Settings in video games are among the most important elements, especially given their influence on immersion.
A great context can change a player’s perception of a title completely, affecting everything from gameplay to sensations while bringing an entire universe to life.
There are many video games where a large part of their appeal lies in a magnificent environment that manages to captivate, motivate, or even scare away, depending on the adventure’s intentions.
Thus, there is nothing like a good setting, and there are no settings as excellent as the entries on this list of theten most iconic video game cities.
10Constantinople
Assassin’s Creed Revelations
Assassin’s Creedis one of the leading series regarding settings, having created dozens of magnificent depictions of various historical periods.
So, in the inevitable process of choosing one for this list, I wanted to stick withConstantinoplefromAssassin’s Creed Revelations, as I think it’s as outstanding as it is underrated.
Its music and atmosphere are extraordinary, and the wonderful environments are more easily admired thanks to the game offering the best parkour in Ezio’s trilogy.
From the architecture to the costumes,everything in Constantinople feels genuine and suited to the end of our beloved protagonist, charging the journey with a nostalgic aura no other installment in the franchise possesses.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Among the many reasons whyThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntis considered one ofthe best RPGs, its universe’s vividness is the most significant.
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The game has multiple points of interest that provide depth and variety to the experience, butNovigrad deserves a special mention.
With countless secrets, streets full of realistic and spontaneous characters, and narrative capacity to tell us about the universe ofThe Witcherwith magical subtlety,it’s a magnificent space to roleplay.
Considering it’s the most visually impressive and recurrent location of all in Geralt’s journey, it’s easy for it to stand out from the rest.
BioShock Infinite
The first impressions Irrational Games' titles generate through their atmosphere are incredible, andBioShock Infinite’sColumbiais the clearest proof of this.
Although my appreciation for the game has decreased over time, as I feel it has not aged well, my admiration for the city remains intact, as it’s still more than fantastic.
It would be higher on the list if it were not reduced to shooting and sporadic conversations between Booker and Elizabeth. In this sense,I think Columbia could have given much more of itself in terms of narrative and social criticism.
However, it’s a remarkable artistic beauty in the audiovisual department, and that’s enough to make itone of the most iconic cities in the history of video games.
7Night City
Cyberpunk 2077
I must admit I have a big weakness for cyberpunk settings, so it’s no coincidenceCyberpunk 2077’sNight Cityis on this list despite itsterrible launch.
CD Projekt RED once again takes center stage thanks to this memorable location, whichrepresents everything that characterizes its artistic sub-genre perfectly.
If you turn your attention to the music, the aesthetics, the colors, or even the stories Night City hides, you will notice that each aspect tells something about the context you’re witnessing.
6Saint Denis
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2is one of the closest to perfect video games I’ve ever played, and I came to this conclusion when I first set foot inSaint Denis.
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By Chapter 4, my love for the sequel was already well-established, but the Jewel of Lemoyne struck me with its industrialized contrast to what I’d experienced in the game until that point.
The sensations are so different that it almost feels like a separate game, one in which both Arthur and the player feel out of place andshare a sense of expectation and strangeness simultaneously.
While it’s remarkable in visuals and spontaneity,Saint Denis is a glorious moment of immersion, and that’s much harder to achieve.
Dishonored
Arkane Studios is a developer well-versed in creating immersive worlds. Theirstealth gameshave been iconic for years, but what they achieved withDishonoredis on another level.
In that regard,Dunwall,as a backdrop for Corvo’s story, is phenomenal and an extension of the game’s mechanics.
Whether you are a ruthless killer or a peaceful ghost, the city reacts and changes noticeably,showing itself as another gameplay element and being highly immersive.
Its gloomy beauty and atmospheric soundtrack are the perfect complement to an iconic dystopia, which is both the setting and a reflection of the player’s moral compass.
4Martinaise
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysiumis a transcendental work thanks to its political nature and depth when covering relevant themes, but this is only possible thanks toMartinaise.
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The city in which the game takes place speaks as much as the game itself, being a demonstration ofhow showing a story is better than just telling it.
Hatred, love, frustration, oblivion, alcohol, class consciousness, the bourgeoisie, Cuno, and more merge ina destroyed but familiar town that’s burned into your heart by its tunes and pains.
The streets speak, the walls whisper, and the trees hide in a place where all the variables of the universe coincide.There may never be another game quite like Disco Elysium, and there may never be another city quite like Martinaise.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimis one of the turning points in my life as a gamer, so I’ll never forget the first day I set foot inWhiterun.
Bethesda’s open world was overwhelming and scary from the start, but Whiterun had a homey, familiar feeling I’ve rarely felt in a video game.
Buying your first house, talking to your first jarl, fulfilling your first official quest, catching your first dragon, crafting your first dagger, or hating the Cloud District—it all happens in Whiterun, home of initial experiences.
It’s welcoming, alive, and has its own version of the Knights of the Round Table, so you can’t ask for more (though it does sothrough mods).
Half-Life 2
I only playedHalf-Life 2for the first time a few months ago, and I quickly understood why it’s considered one of the best video games of all time.
The reasons are endless, but sayingCity 17 is the ultimate blueprint of a perfect dystopia in a video gamedoesn’t seem far-fetched to me.
Every encounter, sequence, level, and dialogue function in real-time with such consideration thatwe’ve hardly seen anything like it 20 years later.
Half-Life 2is an FPS, a horror game, and a narrative thriller at the same time, but that’s only possible thanks to the oppression, symbolism, and crudeness with which City 17 shelters the experience.
An iconic city by definition. I doubt any debate in the video game sector generates as much consensus as thatRapturefromBioShockis the most memorable setting of all time.
Descending towards the underwater city in the bathysphere while listening to Andrew Ryan’s monologue is one of those moments you couldn’t forget even after a lobotomy.
Your first encounter with a splicer, meeting Sander Cohen, fighting the Big Daddies, and seeing theplot twistsof a society lost among objectivist values areexperiences that will forever mark your life as a gamer.
It’s a failed utopia, but one masterfully designed to make us fall in love with it. Despite its inhabitants, perfidious ideals, and legacy,Rapture is video game history and a visual,narrative,and environmental reference for all the titles that have followed it.
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