GTA Bratislava? Vivat Slovakia delivers an authentic local video game experience
Curious about how Bratislava looked in the 90s?
Have you ever wondered what Bratislava looked like in the 1990s? The Slovak action game "Vivat Slovakia," will take you to the last decade of the last century. The game is set in the world of the Bratislava mafia that emerged during the sometimes chaotic post-communist transition of the 1990s.
This open-world game, dubbed by reviewers "the Slovak GTA" (a reference to the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto series of video games) or "Slovak Mafia" (Mafia is another popular game series), allows players to explore well-known locations in the capital of Slovakia – as they looked the end of the twentieth century. The creators, a team of local amateur game developers calling themselves Team Vivat, have made a significant effort to authentically recreate Bratislava as it looked then.
Online portal Zive.sk has played the game and selected eight of the most recognisable locations in the capital that players can experience in the game. A few look quite different today, but many are practically unchanged despite the passage of 30 years.
1. Bratislava main railway station
Since the 1990s, not much more than the paving has changed on the outside. If you sometimes travel through it, everything will look familiar to you in the game.
The main railway, as depicted in the 1990s, is little different today. (Source: Vivat Slovakia)2. Parliament
The Slovak Parliament building was opened at about the same time as the gameplay is set. (Source: Vivat Slovakia)The current parliament building, which was officially opened in May 1994, appears to be complete in the game, which is set in around the same period (the game is not specific about the exact year(s) in which it is set).
3. Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle is now white, but in the 1990s its walls were cream-colored. (Source: Vivat Slovakia)Bratislava Castle, which was painted a muddy beige colour in the 1990s, was renovated in the early 2000s, acquiring its current white hue along with significant changes to the surrounding buildings and gardens.
4. Grassalkovich Palace
The Presidential Palace hasn't changed much, but Hodžovo Square has. (Source: Vivat Slovakia)The Grassalkovich Palace, residence of the Slovak president, now has a new facade; also, the game still shows the large concrete planters from the 1980s in front of it that have since been replaced with smaller planters with trees.
5. The underpass beneath Hodžovo Square
There are no shops on the left side of the subway in the game. (Source: Vivat Slovakia)The underpass beneath Hodžovo Square is one of the largest in Bratislava and was intended to connect with a metro station (the metro system was never built). In the game, the left side of the underpass lacks the shops that can be found there in real life, showing only a bare wall.
6. City walls
The city walls still look the same. (Source: Vivat Slovakia)7. Michael's Tower
Michael's Gate has recently been renovated. In the game it still bears its previous patina. (Source: Vivat Slovakia)The tower was renovated just last year, so it now looks a lot less drab than it does in the game.
8. SNP Bridge and UFO
The UFO restaurant is one of the most iconic buildings of modern Bratislava. (Source: Vivat Slovakia)The game features the SNP (formerly New) Bridge and its iconic restaurant (since rebranded UFO). Its external appearance is almost exactly the same in the game as it is today.
The missions in "Vivat Slovakia" are inspired by real stories from Bratislava's underworld in the 1990s, as well as specific political events. While names and titles have been changed, those familiar with Slovakia's recent history will easily recognise the real-life individuals and events they allude to.
While games like GTA and Mafia are set in fictional cities inspired by real ones, "Vivat Slovakia" takes place in the actual city of Bratislava during the 1990s. If you have some knowledge of Bratislava, you won't have any trouble recognising familiar places.
"Vivat Slovakia" is still in developement, but the early access version for Windows PC is available on the Steam platform.
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