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One great location to emulate in video games is Los Angeles. The great thing about LA is how eclectic the city is, which allows game makers to take even more liberties. These games on this list capitalize on the best of what LA has to offer, while also keeping them grounded and fun games to play.
5 Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland
Although players travel to other major cities in America in this game, players will spend a huge chunk of their time playing Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland in LA. Being one of the first open-world Tony Hawk games, it will give players a good idea what 2005 Los Angeles looked like. The Tony Hawk’s games have always been great and are some of the best ones on Xbox GamePass; however, Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland is something of its own.
Its open-world gives players the freedom to do whatever they want and allows them to explore. Meanwhile, the use of things like BMXs gives players a chance to experiment and try out Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland in a different light. Players can get the whole energy of the city by traveling solely on bikes or skateboards, allowing players to take in Los Angeles as if they are actually there.
4 True Crime: Streets Of LA
Drawing comparisons to Grand Theft Auto with its open-world element and detailed realism, True Crime: Streets Of LA is one of the best games set in Los Angeles. Players will travel to each borough on their own time, giving them a chance to fully integrate themselves into the city and making the story a lot more interesting and fun.
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True Crime: Streets Of LA was one of the first games to get the detail right about a city right, which Activision advertised heavily on release. On top of that, True Crime: Streets Of LA plays a lot like a cop drama, giving a cinematic vibe to the city. Being set like an action movie, the game creates a larger-than-life feel with a limited scope of the city, which has made the game iconic in its genre.
3 Battlefield: Hardline
Unlike the other Battlefield games that are set in military conflicts, Battlefield: Hardline is set in LA and follows a cop being undermined by his superiors. The game plays out like a cop show with episodes that spread each level. Since it’s a Battlefield game, the single-player aspect isn’t open-world, but rather linear. Yet the game still does a good job showing the different sides of the city. For example, the downtown core looks and feels very different from Beverly Hills.
Each level feels huge and self-contained, which makes Battlefield: Hardline a really fun game to play for the story. Additionally, the online aspect is enjoyable in its own right. Much of the multiplayer game is set in various locations in LA, like its downtown core and other iconic spots throughout the city.
2 LA: Noire
For fans of games that are centered around true crime, LA: Noire has everything. Players will spend a lot of their time roaming around 1947 LA, which gives the game a unique feel. LA: Noire is a murder mystery in which players must use the tools at their disposal to crack the case.
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What makes LA: Noire great for fans who really like true-crime, is that it follows all the tropes of what makes a good true crime story. Players must follow people, interview them, and do general investigating. Running around in old-school LA is fun and helps channel the story wonderfully. Unlike games list that stay in the present, LA: Noire captures the 40s essence to tell a great story in an equally great world.
1 Grand Theft Auto 5
This action-adventure game’s open world isn’t called Los Angeles, but rather Los Santos. However, the prime location in Grand Theft Auto 5 is basically LA in every aspect but the name. GTA 5 is probably the best experience for gamers to see how great the city is, not only in its massive scope but also in the detail showcasing the different areas of LA. Each area has its own flavor that helps the city feel rich and alive.
That richness in the real city of LA is properly channeled in the video game version. Even the smallest details, such as getting each building properly placed, are perfectly done. On top of that, getting the scale of the city right brings more life to GTA 5. All this attention to detail allows players to get a better connection to LA, something that not every game can accomplish.
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