heart's content. Whether they've been there thousands of times and want to see the game's accuracy, or if they want to explore a city they've never been to, games offer a unique experience in that they let players truly travel to real-world places without having to step outside their homes.

5 Fallout 2

Before Bethesda took over the franchise, the original Fallout games were initially developed by Interplay Productions and Black Isle Studios. The most successful entry before Bethesda was Fallout 2, which saw players explore the wasteland along the western United States. As opposed to the first-person shooter style of Bethesda's Fallout games, the original Fallout games are more strategic in nature, utilizing a point-and-click movement style and turn-based combat along with its roleplaying elements.

If anyone has ever wanted to know what a post-apocalyptic San Francisco would look like, playing Fallout 2 would be their best option. The city is now primarily home to the Shi, descendants of members of a crashed Chinese submarine, and the Hubologists, a mysterious religious cult. Since this is an apocalypse, the San Francisco found in Fallout is in shambles, with many of the iconic parts of the city destroyed or repurposed. The Golden Gate Bridge, for example, appears to be made into a makeshift runway for a space shuttle by the Hubologists. Fallout 2's San Francisco is still San Francisco, but it's a bleak and strange rendition that will hopefully never become reality.

4 Driver: San Francisco

No discussion about real cities in video games would be complete without at least one mention of a driving game. One such title that greatly depicts San Francisco is the aptly-named Driver: San Francisco, in which players explore the titular city while playing an FBI agent hunting down an escaped convict. Unlike the previous entries in the series, Driver: San Francisco removes the ability to exit cars, instead opting to allow players to automatically teleport from one car to another.

While other games might offer more in terms of content, anyone who simply wants to race around and enjoy the sights of San Francisco will likely enjoy Driver: San Francisco and its re-creation of the famous city. Even though it was generally well-received, Ubisoft delisted the game from online stores, making it impossible to purchase. A petition with over 40,000 signatures has been in place on Change.org for Ubisoft to reverse this decision, but Ubisoft hasn't budged.

3 Horizon: Forbidden West

For a different type of post-apocalyptic San Francisco, look towards the newly-released Horizon Forbidden West. As the much-anticipated sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, Forbidden West picks up not long after the events of the first game. In the game, Aloy travels to the "Forbidden West", which in fact are the states of California, Nevada, and Utah. Like the first game, the world of Horizon Forbidden West is overgrown with lush vegetation and overrun with monstrous-looking machines.

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While several real-life locations appear in Horizon Forbidden West, including Las Vegas and Yosemite, San Francisco was one of the earliest revealed to fans, even appearing on the game's cover art. San Francisco is no longer known by its real name in this post-apocalyptic world, but rather called "Isle of Spires" or the "Sunken City", with rising sea levels giving it its nickname. The attention to detail in the game's environment from developers Guerilla Games is a sight to behold, giving San Francisco a unique other-worldly beauty as opposed to the bleakness in Fallout 2.

2 Watch Dogs 2

For anyone who has ever wanted to explore a virtual San Francisco, it's hard to beat Watch Dogs 2. The sequel to 2014's Watch Dogs, Ubisoft took it upon themselves to address many of the criticisms that plagued the first game. The result is a title that has smoother controls along with fun and addictive gameplay, making it a laid-back blast to play.

As opposed to the dreary Chicago featured in Watch Dogs, Watch Dogs 2 is set in the bright and sunny San Francisco, and in an extensive Grand Theft Auto-inspired open world, lets the player fully explore the famous city and the surrounding area. Players can traverse the busy downtown area, various neighborhoods, and even take a boat out to explore inside the infamous Alcatraz. Populated with relatively realistic and interactive NPCs, the San Francisco of Watch Dogs 2 is a living playground for players to mess around in.

1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

While it may not be referred to as "San Francisco" within the game, the fictional city of San Fierro stands as a very loose stand-in for the titular California city. GTA: San Andreas comes from Rockstar and has players traversing several fictional recreations of iconic American cities, from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Players begin in the LA-inspired Los Santos, though unlock San Fierro, as well as the surrounding countryside, a little way into the playthrough of the main storyline.

As with most Rockstar games, the city of San Fierro is immersive and detailed, especially for its time. Many landmarks from the real San Francisco make it into Rockstar's version of the city, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, Lombard Street, and many, many others. Also included are San Francisco's iconic cable cars and more than a dozen side activities and missions to keep the player occupied while visiting the city. Players can also purchase a safe house in the area, allowing them to peruse the streets of San Fierro with further ease.

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