As video game consoles get more and more advanced, the visuals provided by the games become more and more realistic.  When it comes to figure design, there’s an issue with things being too realistic (and therefore, disturbing) called the uncanny valley.  Generally, that’s only an issue with humanoid robots, and not something as cuddly as Pleo.

However, when it comes to virtual landscapes, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a great degree of realism.  Take, for example, the video game version of the Big Apple, Grand Theft Auto IV’s Liberty City.  Flickr user Matthew Johnson put together these side-by-side comparisons of video game landmarks and their real inspirations in New York City.  It’s amazing how accurate they are, even down to the position of cabs!  Fortunately for GTA IV players, Liberty City doesn’t have nearly the same amount of traffic New York has, otherwise you’d spend all your time in the game negotiating traffic jams.

Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame, dude!  You’ve earned it with that awesome photo set!   

H/T:  Wonderland