City of Gangsters

About

City of Gangsters is a single player turn-based strategy game with historical and business themes. It was developed by SomaSim and was released on August 9, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Start a crime syndicate from nothing, and grow it into a well-oiled money machine in City of Gangsters, a mafia management simulation game. Build speakeasies and illegal distilleries. Manage production chains and resource distribution. Smuggle goods from out of town and bribe the police to look the other way. Grow a powerful crew and keep your rivals under your thumb. Eliminate competition and rul…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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74%

Audience ScoreBased on 901 reviews

gameplay51 positive mentions

story8 negative mentions

Engaging resource management gameplay that allows players to build a criminal empire from scratch.
Rich simulation of the Prohibition era with a focus on relationships and networking.
Dynamic city generation adds replayability and unique challenges in each playthrough.

Excessive micromanagement can lead to tedious gameplay, especially in the mid to late game.
Combat mechanics are simplistic and lack depth, making violent encounters feel unfulfilling.
Randomized map generation can result in unplayable starts, leading to frequent restarts.

gameplay
229 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
71%
7%
The gameplay of "City of Gangsters" is characterized by a complex blend of strategic management and turn-based mechanics focused on building a bootlegging empire. While the game offers a rich array of features and a compelling premise, many players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, with a steep learning curve and a cumbersome interface that can detract from the overall experience. Despite its potential, the game struggles with issues such as micromanagement, unclear mechanics, and a lack of engaging content, leading to mixed reviews regarding its long-term enjoyment.
- “The gameplay loop revolves around careful turn-based planning.”
- “City of Gangsters offers a compelling premise with straightforward gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is mostly management and decision-based, with your concerns revolving around supply and demand and influence, but the real fun comes from crafting your own crime narrative.”
- “It's fun for the first few hours, but when you realize how one-dimensional the gameplay is, it loses its appeal.”
- “The gameplay loop is tedious and uninteresting.”
- “The game became unplayable twice on Windows 11 23h2 and I lost a few hours of gameplay through that!”
story
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
87%
8%
The game's storytelling is largely procedural and lacks a traditional narrative, leading to modest character development and repetitive missions. Players create their own stories through emergent gameplay, managing turf wars and relationships, but many find the lack of a structured story mode and mission variety to be a significant drawback. While the mechanics allow for unique experiences, the overall narrative depth is minimal, leaving players to rely on their imagination to fill in the gaps.
- “The developers have given you a lot of tools and room to roleplay and create your own criminal empire story.”
- “If you like story-rich games, you will love City of Gangsters as so many different personalities make for a deep story.”
- “The story of the immigrant getting set up in a family's back room is grounding as far as how small you do start to how big of an operation you can become.”
- “Another limitation is the game’s relatively modest storytelling and character development.”
- “There is no story mode, just endless sandbox, which gives little to no incentive to play.”
- “The missions and flavor dry up in the mid to late game, and things get rather repetitive.”
graphics
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
63%
7%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the stylized, low-poly aesthetic that evokes a nostalgic 1920s vibe, while others criticize the visuals as outdated and lacking detail. Many agree that while the graphics are not groundbreaking, they serve the game's thematic purpose, though some players find them clunky and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as serviceable for a management-focused game, but not a strong selling point.
- “The visuals lean into a clean, isometric style that is easy to read while still offering enough detail to ground the player in the setting.”
- “The graphics are simple but fun.”
- “City of Gangsters' graphics successfully reflect the atmosphere of the criminal world.”
- “No voice acting, dreadfully unamusing map, graphic features, and art design.”
- “The 3D aspect was a bit unnecessary; many buildings look the same, and the city feels kind of hollow at some points. I would have been fine with isometric 2D visuals provided the game could have more content and complex data visualizations of charts.”
- “I didn't expect much from the game's graphics, this being an indie title and all, but the cartoonish art style betrays the setting. There is none of the grit you would expect from a game called City of Gangsters.”
grinding
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The reviews highlight that the game's grinding aspect becomes increasingly tedious and burdensome as players progress, particularly due to excessive micromanagement and repetitive tasks. While the early game offers some enjoyment, many players find that the mid and late game devolve into a monotonous cycle of resource collection and management, detracting from the overall fun. Despite some potential for enjoyment, the overwhelming grind and lack of intuitive mechanics lead to a frustrating experience for many.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The gameplay loop is tedious and uninteresting.”
- “Running a gangster empire should be thrilling, but this game makes it a tedious chore.”
- “Collecting debts is quite good at the start; however, it becomes horribly tedious once you get near hundreds of people indebted to you.”
music
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
79%
7%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and monotonous, often consisting of only a few tracks that loop endlessly. While some appreciate the thematic connection to the 1920s setting, others feel it fails to capture the vibrant jazz atmosphere of the era, leading to a sense of boredom during gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a missed opportunity, detracting from the immersive experience the game aims to provide.
- “The soundtrack and ambient sounds help bring the city to life, capturing the tense quiet of clandestine deals and the hum of urban life.”
- “The music in COG (upbeat mysterious instrumental jazz) is so good I didn't even want to tune in to a radio station. If you buy this game, I strongly recommend you buy the expansions for a few bucks more as they add a lot of content, maps, and even mob factions.”
- “The 1920s era gangland setting is interesting, the art style is quaint, the music is thematic and it has all the elements of a tycoon/4X game for people to enjoy.”
- “The music is mundane.”
- “The soundtrack is kind of monotonous, with one song on an infinite loop.”
- “Same stupid music over and over and had to turn it off after the first half hour, to play other soothing background music.”
replayability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
45%
14%
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its procedurally generated maps and diverse gameplay styles, ensuring that no two playthroughs are the same. While many players appreciate the variety and potential for different strategies, some note that improvements are needed to fully realize its replay value. The addition of random city generation and modding support further enhances its longevity, making it a promising candidate for extended play.
- “And since there are so many factors woven into the map/city (named NPCs, ethnicity, layout, rivers/coasts), the game offers so much replayability that your game restart is always different.”
- “The replayability factor is one of the big positives for me - every game is different as the campaign map is procedurally generated (i.e., it's not the same Chicago each time you play), and I can't wait to see what additional systems the devs add to this beautiful game.”
- “The procedurally generated elements and multiple different valid play styles (focus on one product line? On your own speakeasies? On variety for ease of sale? On territory and passive income?) make the game infinitely replayable.”
- “The game had potential but has huge drawbacks crippling its replayability.”
- “But much more needs to be added into the current game for replay value.”
- “There is a lot of replay value in the maps and two games don't turn out exactly the same every time.”
stability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report a visually pleasing experience with minimal crashes, many others encounter significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay. Issues such as tedious micromanagement and unresponsive UI elements are common, leading to frustration for some users. Overall, while there are enjoyable aspects, the game requires further updates and refinement to address its stability concerns.
- “Visually and audibly pleasing while maintaining a stable, bug-free experience for a large real-time map.”
- “Also, the game is still pretty buggy and they seem to have stopped updating it. If I'm wrong here and they start fixing things and adding some quality of life improvements such as better UIs, comparison graphs, etc., I might change this review. But the game still needs more illegal businesses not strictly centered on booze production, and just simply more criminal activities to make you feel more like a gangster and less like a product delivery person in the 1920s.”
- “Ran into some glitches that made the game inoperable and annoying more than anything.”
- “Bugs, bugs, bugs... more bugs... buggy trash... time is wasted on this.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive and detailed representation of the 1920s, effectively capturing the essence of the era through graphics, sound, and strategic gameplay. While some players feel it lacks the excitement of traditional mafia games, many appreciate the depth and flexibility it offers, allowing for varied play styles within a well-crafted historical context. Overall, the atmosphere significantly enhances the experience, making it a standout for fans of economic and historical strategy games.
- “The game also excels in immersion and atmosphere.”
- “It’s not flashy, and it doesn’t deliver high-octane mob drama like other games set in similar eras, but its attention to detail, strategic complexity, and immersive atmosphere make it a standout title for fans of economic sims and historical strategy games.”
- “The 1920s atmosphere is really well done, and I like how the game lets you play it your way—whether you want to be ruthless or more calculated in your approach.”
- “I got this game hoping it would expand upon Omerta: City of Gangsters, and it did; the problem is that it is not a fun game like Omerta was - there is a severe lack of atmosphere.”
- “I'm a white-collar worker by day but a mafia leader at night... the atmosphere really takes you back to the Prohibition times.”
- “- atmosphere”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by absurd situations, such as gangsters behaving comically despite their promotions, and the nonsensical expansion of territory. Players find the dialogue, particularly the quirky character interactions and amusing item descriptions, to be a highlight, contributing to a lighthearted and tongue-in-cheek atmosphere. Overall, the humor is both situational and character-driven, adding a layer of enjoyment to the gameplay.
- “This becomes hilarious when you start promoting your best gangsters to capos and they are still stuck driving a truck around like an idiot.”
- “How suspicious the characters act in the dialogue is the most hilarious part of this game.”
- “You get funny descriptions, such as the apple description.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
80%
The monetization model of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with multiple DLCs released for content that many players feel should have been included in the base game. Users express frustration over the lack of updates and the perception that the developers are prioritizing profit over quality, leading to a negative impact on the overall gaming experience.
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel exploitative, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers a variety of ways to earn in-game currency, making it accessible for everyone.”
- “The balance between free and paid content is well done, ensuring that players can progress without needing to spend money.”
- “Couple that with no updates for the game in about 7 months and them wasting no time in shoveling out DLC after DLC for things that should have been in the game makes it pretty obvious this was either a cash grab or is now a dead game.”
- “So this is now obviously a cash grab where the devs half-ass a game and make you pay for the more in-depth content that should be included in the base game.”
- “I want to love this game so bad, but after what, 5, 6 DLCs that only add content that should've been available in the base game, an awful combat system, and probably the worst RNG I've ever seen in a game, it's obvious the devs are just using this game as a cash grab.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while some users appreciate the performance benefits of limited empire-building, others feel the game is unoptimized and could use improvements, particularly regarding specific mechanics like gambling debt. Despite these issues, the addictive gameplay mechanics keep players engaged, suggesting that further optimizations could enhance the experience without compromising its core appeal.
- “The mechanics of the game are certainly addictive and are designed in such a way that you are always gunning for that extra little business expansion or skill optimization, where there is always one more carrot-on-a-stick reward just out of reach.”
- “The game also needs to be optimized, but not by much.”
- “I guess this keeps you and the AI from building sprawling empires with dozens of buildings, which probably helps performance, but it feels really artificial.”
- “As for the 'rough around the edges' I mentioned earlier, the game seems unoptimized despite the scope.”
- “I guess this keeps you and the AI from building sprawling empires with dozens of buildings (which probably helps performance), but it feels really artificial.”
- “The game also needs to be optimized, not by much.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Character development in the game is noted for its detailed layers of gang progression, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users feel that the storytelling and character development are relatively modest, despite the impressive city and character designs that contribute to a realistic and dark ambiance. Additionally, the inclusion of a personal character designer adds a unique touch to customization.
- “And it even has a personal character designer.”
- “Another limitation is the game’s relatively modest storytelling and character development.”
- “Tons of detailed layers of gang progression and character development.”
- “Detailed city and character designs create a realistic and dark ambiance in the game.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express feelings of frustration and inadequacy, as the game can evoke a sense of confusion and lack of understanding regarding its mechanics.