City of Gangsters

About

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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 739 reviews

gameplay41 positive mentions

story6 negative mentions

Engaging resource management and logistics gameplay set in the Prohibition era.
Deep relationship mechanics that add a layer of strategy and immersion.
Active developer support with regular updates and community engagement.

Clunky UI and excessive clicking required for basic tasks, leading to frustration.
Random map generation can result in unplayable starts with limited resources.
Combat mechanics are simplistic and lack depth, making violent interactions feel unsatisfying.

gameplay
173 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
70%
6%
The gameplay of "City of Gangsters" is a blend of strategic management and tactical decision-making, focusing on building and running a bootlegging empire. While many players appreciate the depth and variety of mechanics, including logistics and relationship management, the experience can become repetitive and tedious due to micromanagement and a lack of engaging content. Overall, the game shows promise but suffers from design flaws and a need for refinement to enhance player enjoyment and immersion.
- “Super fun theme with a nice aesthetic and some fun gameplay mechanics relating to producing and selling illegal goods while building up your criminal empire.”
- “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 combines RPG, turn-based strategy, and business tycoon style gameplay fluently together, forming a game that makes you feel like you are running a bootlegging business.”
- “This process can be automated as you expand your territory, but if you automate the picking up/dropping off, then you've basically taken all the gameplay out of the game because there's nothing else to do.”
- “Unfortunately, every aspect of this core gameplay loop is incredibly flawed and requires absurd levels of micromanagement.”
- “The gameplay loop is tedious and uninteresting.”
story
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
89%
7%
The game's story is minimal, relying heavily on player imagination and self-directed goals rather than a structured narrative. Players engage in repetitive missions and relationships with NPCs to build their criminal empire, but many find the lack of variety and depth in quests frustrating. While the mechanics allow for some role-playing and strategic decision-making, the overall experience feels more like a management simulation than a story-driven game.
- “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 ability to choose different cities and customize your starting character's name, appearance, and traits is a nice addition to the game, as well as the different missions, types of booze that you are moving, and having to interact with a dynamic world where the neighborhood's opinion of you changes based on deliveries, your protection rackets, and other actions that you take.”
- “☑ No story.”
- “The missions and flavor dry up in the mid to late game, and things get rather repetitive.”
- “This isn't everyone's type of game; there's no real story to speak of, so you have to make your own goals, but the game does have a tech tree type progression system where you learn new skills to make better booze.”
graphics
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
61%
9%
The graphics of the game are generally described as stylized and aesthetically appealing, effectively capturing the 1920s gangster theme, though they are not groundbreaking and may lack detail. While some players appreciate the cute, minimalist art style, others find it clunky and feel that it detracts from the overall experience, with criticisms about repetitive visuals and a lack of dynamic elements in the city. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose in enhancing the game's atmosphere, but they may not satisfy those seeking high-end visuals or a more immersive environment.
- “The graphics and sounds enhance the game's atmosphere.”
- “City of Gangsters' graphics successfully reflect the atmosphere of the criminal world.”
- “The stylized graphics give the game an aesthetically appealing look.”
- “However, some players may consider the quality of the graphics and the lack of visual details as a disadvantage.”
- “Tldr: at first glance, appears to be an in-depth, complex micro-managers dream game, but quickly falls flat in bottle-necked game paths, clunky interface, bare and horrid graphics and ultimately shallow, unrewarded gameplay, which becomes boring and repetitive early-on.”
- “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
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is overwhelmingly tedious, characterized by excessive micromanagement and repetitive tasks that detract from the overall enjoyment. Players express frustration with the slow progression and cumbersome mechanics, particularly in the mid to late game, where the fun diminishes significantly due to the need for constant clicking and resource management. While some appreciate the depth and potential of the game, many feel that the tedious nature of grinding overshadows its positive elements.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's close to being a really fun game, but it gets absolutely killed by its tediousness and required micromanagement.”
- “Running a gangster empire should be thrilling, but this game makes it a tedious chore.”
- “The gameplay loop is tedious and uninteresting.”
music
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
79%
9%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being overly repetitive and limited to just a few tracks, which detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the thematic elements of the soundtrack, others feel it fails to capture the vibrant essence of the 1920s, leading to a desire for more diverse and engaging music options. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant drawback, with many opting to mute it in favor of their own music.
