Electronic Al Capone (Gangsters (PC))

Member Name: andycharger

Product:	Gangsters (PC)
Date:	09/09/02 (208 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple missions, Idea, Music

Disadvantages: Boring, Graphics, Gameplay

It was with great anticipation that I purchased this game after reading some really good reviews of it by fellow members and online computer reviewers.
Alas, im sitting here disappointed and somewhat bemused to find the addiction factor and enjoyment level that this game gives to so many. Is there a money back guarantee on it?

Im talking of course about Gangsters 2. A 1920's style American gang warfare game where you are the boss. You run a small time gang with the illusion of taking over the city for your own seedy operations.

You must have heard of the prohibition wars in the USA during this time and the gangs that controlled the drinking in the big city? The mafia style families that ran the operations? Well, this game is based on that.

Here is a review of the game.

Installation and loading.

Very quick. I was very suprised at the size of the game. It is only 137Mb in size so easily fits on a CD with gallons of space to spare. This imediately sent alarm bells ringing...It cant be too clever if it is that small an application.
However, the game only took about 5 minutes to install and unpack to the relevant places. Loading takes about 1 minute because it needs to evaluate your display and set the game up accordingly.

Menus/navigation.
Very simple to use once inside the game. The main options include starting a new game, loding a saved game, trying out the tutorial (recommended) editing the game settings and exiting the game. Limited choices but well thought out.
Each menu is then easy to use once selected. The first 2 options are self explanitory as is the tutorial. The options are limited to Music, Effects and speech levels and also detail level. No control over setting your display resolution which was a bit of a blow.

Getting started.
Highly recommend the tutorial. I jumped straight into the game without trying it and was thrashing around wildly getting nowhere. I restarted i
n tutorial mode which was excellent. Ve
ry informative if a little slow. I got the basic idea and the tutorial does explain how to do things in very simple fashion. Click here, Point here, do this, do that,etc....
It gives instructions (as in the main game) via a scrolling text message as well as an audible dialogue in a New York Gangster style accent. Good for the moodieness.

Graphics/views.
Hmm...Once you have opened the game you soon become a little disappointed as the level of detail and graphic style involved. I was dismayed to see graphics that belong on a 8 or 10 years old game rather than a modern game. The pixelisation is huge with real blocky-style graphics.
The actual game view is pretty poor too. Using the diagonal above approach, you soon get disorientated as to where you are and how to get around. No marks from me.

Sound.
Good. The narration is fine as is the sound effects. All in the right place if somewhat lagging behind the action at times.
The in game music is a bit sombre too. Good selection of tunes though as they reflect the period well.

Gameplay.
Again, poor. The missions are easy enough to follow but the actual control and interaction with the game does need some work. I found it did not hold my attention for long enough and soon had me looking for the escape button. I have tried to persevere with it and try it when im in different moods but still end up getting bored with it.
I tihnk the main reason that the enjoyment factor is missing from the gameplay is because the missions are so similar. "Shoot this guy, shoot thst guy" soon gets boring and you end up suffering from a severe case of De Ja Vu!

Overall.
A simple game to play with not enough thought gone into the plot. It is certainly no GTA3 although it may try to be. It suffers from bad graphics and poor control. One to avoid with so many better and similar styled games around.

Summary: