It hardly bears pointing out that the Gangstar
series from Gameloft has taken its inspiration
from Rockstar's GTA series, but where previous
incarnations of Gangstar were happy to simply
ape older generations of GTA, the latest version
takes a swing at something entirely new.
Unfortunately it's a swing and a miss as no
matter how you look at it, Gangstar Rio: City
of Saints fails to excite and inspire the
same sort of sandbox fun it attempts to emulate.
The problems are evident early on as you jump
in to a sporty vehicle and slide, crash, bounce
and yes, even float your way through the back
alleys of a permanently sunset drenched Rio
cityscape.
It's a beautiful area and one that's perfectly
suited to this style of gameplay as it features
environments ranging from its beach-y coastline
to slums, idyllic hilltops and upmarket shopping
districts.
Unfortunately the hits keep coming as the
environment suffers for its poorly designed
engine, with building rendering all too late
and vehicles literally popping in to existence
and falling in to their place even at a moderate
jogging speed.
Stopping to jump out of the vehicle and pop
a few bad guys in the jaw is no better either
as the combat system refuses to allow you
to close the gap, often having you swing at
empty air in frustration.
Until the later stages of the game, guns are
similarly challenging to use as they fire
erratically and 'health meters' swing from
green to red seemingly at random.
All of this is what you will have to contend
with as you follow the story of the avenging
gangster conveniently given a second chance
after 'dying' with the name of Angel.
You'll follow him as he infiltrates his old
gang, unraveling a plot involving assassins,
drug cartels and corrupt officials all while
wearing nothing but breezy shorts and a couple
chains.
Story missions are unlocked through a 'respect'
system, ultimately allowing you to level up
Angel and customize him by improving his health,
ability with weapons, and vehicle handling.
'Respect' is a currency that can also be earned
through side-missions and performing dangerous/illegal
activities including murder, stun driving
and delivering burgers.
The fact that your character's appearance
and ability to purchase weapons are almost
limited by your respect level only adds to
the frustration while limiting the freedoms
you have in Gangstar Rio.
When considered on its own merits as a cheesy
sandbox title designed for the iOS platform,
Gangstar Rio has a lot to offer, but despite
being the third installment of the series
it shows a lack of polish; something that
would have elevated this game from simply
being a copycat to being a series in its own
right.
An easy title to side-step if you're short
on cash, but still worth a play if you love
your GTA-like titles.