- “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.”
- “+ Great setting, music, and minimalist art style really help immerse you in the role of a criminal leader.”
- “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 soundtrack is kind of monotonous, with one song on an infinite loop.”
- “The music just feels off, and I guess it could feel like 20s music, but honestly it doesn't to me. It sounds like it's literally just 2 or 3 tracks tops. Coming from recently playing 'Empire of Sin' and 'Omerta: City of Gangsters', I know 20s music can be done really well.”
- “Same stupid music over and over and had to turn it off after the first half hour, to play other soothing background music.”
replayability
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
Overall, the game's replayability is highlighted as a significant strength, particularly due to its procedurally generated maps and diverse play styles that ensure each playthrough feels unique. While some players note that improvements are needed to enhance the experience further, features like random city generation and potential for multiplayer add to its long-term appeal. However, concerns about grindiness and the need for additional content were also mentioned, indicating that while the foundation for replayability is strong, there is room for enhancement.
- “There is a lot of replay value in the maps and two games don't turn out exactly the same every time.”
- “The replayability factor is one of the big positives for me - every game is different as the campaign map is procedurally generated, 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 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.”
- “The replayability is also huge; everything regenerates when you use a new map completely, and you can have an all-new playstyle.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
91%
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report a stable and visually appealing experience, others encounter frequent bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay. Many users express frustration with the game's unrefined mechanics and clunky UI, suggesting that it requires further updates to address these issues. Overall, while some players enjoy the game despite its flaws, the consensus indicates that it still needs significant improvements to enhance stability and user experience.
- “Visually and audibly pleasing while maintaining a stable, bug-free experience for a large real-time map.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, providing a reliable experience throughout.”
- “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is, allowing me to focus on strategy without worrying about technical issues.”
- “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 and comparison graphs, I might change this review. However, 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.”
- “While this game is enjoyable and I have played it to near completion achievement-wise, there are a few bugs, glitches, and issues as any game does. For instance, I had an issue where the upgrade screen overrode the escape function and constantly showed the same upgrade screen despite clicking off to attend to a level up.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by absurd situations, such as gangsters promoted to capos still performing menial tasks, 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 dialogue-driven, adding a layer of fun to the gameplay experience.
- “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 exploitative, with frequent DLC releases that add content many players feel should have been included in the base game. This has led to perceptions of the game being a cash grab, especially in light of a lack of updates and poor gameplay mechanics. Overall, the monetization strategy has significantly impacted player satisfaction and trust in the developers.
- “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 or 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.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The atmosphere in "City of Gangsters" is effectively conveyed through its graphics and music, immersing players in the criminal world of the 1920s Prohibition era. The combination of visual and auditory elements enhances the game's overall experience, making it engaging despite its focus on resource management rather than pure mafia simulation.
- “I'm a white-collar worker by day but a mafia leader at nighttime; the atmosphere really takes you back to the Prohibition era.”
- “The game's music is also used in harmony to support the atmosphere.”
- “I'm a white-collar worker by day but a mafia leader at night... the atmosphere really takes you back to the Prohibition era.”
- “The graphics and sounds enhance the game's atmosphere.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Overall, users feel that the game's optimization is lacking, with some noting that it limits expansive gameplay to maintain performance. While there are calls for improvements, particularly regarding specific mechanics like gambling debt, the general consensus is that the game feels unoptimized despite its ambitious scope.
- “I guess this keeps you and the AI from building sprawling empires with dozens of buildings, which probably helps performance.”
- “The game seems unoptimized despite its scope.”
- “The game also needs to be optimized, but not by much.”
- “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
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features intricate layers of gang progression and character development, complemented by detailed city and character designs that contribute to a realistic and dark atmosphere.
- “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 frustration with the emotional aspect of the game, feeling overwhelmed and inadequate due to a lack of understanding of its mechanics. This sense of confusion can lead to negative feelings, detracting from the overall experience.