11 Video Game Locations You Never Knew Were Based on Real Life

The amount of work that goes into creating video game worlds can’t be overstated and as such, many of them take inspiration from real-world locations. This is done rather obviously in games like Grand Theft Auto 5, L.A. Noire, Sleeping Dogs, and many more. However, some titles are a little less obvious about their inspirations. Let’s take a look at 11 video game locations that fit into that category.

Parliament Of Serbia in Belgrade – Half-Life 2

City 17’s European-inspired architecture and aesthetics are fairly easy to recognize, though the Overwatch Nexus is perhaps the closest to being based on an actual building. As the main building for the Overwatch forces, the Nexus was formerly a political building before the Combine invaded. It turns out that it’s actually inspired by the Parliament of Serbia in Belgrade. The similarities between the two buildings, from their general structure to the opening archway are noteworthy, though the signature dome isn’t as defined on the Nexus. Though it’s not outright confirmed in-game, browsing through the texture files reveals the word “parliament” which further hints at the inspiration.