The vehicle handling is marginally better, but still oddly stilted, with even the least powerful of vehicles sliding wildly at relatively low speeds.

Shooting is functional, but, thanks to the lock-on and cover systems, large scale shootouts are ultimately exercises in patience rather than skill. The bare bones never-stop-punching system is frequently undercut by an erratic lock-on and buggy enemies. Combine this lack of accuracy with a sprint button which doubles as the jump command, you'll find yourself accidentally leaping off of walkways and plummeting to the ground at the most inopportune moments. The virtual stick is unreliable and twitchy, making even the most basic movement commands difficult. Moving Jason around the city is a constant headache. Along the way, you are free to indulge in all the gangbanging, drive-bys, car-jacking, street races, and wanton destruction you see fit.Īll of which would be grand if it wasn't so awkward to control. Rescued by criminal duo Karen and Vera, you find yourself attempting to stay alive by diving deeper into the criminal underworld. You play as Jason, an ethically flexible boxer who gets in deep with some unscrupulous types when he fails to throw a fight.

The storyline is as generic as they come. However, it's hamstrung by derivative content, vacuous characters, and controls which simply aren't up to the task. The result is a game that is suitably gaudy and ambitious in scope. This is presumably in an effort to inject some colour and fun into the series previously grimy and po-faced universe. For Gangstar Vegas, Gameloft has transplanted the shooting, mugging, and carjacking action of its GTA wanabee franchise to Nevada's infamous Vegas Strip. In the case of the Gangstar franchise, the source material is clearly Grand Theft Auto. If you're unfamiliar with the term, it describes the loss of quality that occurs when something is copied. Gangstar Vegas is a textbook example of generation loss.

Gangstar vegas review