10 Video Game Locations You Didn't Know Actually Exist

6. Kowloon (Shenmue II)/ Kowloon Walled City (Hong Kong)

Anor Londo Il Duomo
SEGA/Untapped Cities

Ryo Hazuki's $47 million search for the men who killed his father eventually leads him to a plateau on the outskirts of Hong Kong, upon which precariously resides the lawless, listing enclave of Kowloon.

Shenmue II's impromptu metropolis is an exaggerated version of the real life settlement known as the Kowloon Walled City. The actual ad-hoc suburb was a vertical slum, with foundationless, unregulated buildings leaning against one another for support, remarkably housing over 50,000 largely ungoverned residents.

The Chinese government eventually demolished the Walled City in 1993, though it can still be visited today; in its place is a rather attractive ornamental garden, effectively wiping clear any trace of the bustling subculture that once existed on the outskirts of Hong Kong.

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Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.