I've never been to NYC, but from all of the photos, videos, games, movies, coffee mugs, etc., I think I have a pretty good idea of what it looks like. It's a metropolis, filled with lots of great cultures and ideas. And with so many producers of media hailing from there or having lived there and grown to love its expansive urban jungle environment, it's understandable that many of our cultural influences come from there. Both Batman and Superman come from cities that are essentially two versions it, and Spider-man is actually from there. It's the most prolific city in the world as far as media goes, and the image of the Statue of Liberty watching over the sprawling landscape of concrete and metal was one of the most iconic images of America in my head before I moved here at the age of four (Ironically, the first city I arrived was Anaheim, CA).
That said, I think it's about time we take a break from it.
When an open-world game doesn't take place somewhere made up, it takes place in New York. Prototype takes place their, and Infamous takes place somewhere that's pretty much a fictional version of it, as does GTA IV. And I see why; NYC offers not only one of the biggest, most fleshed out cities to wreak havoc upon, but it's also one that many people are familiar with. However, I think it's safe to say that New York's been done. If you're a developer looking for somewhere else to set your fantastic new sandbox game in, here are some wonderful new places to take into account. Also, would you like to buy a timeshare?
Tokyo: Pretty much your runner up as far as familiar locations go. Most people think they know what Tokyo's like, and really, it's not too much different from that, but having all of its districts, all of its lights, and Japanese culture and all those weird walkways would make from a pretty cool place to break some shit. There's a lot of exciting places to explore in Japan, and there's also some pretty scenic stuff farther out to take advantage of. Not only that, but Tokyo inhabitants should be pretty used to the idea of having their city destroyed. Plus, there's totally a giant robot there now.
Hong Kong: You might not think that Hong Kong is too different from Tokyo, but you'd be wrong. There's a cool cross-culture of Eastern and Western culture. It's very much a business district, but all that does is make it more tempting to destroy. And if a developer can actually get interactions with water in these kinds of games, there's a lot of it here to explore. Plus, it's apparently where lots of seedy business deals go down, so if you're going to destroy a place, why not stop rotten business at the same time?
Berlin: Now, for this suggestion, think post-WWII Berlin. Assuming your character has powers like those in Infamous or Prototype, the game would involve you fighting a communist regime by hopping back and forth between the East and West, completing spy missions to help try to feed and free the citizens of the East. You could also disregard the powers altogether; an open-world stealth game sounds interesting itself. Do it late enough, and maybe you could help Reagan make his speech to tear down that wall. Using the Motion Plus to write it word for word, of course.
Mumbai: Something a little less western, but that's no less fun to roam in. A city with such fantastic architecture definitely deserves someone to roam around in. There's also a chance here to have us Westerners learn a thing or two about another culture, and learn that maybe all foreign cultures aren't out to get us. If you have the entire story take on and Indian influence (as in, having the character be Indian rather than American), you can maybe shy away from the ethnocentrism that Eastern cultures so pointedly remind us of.
Omaha, Nebraska: I have to make an argument for my current residence! Really, though, I think open-world games could use a setting that's a little less urban. For those of you who are worried about not being able to run/climb up buildings, we do have a business district here, and the buildings are made from metal and glass, just like yours. GTA San Andreas had a pretty big non-urban area, and even though people harped on it for not having anything to do there there, I think if someone tried to get the combination of huge urban areas and some more grass-infested areas, it could make for some pretty interesting stuff. For example, if you wanted to snuff a certain target without destroying half a city, why not do it where no one will see you?
Again, I don't hate New York or anything, but I think that so far they've been getting a pretty big piece of the pie (like they usually do). So if you're looking for some scenic, interesting areas to set your Triple-A title in, why not give these a shot? Or maybe you have a suggestion of your own?
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