London is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s also one of the oldest. Unlike many other world cities, though, London isn’t a common backdrop for video games. Even in the limited pool there are standouts the shine above the rest.
Werewolves of London (Commodore 64)
An old jam from the Commodore 64 (and no doubt named after the band), Werewolves of London tasked players with being an 8-Bit lycanthrope bent on revenge. Killing the seven family members who cursed in the first place is a difficult goal, though, thanks to the ever increasing presence of a surprisingly well-armed police force.
Not only could they shoot you to death, but if you were shot and then some how ended up being arrested by them, the chances of you dying from your wounds as they go unhealed through the 1987 cult hit’s day and night cycles were pretty high.
Nightmare Creatures (PS1, Nintendo 64, PC)
Set in 1830’s London, Kailisto and Blizzard-less Activision’s survival horror entry painted London as a hotbed of paranormal shenanigans. The dead are coming back to life, people are mutating into horrible creatures, etc. The pre-Victorian era back drop added a moody “Jack the Ripper” vibe to the whole ordeal, and the story’s riff on English history help distinguish the horror historical fiction from its blood soaked peers in the genre.
Grand Theft Auto: London, 1969/61 (MS DOS, Windows, PS1)
No so much games as add ons to the original Grand Theft Auto, 1969 and 1961 added new missions and maps to the expansive crime adventure. It was full of English puns, with references to popular UK bands and books littered throughout it’s streets. The original American maps, based on New York, Miami, and LA/Nevada, were fun, but the extreme focus on culture shock made allowed the add ons to steal the show.
Hellgate: London (PC)
A PC action RPG set in a London long lost to demon invasion, Hellgate: London set the bar pretty high when it came to destroying beloved world cities. Adopting many roguelike systems that are all the rage now, Hellgate made crafting and loot grinding a bit of a gamble, but the fast paced combat was great fun. The fact that this game hasn’t gotten a sequel yet is a real shame.
The Getaway (PS2)
Your Guy Ritchie Movie video game. Heavily inspired by British gangster films, The Getaway was hyper dedicated to making a modern London as architecturally accurate, and narratively quirky as possible. Team Soho was so dedicated to realism that they had to delay the would-be launch title over 2 years. Presentation was king for The Getaway and it cemented its legacy on it, being one of the few games to really differentiate itself from the “GTA 3 clone” era.