Traveling is the best way to learn about history, geography and culture. However, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, it is problematic to use it. Fortunately, with video games and Google Street View, you can visit other countries without leaving your home. In this article, we are going to tell you about five of the most interesting places in Asia that can be found in video games.
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Kabuki-cho Quarter – East Asia’s Nightlife Center | Yakuza
As is often the case in video games, the Kamuro-cho district – the main location of the Yakuza series – is a fictional place. However, like the cities of Liberty City from GTA and Lost Haven from Mafia, this area has a real prototype that gave it its own recognizable style and many attractions.
The Kabuki-cho district is located in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo Prefecture. Like Kamuro-cho, it is best known for its many entertainment venues. These locations even have almost the same square shape and share the same nickname – “the place that never sleeps”.
There are no specific architectural or natural attractions in either Kabuki-cho or Kamuro-cho. Despite this, the area is incredibly popular with tourists. People come here not for stereotyped photos with falling towers, but for the spirit of Tokyo nightlife. Hostess clubs, saunas, bars, slot machine halls and other establishments are not just in every house – there are often several of them.
In addition to Kamuro-cho, the Yakuza games feature other locations inspired by real-life landmarks in Japan. The Sotenbori area is a replica of Dotonbori in Osaka, and Isezaki Ijin-cho is modeled after Isezaki-cho in Yokohama. You can also take a virtual tour to Japan in other games. For example, Persona 5 shows several real-life areas of Tokyo – Shibuya, Akihabara, etc. In this game, you can even get lost in the confusing Tokyo subway.
Google street view
Kamuro-cho
Skyscraper HSBC – Poetry of Feng Shui and Technology | Sleeping dogs
The events of the criminal action in the open world Sleeping Dogs take place in Hong Kong, namely on the island of the same name in this region of China. The virtual city is much smaller than the original, and its geography is slightly different from the real one. However, it is still recognizable and contains many landmarks, including the HSBC bank building.
In the game, the skyscraper is called the Diamond Building. The original building was designed by British architect Norman Foster in 1979. He was also responsible for the design of the Mary Ax Tower, the famous “skyscraper gherkin” in central London.
The construction of a 47-storey building with a height of 180 m took two years – from 1983 to 1985. The skyscraper became the most expensive at that time in the world, its cost was $ 668 million. This was largely due to the modular construction technique: different sections of the skyscraper were produced all over the world and assembled on site.
The HSBC bank building is one of the most technologically advanced and unique skyscrapers in the world. It has no internal supporting structures, and thanks to a system of mirrors and large open spaces in the interior, there is a lot of sunlight, which is economical for the owners and good for the environment. In addition, it is one of the few high-rise buildings where all the main traffic is distributed between stairs and escalators. There are also lifts, but they do not serve all floors.
Feng Shui played a significant role in the design and construction. Many believe that the success of HSBC is due precisely to the favorable location of the headquarters and its harmonious architecture. According to rumors, the bank’s management even entered into an agreement with the Hong Kong government to prevent high-rise buildings from being built between the skyscraper and Victoria Harbor. The view of the reservoir, according to Feng Shui, brings good luck.
By contrast, the neighboring tower of the Bank of China almost completely ignores superstition. Because of this, many locals strongly criticized the skyscraper, blaming the company for any misfortune that happened in Hong Kong. This building can also be found in Sleeping Dogs – it is located across the street and is called the Mortensen Electric Building. In addition to these two skyscrapers, in the game you can walk through Victoria Park, see the governor’s residence, as well as the floating restaurant “Jumbo”.
Google street view
Diamond Building at Sleeping Dogs
Temple of Angkor Wat – the abode of the gods | Tomb raider: the last revelation
Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series has visited many interesting places around the world. Several times adventures took her to Asia – she almost died in the Himalayas, was looking for a cursed island off the coast of Japan and enjoyed the view of Phang Nga Bay in Thailand. One of the most notable places was presented in the game Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation.
The temple complex of Angkor Wat in Cambodia was built in the XII century by order of the Emperor of the Khmer Empire Suryavarman II. As conceived by the creators, the building should embody the earthly abode of the god Vishnu. The famous gabled towers of the building symbolize Mount Sumeru – the center of the universe in Hindu mythology. The rectangular pond, located around the perimeter, personifies the cosmic milky ocean where Vishnu rested. And the walls of the building are decorated with numerous bas-reliefs illustrating mythological plots and the history of the Khmers.
