5 Best Video Games Set in North America

Typically, a large number of popular games are often based on fictitious out-of-world locations. Mainly because creators want to provide fans with different sceneries from the normal everyday sites. However, there are a handful of game developers who provide impressive realistic, and accurate real-life locations. They get inspiration from popular cities which apply accurate depictions in these games. Spotting recognizable landmarks in a game is exciting for players as it makes the entire experience feel all the while more realistic.

The United States provides the largest market for video games worldwide, it is, therefore, no surprise to have games set in major cities like Miami and New York. Besides, each location sets a different mood and atmosphere around a particular game. With that said, here is a list of the five of the best video games set in North America.

5. Red Dead Redemption 2

Kicking off our list of the best video games set in North America is Red Dead Redemption 2. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an action-adventure game featuring both first-person and third-person perspectives. It is a Rockstar Games production released in 2018 as the third entry from the Red Dead series. The developers set the game in the Midwestern, Western, and Southern parts of the United States. It features Arthur Morgan, a former outlaw who is trying to survive against former gang mates, government officials, and other enemies whilst dealing with the decline of the Wild West.

In this multiplayer game, developers went out of their way to gather intel for the game's site from real-life locations. Similarly, the game features a bounty system that is somewhat identical to Grand Theft Auto [GTA], where law enforcement hunts down the player for crimes they commit along the way. Red Dead Redemption 2 features various fun elements that involve heists, horseback riding, shootouts as well as interactions with non-player characters.

4. Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 is an action-adventure game set in San Francisco. It was released in 2016 by Ubisoft after the 2014 prequel, Watch Dogs, which is set in Chicago. Generally, both games feature amazing representations of the cities they are based on. However, players can see more improvement in Watch Dogs 2 where creators stunningly depict the Golden Gate Bridge and Silicon Valley. In this game, players take the role of protagonist Marcus Harlow, who is part of a hacking group on a mission to take down ctOS: the city's precocious surveillance system.

Watch Dogs 2 is a multiplayer game that allows for one-on-one combat against players who cause mayhem. Aside from walking, players can roam the city using other means like cars, boats, trucks, quad bikes, buses and motorcycles. The game allows players to use the environment to their advantage while playing in certain locations. For instance, Marcus can manipulate an A/C unit to release an electric shock on an approaching enemy.

3. The Last of Us Part 2

Naughty Dog will be celebrating their many awards over the major success of The Last of Us: Part II.

The Last of Us Part 2 is an action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2020. It is a sequel to The Last of Us, which first came out in 2013 for Playstation 3. The story which takes place in Jackson, Wyoming, follows two main playable characters, Ellie and Abby. The two characters coincidentally cross paths when both their lives face calamity. Correspondingly, Ellie is on a mission for revenge after suffering a tragic event, while Abby, a soldier, gets in conflict with a religious cult and her former militia. 

The game involves fighting cannibalistic mutant creatures as well as human enemies. Players use guns and improvised weapons and speed to beat their enemies. It features both stealthy and aggressive gameplay. Players switch control between Abby and Ellie as the characters move through a terrain that stretches as far East as Boston and as far West as Utah. They can use short-range weapons like revolvers and pistols and long-range weapons like bows and rifles to defend and attack opponents. Also, players can construct and upgrade weapons from items they collect along the way. Moreover, they can use a variety of supplements to upgrade their skills and the tree training manuals found around the woods. This can unlock more skill tree branches that lead to more upgrades. 

2. Marvel's Spider-Man

Flashy enough to sell to J Jonah. Jameson.

Marvel's Spider-Man is among the best-selling superhero games in the United States. The game is a creation of a team of three organizations, namely Insomniac Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment and  Marvel. It is set in New York, where Peter Parker and Spider Man's life struggle to merge as he tries to protect the city from villains that threaten it. The fate of millions of New Yorkers rests on his shoulders as he struggles to balance between heroism and his turbulent personal life.

The game displays a well-lit, visually appealing city that captures Manhattan in its praise. Players can clearly view the city's squares, parks, and the Empire State Building. This provides a more authentic Spiderman experience. Still, as the Big Apple comes alive at night, Spiderman finds himself between fierce heists and turf wars among the city's rival gangs. With bigger threats on the verge of emerging, Spiderman forms unlikely alliances to maintain the city's peace.

1. Fallout 4

Fallout 4 is a 2015 RPG game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. Creators set the game in a post-apocalyptic city of Boston and surrounding Massachusetts. The game depicts the local landmarks as ruins that are a result of catastrophic nuclear war. In this case, players venture into the year 2287 where they have to explore a depleted world to complete various quests. 

Players take on the role of a sole survivor who emerges out of an underground vault. They head through the damaged city in search of their child after witnessing the death of their spouse. Additionally, players have to complete challenges to help increase and level up their character's abilities. They can scavenge the land for materials that help them craft explosives and drugs or make various upgrades. 

Although the city is beaten up and washed up, it is recognizable. The game features several major and minor streets that appear on the map. Still, the accurate depiction of the structures is fascinating as it features imperial buildings and other real-life structures such as Fort Independence, Bunker Hill, and popular bridges in Boston.

From our list five of the best video games set in North America above which do you think best depict North American sites? Share your pick with us in the comments below or over on our socials here!

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