The Golden State of California is one of the largest in America and is home to some of the nation's most iconic cities. From the scenic views of San Francisco to the bright lights of LA, it's a state that's rich in both history and culture. While it may traditionally be considered to be the home of cinema though, as of late, it's also played host to plenty of fantastic video games.
The draw of Hollywood and downtown LA is obvious. The city's sprawling streets make for a poignant playground whilst its iconic landmarks provide the perfect set dressings. Although some of the state's other big cities might not be quite as exotic, they too have plenty to offer when it comes to open world settings.
10 Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077's fictional Night City is located somewhere between San Francisco and Los Angeles in the free state of Northern California. It's a city that's been overrun by gangs and petty criminals and has been voted 'the worst place to live in America' as a result. Early footage shows it to be a sprawling metropolis with an incredibly diverse population.
Due to it being a work of fiction, it's unlikely that any real world landmarks will appear in Night City. Thanks to its close proximity to LA though, it's possible that players will at some point get a chance to visit the City of Angels as well. Even without any recognizable landmarks, Night City looks like an incredibly vibrant place with plenty to see and do.
9 Fallout 2
Many of the early Fallout games take place in the New California Republic, which covers much of America's West Coast. The region was one of the most badly affected by the Great War, leaving few recognizable landmarks standing. In their place, there is only danger, death, and conflict, making for an incredibly hostile environment.
Unlike later entries in the series, the developers seem to have focused more on creating a barren wasteland befitting a nuclear apocalypse than on faithfully recreating landmarks from the locations explored. That said, the geography all lines up, allowing fans to pinpoint the real-life locations of the game's areas in real life.
8 The Last Of Us Part II
The Last Of Us Part II starts out on the East Coast, but takes players across the country to Santa Barbara for the game's climax. Players are only really given a glimpse of the suburbs, which, like much of the country, have been reclaimed by nature. The overgrown greenery does a wonderful job of conveying the desolation caused by the Cordyceps outbreak while also creating strong feelings of isolation.
Santa Catalina Island is also heavily referenced during the game. Although Ellie never makes it out there, an image of the island replaces the menu screen upon completing the game. Here, it's possible to see Avalon's Catalina Casino, which it's implied has become the new base of the Fireflies. Despite what its name may suggest, the building has never actually been used as a gambling facility and instead houses a ballroom and a movie theater.
7 Dead Island 2
Despite not being an island, California will play host to the upcoming zombie survival game, Dead Island 2. Players will be able to explore San Francisco, Los Angeles, and a third, as yet undisclosed area of the state. Despite Deep Silver showcasing footage from the game way back in 2015 though, the game's development has hit quite a few roadblocks.
Multiple developers have worked on the project over the past eight years, with Dambuster Studios the latest to take up the mantle in 2019. Given how long the game has been in the works, fans will be hoping that they're finally able to perfect the recipe. It's worth remembering though that Duke Nukem Forever was in development for far longer, and that came out more than a little overcooked.
6 Dead Rising 3
Zombies seem to be drawn to the West coast, with Dead Rising 3 also taking place in California. The game is set in the fictional city of Los Perdidos, which, according to the game's Lead Level Architect, was heavily inspired by Los Angeles. Much of the research for the fictional city was conducted in LA and this is reflected in both the city's visuals and the location names used in the final release.
Although there are no real-world landmarks to visit, each of Los Perdidos' four regions represents a different part of LA. Some are certainly more recognizable than others though. Sunset Hills gives a decent account of Beverly Hills while Central City perfectly mirrors Downtown LA. It seems likely that Inglewood provided the inspiration for Ingleton, but South Almuda is a little more generic and thus harder to place.
5 L.A. Noire
Although much of Rockstar's time seems to be dedicated to the Grand Theft Auto series, they've still published plenty of other great titles over the years. L.A. Noire might not be as impressive as Red Dead Redemption or as enjoyable as Table Tennis, but, at the time of its release, it was one of the most visually impressive games ever made. This was largely due to the technology used to digitize the game's actors, but its environments also played a part.
Grauman's Chinese Theatre and Musso & Franks are just two of the many landmarks that players can visit and there's even a trophy or achievement available for those who visit all 30. The iconic Hollywood sign can also be seen, although due to the game being set in 1947, it still reads 'Hollywoodland.' This is historically accurate, as the 'land' was not removed from the real-world sign until 1949.
4 Parasite Eve II
Square was responsible for some of the greatest JRPGs ever made, but, every once in a while, they dabbled in other genres. Parasite Eve is a survival horror game and was their response to Capcom's hugely successful Resident Evil series. Although it didn't make anywhere near as much of an impact, it's still an incredibly enjoyable series with some truly shocking moments.
The game's sequel takes place in California, with its opening scenes being set in LA and a substantial portion occurring in the Mojave Desert. While the Mojave is real enough, the town of Dryfield is an entirely original creation. Likewise, the Akropolis Tower is also a fictitious location, as are the other places visited in Los Angeles.
3 Wasteland 2
Although the first part of the game takes place in Arizona, Wasteland 2's second act takes players on a virtual tour of California. As the game's name might suggest, very few of the state's landmarks are still standing. There are still a handful of real-world locations for players to explore in this post-apocalyptic future though.
The LA Memorial Coliseum has definitely seen better days, but it's fared far better than many of the other structures in the immediate area. It's no longer a place for sport though, instead housing the Angel Oracle, which is one of the largest and most prosperous settlements in the LA Wetlands. The Griffith Observatory is doing just fine too, while the La Brea Tar Pits now serve as one of the state's only sources of methane.
2 True Crime: Streets Of LA
The first of the True Crime games, and arguably the best that the series has to offer, True Crime: Streets of LA covers 300 square miles of Los Angeles. Despite its huge map and some big names like Gary Oldman and Christopher Walken though, the game was a commercial failure. Even the inclusion of Snoop Dogg as an unlockable character wasn't enough to save it.
Developers used satellite imagery to recreate the city, leading to an incredibly accurate portrayal. The world-famous Hollywood sign is included, as are most of the city's other big landmarks. For the era, everything looks pretty good, but, unfortunately, the gameplay doesn't come close to matching other big-budget sandbox games like Grand Theft Auto.
1 Murder By Numbers
Murder by Numbers is a Switch exclusive that takes place in 1996 Los Angeles. It tells the story of Honor Mizhari, a former tv detective who teams up with a sentient robot to solve a series of murders. The robot also happens to be suffering from amnesia and so helping him to regain his memories serves as an interesting, albeit strange, subplot.
Due to it being a visual novel, there are very few references to real-world locations found in the game. Even on the rare occasions when they are mentioned, they're never really shown. Despite this, the puzzles found throughout the game make it a worthwhile experience and a good way to spend a lazy afternoon. Those hoping to see the sights of LA though would be better served elsewhere.