Angkor Wat fits perfectly into the Tomb Raider setting, because from a certain point of view, it can be called a lost, or rather, an abandoned city. The complex was inhabited, according to various estimates, for only one or two centuries, the exact reason for the outcome has not yet been established. After that, only small groups of monks and local residents lived there. In 1861, Angkor Wat was opened to Europeans by the French explorer Henri Muo, who died a few months later.
For modern Cambodia, the Angkor Wat complex is of great importance, representing one of the greatest architectural monuments in the world. The temple is even depicted on the national flag of the country. It is believed that the Tomb Raider franchise played a significant role in the popularization of Cambodia and Angkor Wat – but not the games, but the 2001 film with Angelina Jolie, in which the heroine visited the temple.
Google street view
Angkor Wat in Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
Tsushima Island – the last refuge of the invaders | Ghost of tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima is far from the first game to bring real locations into the virtual world. Nor can we say that she did it more accurately than others. Perhaps more beautiful than everyone else, but this is already a matter of taste. However, what does not take away from the samurai action is the recognition of the audience. It is rare for developers to receive awards and commendations from the inhabitants of the territories they have shown in the games. In the case of Ghost of Tsushima, the creative director and game director of the title became honorary tourism ambassadors for their contribution to the popularization of Tsushima Island.
The events of Ghost of Tsushima take place at the end of the 13th century during the invasion of Japan by the Mongol Empire. Therefore, most of the buildings presented in the game are currently, unfortunately, partially or completely destroyed. On the other hand, the more valuable the gaming experience. On a real tour to Tsushima, you will only be able to see a few overgrown stone walls that were once Kaneda Castle. And in Ghost of Tsushima it will be possible to climb from top to bottom. The same can be said for the numerous temples and shrines that are found in the game.
Tsushima was originally one island. However, in 1672 it was divided into two by the Ofunakoshi canal, and in 1900 – into three by the Mandzeki canal. However, the third turned out to be much smaller than the first two. In addition, neither he nor a hundred other rocks and islets included in the archipelago do not interfere with calling Tsushima an island.
Tsushima is located just 50 km from the Korean city of Busan, so it accounts for the lion’s share of all incursions into Japan. Thanks to Ghost of Tsushima, we know about the Mongol invasion in the 13th century. A little more than a hundred years later, Korean troops landed on the island – they were supposed to deal with the Tsushima pirates. At the end of the 19th century, the Russian Empire also showed interest in Tsushima and the construction of a port on it. The sailors of the Posadnik corvette even managed to build a small settlement there. However, in the end, they had to leave the island.
Google street view
Ghost of tsushima
Nepal – the gateway to Shambhala | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Far Cry 4
In the storyline of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Nathan Drake hunts for the treasures of the famous traveler Marco Polo, so it is not surprising that he has to visit many interesting places in Asia. The adventure begins at the palace museum in Istanbul (although technically the palace complex is in the European side of the city). After that, the hero goes to Borneo – the third largest island in the world and the only one that is divided by three states at once.
The end point of Drake’s route was the mystical Shambhala, but since it is not on Google Street View, we will limit ourselves to the story of Nepal – the only country in the world that does not have a rectangular flag. Among Thieves does not specify which city is shown to players. However, many are not without reason believe that this is Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Some buildings in the game almost completely copy real houses, and the city itself, like Kathmandu, is located on a plateau surrounded by mountains.
The territory of the city, judging by the archaeological finds, was inhabited at least 2 thousand years ago, but there is practically no information about that period. Directly the same Kathmandu was founded in 723 and since then has been the capital of all states located in this area. Kathmandu was built in the form of the sword of Chandrahrasa, with which the bodhisattva Manjushri dispels the darkness of ignorance. The sword, by the way, is also depicted on the Kathmandu flag.
If you are cramped on the narrow streets of Kathmandu and when traveling you like nature views rather than architectural monuments, then you can pay attention to Far Cry 4. The kirat from this game is, albeit inaccurate, but stylistically correct embodiment of Nepal.
In addition to the gorgeous views of the Himalayas, Far Cry 4 shows (albeit from a specific point of view) the real history of Nepal. In the game, we, as part of the rebel movement, are fighting a dictator who came to power after the previous civil war. In real Nepal, a similar conflict lasted from 1996 to 2006 and ended with the abolition of the monarchy and the proclamation of a republic.
Google street view
A city in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
These were five notable places in Asia that can be visited in video games. What real locations from virtual worlds do you remember the most? How do you like sunny San Francisco from Watch Dogs 2 or Renaissance Venice from Assassin’s Creed II? Let us know in the comments.
