London has a magnificent history, evidenced by glorious buildings such as the Tower of London, the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben. Its inhabitants are also full of character. From the cheeky Del Boy to the famous London bobby or peeler, who got their name when Sir Robert Peel established London’s Metropolitan Police force in 1829. It seems impossible to be bored with a visit to the capital.
While London is well-known for its prosperous history, vital financial industry, nightlife, arts, and tourist attractions, it’s also increasingly well known as a location to inspire game developers. These are just a few of the game titles that have London as their focus.
Photo by Beat the Bobbies
We mentioned the London bobby or peeler as one of the characters of London life, but a bobby on the beat isn’t really a characteristic of the modern police force in the city nowadays. Although that doesn’t stop them being iconic in pop culture. For instance, those that play online casino at Paddy Power probably would have noticed the Beat the Bobbies jewel heist themed slot. You aim to help Penny, a supreme cat burglar, steal the crown jewels. There’s a cast of animated characters harking back to the golden days of London and there’s even a sequel, Beat the Bobbies Tower of London. This additional title sees the same classic cops vs. robbers dynamic, but now you’re looking to recover the stolen jewels and keep them for yourself.
Slot developers often look to famous landmarks for inspiration, with ancient Egypt or Greek mythology predominantly used or perhaps over-used. It’s satisfying to see London also has representation in online casino slots and both Beat the Bobbies and Beat the Bobbies Tower of London feature many recognisable figures and elements of the capital.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series is hugely popular and in the latest offering, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, gamers get to play as Viking invaders to the British Isles. Yet, if we look at the history of the franchise, we find Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, where London is very much an influential part of the action.
The plot focuses on the search for a hidden artefact in 1868 London that could prove decisive for the Brotherhood of Assassins who are fighting a secret war against the Templar Order. Players take control of twin Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye and get to seize Hackney Carriages, zipline between famous London landmarks and don fashionable items of Victorian London. There are plenty of London’s most famous or notorious characters to meet, like Jack the Ripper, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin. It’s all rip-roaring fun and Game Informer ranked it as the second-best game of the series to date.
Battlefield I
Another successful series of video games, this time a first-person shooter developed by EA DICE and published by Electronic Arts. There have been so many Battlefield games that Battlefield I was unbelievably the fifteenth in the series. The latest iteration is Battlefield 2042, which tries to do too much according to IGN, has proven popular and suggests there is still life in the series. However, Battlefield I is our standout and particularly the London Calling map, which is part of the Apocalypse expansion and was developed exclusively for aerial combat above the streets of the capital.
Hollywood has always used London as a backdrop for incredible movies with classics such as The Ladykillers and An American Werewolf in London, alongside more modern big-screen hits like London Has Fallen and Unlocked. Nowadays it appears game developers are equally fascinated with using London of today or yesteryear to create engaging titles and long may they continue promoting this fascinating city.
