London, a city that blends the ancient with the modern, is not only a center of culture and history but also the stage for countless thrilling stories in the gaming world. In the virtual streets, I have chased enemies along the banks of the Thames and weaved through neon-lit alleys under the cover of night. Guns and blades clash here, where conspiracy meets freedom. Today, I want to share three action-adventure games set in London that deeply immersed me: the high-tech resistance of Watch Dogs: Legion, the assassin legend of the Victorian era in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, and the gangland life-or-death struggle of The Getaway.
1. Watch Dogs: Legion — A New Order Under Technological Rebellion
Watch Dogs: Legion was the first game that truly made me feel the cold and complex reality of a “technological London.” The game takes place in the near future, where the city is under the control of a private security company called Albion. Surveillance cameras and armed patrols are everywhere, and public freedom is heavily restricted.
When I first stepped into the game’s streets, I was struck by the familiar yet alien atmosphere. Big Ben still stood tall, the Underground bustled with commuters, yet the drones overhead and holographic ads at every corner constantly reminded me that this was a city completely dominated by advanced technology.
The game’s most unique feature is the “recruit anyone” system. Initially, I thought it was just a gimmick, but when I truly experienced it, I realized it completely changed how I approached stealth and combat. In one mission, I had to infiltrate a heavily guarded data center. A direct assault was unwise, so I found a repair worker on the street, used his identity to get into the restricted zone, and then deployed a drone to sneak into the server room. The entire mission was completed without firing a shot, but the sense of achievement was greater than any firefight.
That said, the gunplay in Watch Dogs: Legion is equally impressive. Different characters have varying weapon proficiencies, but my favorite was the secret agent with a silenced pistol—clean and efficient, without drawing attention. Gunfights here aren’t about pure firepower; they emphasize environmental usage and tactical maneuvers. During a street battle with Albion forces, I repeatedly changed positions using cars and barriers, while hacking enemy drones to sow chaos. Even though I was outnumbered, I managed to win.
In Watch Dogs: Legion, guns are tools of resistance, and hacking is the silent blade. The combination of technology and action ensured that every mission in London’s streets was filled with uncertainty and excitement.
2. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate — A Dance of Blades in the Victorian Era
If Watch Dogs: Legion depicts a future London under technological oppression, then Assassin’s Creed Syndicate took me back to the 19th-century Victorian era—a peak of the Industrial Revolution and a time of intense social conflict.
The first time I stood on the roof of St. Paul’s Cathedral in the game, I overlooked a city shrouded in steam and smoke. The streets bustled with carriages and pedestrians, the Thames echoed with ship horns, and the air was filled with the hum of machinery and the chatter of people.
I played as twin protagonists Jacob and Evie Frye, each with distinct personalities and unique skills. Jacob excelled in direct combat and brawls, while Evie was unmatched in stealth and assassination. Switching between them added variety to the gameplay and depth to the story.
In one assassination mission, I controlled Evie to infiltrate a Templar-controlled factory. The dimly lit interior was filled with patrolling guards. Using the rope launcher, I moved swiftly between vantage points, observed patrol routes, and silently eliminated my targets one by one. In that moment, the glint of the dagger felt deadlier than any gunshot.
The melee combat system was also satisfying. Gang fights often erupted in the streets, and Jacob’s combination of punches, knife strikes, and baton swings felt fluid and impactful. I vividly recall a fight on the Thames’s edge against a rival gang. I used a smoke bomb to disrupt their vision and then took them down with my short blade, one by one. The experience was both tense and rewarding.
The game’s attention to detail in recreating London was breathtaking. From the grandeur of Buckingham Palace to the damp, shadowy alleys of the East End, every area reflected the city’s multifaceted nature. I even had the chance to ride a steam train across the city, a unique thrill that few other games can offer.
3. The Getaway — Blood and Survival in the Gangland Streets
Compared to the previous two, The Getaway felt rawer and more direct. Though it was released years ago, its portrayal of London’s criminal underworld remains etched in my memory.
The story begins with a kidnapping. I played as Mark Hammond, a former criminal forced to undertake a series of dangerous missions in London’s underworld to rescue his abducted son. The game had no flashy UI or on-screen maps—objectives were conveyed through the character’s gaze, body language, and dialogue. This cinematic design pulled me deep into its world.
Here, London’s streets were stripped of glamour, replaced with blood and brutality. Narrow alleys, dark warehouses, and crowded city roads became arenas for shootouts and chases. In one mission, I had to escape a police pursuit through central London during rush hour. The rain-slick roads were treacherous, and one wrong turn could result in a crash or hitting a pedestrian—the tension was unmatched.
The gunfights were fast-paced, demanding quick transitions between cover, aiming, and shooting. Unlike the organized soldiers in Watch Dogs or the Templars in Assassin’s Creed, these enemies were unpredictable street thugs who could lunge at you from any corner. I remember a warehouse shootout where I was forced onto a crate-filled platform, picking off attackers one by one with my pistol, conserving every bullet as ammunition was scarce.
In The Getaway, guns were the only guarantee of survival, and blades were the last word on the street. There were no advanced hacking tools or romanticized historical settings—only raw, life-or-death decisions.
These three games showcase the “guns and blades” of London’s streets in different ways. In Watch Dogs: Legion, I experienced the cool precision and cunning of technological resistance. In Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, I immersed myself in the shadows of history and the creed of the assassin. In The Getaway, I confronted the bloody and ruthless reality of the gangland world.
Whether in the future, the past, or the present, London’s in-game portrayal is always multifaceted—it can be a high-tech dystopian battlefield, a city of steam and conspiracy, or a dangerous domain of crime and desire. Every time I step into this virtual land, I feel its unique atmosphere and challenges. The echoes of gunfire and the glint of blades have long since carved themselves into my memory.
