A study recently conducted by Currys highlights the top video games based in the United Kingdom. The analysis compiled data on over 1,450 top selling video games from the last 30 years to find a diverse range of games that featured locations in the UK.
The games were ranked based on popularity and impact using factors including critical acclaim and commercial success, along with whether the settings in the games were recognisable or authentic.
From countryside dwellings to the winding streets of central London, find the games you should play to unlock the ultimate achievement: digital tourism of the UK.
| Title | Year of release | Description | |
| 1 | Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture | 2015 | Village mystery adventure in beautiful rural Shropshire |
| 2 | Forza Horizon 4 | 2018 | Spectacular driving experiences through Scotland and England |
| 3 | Medieval II: Total War | 2006 | Historical war campaigns in Ancient Britain |
| 4 | F1 2020 | 2020 | Formula 1 racing at Silverstone Circuit |
| 5 | Project Gotham Racing 4 | 2007 | Fast cars on the mean streets of London |
| 6 | Resistance: Fall of Man | 2006 | Alternate alien post-WWII history in Northern England |
| 7 | Tomb Raider: Legend | 2006 | Brit heroine Lara Croft searches for Excalibur in Cornwall |
| 8 | Dirt Rally 2.0 | 2019 | Rally racing in Powys, Wales |
| 9 | Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | 2020 | The Vikings march on ancient England |
| 10 | Total War: Thrones of Britannia | 2018 | Tribal war strategy in Anglo-Saxon Britain |
Digital tourism: play and experience the UK like never before
1. Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, 2015: a Shropshire village mystery
The apocalypse comes to Shropshire in a game quite unlike any other. The mystery is set in the sleepy make-believe town of Yaughton, which is depicted exactly as you would expect a country in the West Midlands to look back in the 80s. But there’s a dark twist: everyone has gone. The game unravels over 4.5-9 hours as you explore the area to uncover the truth of what happened.
With red telephone boxes, the local church, an empty pub, and local phrases like “ow bist?” turning up in the dialogue (it means “how do you do?”, the game delivers a rich and haunting depiction of English rural life. EGTTR is an excellent way to explore a snapshot of British culture caught in time.
2. Forza Horizon 4, 2018: a virtual drive in the car of your dreams
Forza Horizon presents you with the opportunity to tear across Britain in the car of your dreams. You can take your pick from 450 cars including the Bugatti Chiron and McLaren Senna (or maybe a classic family car from eighties like a Fiat 131).
The game delivers a fantastic driving experience by allowing you to race however you want through Scotland and England, tearing through barns and country roads. The arcade style racer is loved for its Sandbox approach, allowing the player to go from tight city streets to driving through a herd of sheep in the British wilderness.
3. Medieval II: Total War, 2006: time travel across Britain
Step into the past with Medieval II: Total War, which enables players to engage in historical war campaigns across Ancient Britain from 1080 to 1530. The full game gives players control of the kingdom of Britannia in 1258 AD under the rule of King Henry III, who has to ensure survival against the enemies from Wales, Scotland, Norway, and Ireland. As the game was released in 2006, Medieval II: Total War looks more dated than other games in the Total War franchise. However, in its depth, gameplay, and medieval lore, Medieval II stands the test of time.
4. F1 2020, 2020: race at Silverstone
A racing gamer favourite. Speed to your heart’s content in Formula 1 racing at the world-famous Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, with official teams and drivers. And if that’s not enough, you can create your own racing team in career mode before zooming around the legendary home of the British Grand Prix. While you won’t get to see much of the UK here, you’ll get to see a British staple that people travel the world to see and experience.
5. Project Gotham Racing 4, 2007: drive fast in London (with no speeding ticket)
Another racing extravaganza hitting our list is Project Gotham racing. This 2007 hit takes fast cars to the mean streets of London and redefines the PGR franchise by delivering a cinematic racing style that rewards impressive maneuvers and performance.
And no: it’s not a Batman spin off.
6. Resistance: Fall of Man, 2006: alien apocalypse in Grimsby, Manchester, Cheshire, Bristol, and London
Ever wondered what the UK would look like today if there had been an alien invasion post-WWII?
Launch offensives on Grimsby, Manchester, Cheshire, Bristol, and London against the terrifying and unwelcome guests from outer space, known as The Chimera. Join forces with American soldiers in protecting and fighting for Britain against a serious alien invasion in 1951.
7. Tomb Raider: Legend, 2006: Lara Croft in Cornwall
Lara’s quest in Tomb Raider: Legend is a journey to uncover the mystery behind Excalibur, the legendary sword of English myth.
The British heroine searches for Excalibur in Cornwall before exploring the King Arthur themed museum, along with Bolivia and Tokyo. The game strikes a balance between cities and rural countryside to show off Lara’s full skill set.
8. Dirt Rally 2.0, 2019: offroad driving challenges in Wales
Fancy some rally racing in east-central Wales? Bordering England, the county is by far the largest in Wales. The game is recent enough to have not suffered signs of aging, and it’s easy enough to get to grips with. It’s a great game to learn the basics of rally driving with.
Of course, if you get bored of the Welsh countryside (unlikely, surely!), you can explore the many other countries the game has to offer.
9. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 2020: the game that popularised Ravensthorpe
The fictional settlement of Ravensthorpe in middle-England is not as fictional as you might think. Ravensthorpe is in fact a real place in England, and the developers had no idea until a few months before the game’s release.
The developers chose the name Ravensthorpe because Eivor’s clan was the Raven clan, and Thorpe means ‘farmland’. The settlement was set in the middle of Mercia too, so it was centrally located on the map.
The real Ravensthorpe, meanwhile, is a village in Northamptonshire. It may not have originated as a Viking settlement, but in its position just slightly south-east of Coventry, it is pretty much in the middle of England.
“We had NO idea that there was a real Ravensthorpe in exactly this location in real life, until a few months ago,” explained Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Narrative Director, Darby McDevitt. “Granted there is no river running by the real Ravensthorpe, but a lot can happen in 1000 years. Rivers change courses.”
10. Total War: Thrones of Britannia, 2018: explore the old Britannia
Total War: Thrones of Britannia gives players the chance to explore ancient Britain in a turn-based strategy game with real-time tactics. Take your tribes far and wide as you engage in warfare and strategy across Anglo-Saxon Britain, while getting a taste of what life was like here in the before times.
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