Gangsters 2

The 1998 sequel to Gangsters Organized Crime.

The fans of the first game were hoping for a little more of the same when Gangsters 2 came out. People that hadn’t played the first were probably not impressed when it came out in 1998. In 1998 we were not yet spoilt by PC gaming but even in those days, this was a sub-par game, and the biggest reason is the fact it is more complicated than complex.

It Should Have Been Good

You get the feeling that the game has a lot of potential to be quite deep. What should entertain with a deep strategy is actually complicated and confusing. The game has artificial intelligence problems and it has a very convoluted interface. Hothouse Creations had made the interface easier to use with this version, but as a result have also removed a lot of what a player can actually do.

The game is repetitive, and confusing, and playing seems like more of a chore than anything else. The interface is far (far) easier to understand than in the first gangster’s game, but it still has more problems than it should.

The Choices We Make

If only they had offered a little more freedom and a little more depth. For example, you can set up illegal businesses, but they tell you where and when you can do it. The only choice you get is whether you do it or not. It would have been good if you could have set up a drugs business in the church and had the choirboys do the deliveries, or if you could set up a drug distribution business in the local jail cells.

Like the first Gangsters game, Gangsters 2 gives the impression it should be strategically deep, where you are able to bribe police officials, kidnap enemy gangsters, break your men out of prison, and more. Yet, most of the time you do not need to do stuff like that, unless the mission directives state that you should. The original Gangsters was deep but confusing; Gangsters 2 is just shallow and confusing.

Constructor Did This Better

The game just doesn’t let you take the reins in any meaningful way. Part of you wants to reengineer the game so you can get in there and direct a bunch of them in a Command & Conquer style. There is an old game called Constructor, and their take on the gangster life was simple, but was a lot more effective than this game. There is plenty of complexity, but no real control in Gangsters 2.

Pros

• Above average graphics considering the date it was released
• You can complete missions in different ways
• Easy-to-use interface
• May be suitable for fans of the first game

Cons

• You'll rarely have to make meaningful strategic decisions
• Other games have done this better
• Gangsters sound very similar/same
• Gameplay sounds are repetitive
• Gameplay can be slow