Gangs Of London
PSP
SCEE

'The Getaway' and its consequent sequel, 'Black Monday', were both received with mixed reviews and indifference on the PS2. Both games presented London in a very realistic and accurate play environment, yet suffered from the huge amount of public focus on the 'Grand Theft Auto' series that was so prominent at the time of their release.

'Gangs Of London' is essentially an extension of the 'Getaway' games, using the same game world and gang factions, but tweaking things slightly with the use of squad tactics and a slightly different weapon system. There are a huge number of side games including pool and skittles, as well as other pub games and also variations on aspects of play within the game world, which perhaps are a sign of guilty programmers and designers countering the fact that the game proper is not really all that it should be.

All whinging aside though, it is quite refreshing to see the game engine squeezed for all it is worth, including driving-themed mission, zombie attack mayhem and annoying tourist mode, amongst other token scenarios.

The control system is awful, with the player assuming they are missing something crucial in the mechanics, yet realising they are in fact flawed and clunky beyond all belief. An awkward aiming and targeting system is nigh on unforgivable for this type of game and it's difficult to know how a game makes it to commercial release with so many flaws. The game also suffers from being too predictable, with each mission either falling into the 'drive from A to B within the time limit without being blown up' category, or 'shoot X amount of baddies and reach destination Y without being shot'. Granted the pathos of handheld gaming dictates that things should be more tight and succinct in regard to mission lengths and objectives, yet inventive and thoughtful mission design is sadly missing with 'Gangs Of London'.

Ultimately, 'Gangs Of London' is regrettably a chore to play and it is a pity to see a polished product that quite honestly is not a fun or rewarding experience.

Tim Koch