Games are a unique medium that can take players to different worlds and times and let them experience these settings in their own way. This is especially true for games that have taken place in the past. Whether it’s recent history like the 80s or ancient history dating back to the 14th century, video games are the closest thing to a time machine that allows for some of the best forms of pure escapism today.
Historical Settings can be implemented in many genres of video games from a turn-based strategy such as the Rome: Total War series to first-person shooters like Battlefield. However, they are open world games that embrace the kind of freedom you want to explore in worlds set in the past. This list contains games that have taken place at various times in the past, including some of the best and most memorable cities and towns for history fans to explore.
8 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – Vice City/Miami
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Released: 2002
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Developer: Rockstar North
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Platform: Android, iOS, Fire OS, MAC OS, PC, PS2, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Set in a fictionalized version of Miami in the 1980s, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a love letter to 80s and 90s gangster movies and TV shows such as Scarface, Best, and Miami Vice. It stars the late Ray Liotta in the lead role as Tommy Vercetti and Miami Vice’s Phillip Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs.
It wasn’t just the talented voice cast that made Vice City great however. Despite his age, Vice City remains one of the most atmospheric and beautifully crafted worlds in gaming. It is also backed by one of the best 80s soundtracks ever featuring music from bands and artists such as Foreigner, Michael Jackson, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden and many more.
7 Mafia: Definitive Edition – Lost Heaven/Chicago
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Released: 2020
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Developer: Hanger 13
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Platform: PC, PS4 and Xbox One
Released in 2020, Mafia: Definitive Edition is a remake of the first title released in 2002 that is rebuilt from the ground up and showcases one of the most beautiful cities in gaming. There aren’t many things to do in the city in the way of side missions, but the pure joy for history fans will come from immersing yourself in the city.
mafia transports its fans back in time by giving players the chance to take in the sights and sounds of this stunning recreation of 1920s Chicago. Like the GTA series, the mafia franchise is inspired by classic gangster movies, but the tone is serious rather than satirical. In front of mafia, it is the Godfather Trilogy thanks to the feel, the period and the fantastic set pieces of the game.
6 Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate – Victorian London
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Released: 2015
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Developer: Ubisoft
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Platform: PC, PS4, Stadia and Xbox One
One could choose any Assassin’s Creed game if they wanted to be transported to another time in history. Whether exploring the sun-drenched deserts of ancient Egypt, sailing the Caribbean like a pirate or raiding the English shores like a Viking, the Assassin’s Creed has something for the history buff in all of us.
Perhaps one of the most underrated games in the franchise Assassin’s Creed: Syndicateas its Victorian London setting. Getting players to explore the cobbled streets of London at the height of the Industrial Revolution is a great achievement. Moreover, the contrast between the wealthy and the struggling working class is portrayed with finesse and the different parts of the city are brought to life by the residents. Plus, you must love a game that allows the characters to climb to the top of the iconic Big Ben. If only Ubisoft would release a patch now Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate works on the PlayStation 5.
5 Mafia 3 – New Bourdeaux/New Orleans
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Released: 2016
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Developer: Hanger 13
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Platform: macOS, PC, PS4, Stadia and Xbox One
The third entry of the mafia franchise is different from the Godfather-like story by putting players in the shoes of a soldier who returned from the Vietnam War in 1968. The main character still has to do with the Italian Mafia, along with the Haitians, the Irish Mafia, the Black Mafia and a famous person white supremacist group like the Southern Union.
The setting of New Bourdeaux in the game is a recreation of New Orleans, Louisiana. Despite the criticism for the lack of side missions, it helps to explore the city with musicians like Creedance and Jimmy Hendrix to bring it to life. Along with the story, the NPCs, the police and more really give a sense of the difficulties different cultures faced in the late 60’s and early 70’s. It serves as a great backdrop to one of the best stories in the genre.
4 Kingdom Come Deliverance – Rattay
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Released: 2018
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Developer: Warhorse Studios
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Platform: Amazon Luna, PC, PS4 and Xbox One
Where games are fun The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and The Witcher 3 Draw players to their stunning medieval worlds and landscapes, the games are high and dark fantasy. Kingdom Come: Liberation is set during real historical events in the 15th century in the kingdom of bohemia.
Warhorse Studios’ passion for history and creating a deep and realistic world to play in is clear. Every town and city in Kingdom come looks authentic and detailed and feels despite some technical glitches here and there. However, it is the town of Rattay that evokes the feeling of being taken back in time. The work put into creating the city as it existed in the early 1400s and every history should experience this unique RPG.
3 LA Noire – Los Angeles
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Released: 2011
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Developer: Team Bondi
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Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360 and Xbox One
Originally released in 2011, LA Noire was remastered and re-released in 2017. It is a detective game set in the 1940s and takes a lot of inspiration from the detective noir genre and the 1997 film LAConfidential.
The sights, sounds and landmarks of that time have been faithfully recreated in LA Noirethe open world city. While there isn’t much to do, it’s just a joy to explore and tackle little things in between the main campaigns.
2 Assassin’s Creed: Unity – Paris
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Released: 2014
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Developer: Ubisoft
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Platform: PC, PS4, Stadia and Xbox One
It could be another Assassin’s Creed title for this list, but this is worth repeating. After a rough launch and a lot of work from the developers, Assassin’s Creed: Unity has stood the test of time as one of the most beautifully crafted titles in the franchise.
The game is set during the French Revolution and the image of a city in a state of turmoil hits home. Moreover, the contrast between the poor side streets and the rich who attend lavish parties at the Palace of Versailles tells a story in itself. Ubisoft can’t get enough credit for some of its beautifully crafted worlds and Unitis one of their most ambitious to date. Players will have the chance to visit iconic landmarks such as Notre Dame, the Luxembourg Palace and the Bastille.
1 Red Dead Redemption 2
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Released: 2018
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Developer: Rockstar
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Platform: PC, PS4, Stadia and Xbox One
Released in 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 arguably has one of the best and most dynamic open world settings in gaming. The game is home to stunning environments and a wilderness to get lost in for hours. However, the work put into creating a world where it feels to be lived with its beautiful villages and towns is almost unparalleled.
Red Dead Redemption 2 has several memorable cities to visit such as the industrial city of Saint Denis. However, for a truly Wild West town that takes the player back in time, the town of Valentine cannot be beaten. The rugged realism is only matched by HBO’s dead wood series, and it features saloons, barber shops, gunsmiths, and more. The city, along with the rest of the world, is wonderfully dynamic, and it is a joy to watch the residents go about their daily lives, arguing and working long hours to make ends meet.
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