Gangstar Rio: City of Saints

Gangstar Rio: City of Saints is an action-packed game set in a 3D mafia world. With an interesting plot, engaging game mechanics, and good graphics, players are tasked with completing missions to unlock rewards. However, the game is noticeably buggy, which may detract from the overall experience. The game describes itself as a 3D mafia game with missions and prizes to unlock.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,278 reviews

graphics164 positive mentions

stability134 negative mentions

The game offers a great open-world experience reminiscent of GTA, with a fun storyline and engaging gameplay.
The graphics are impressive for a mobile game, and the cutscenes are well done.
The game provides a lot of content and activities, keeping players entertained for hours.

The controls are often unresponsive and can be frustrating, especially when driving or flying.
The game frequently crashes or freezes, particularly on certain devices, leading to a poor user experience.
There are issues with graphics rendering, such as buildings turning green or disappearing, which detracts from the overall experience.

graphics
350 mentions
47 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over their quality compared to other titles like Gangstar Vegas and GTA. While some users appreciate the cartoonish style and find the visuals enjoyable, others criticize them as outdated, pixelated, or lacking detail, suggesting that improvements are necessary for a more immersive experience. Overall, the consensus indicates that while the graphics are decent for a mobile game, they fall short of modern standards and could benefit from significant upgrades.
- “This game is amazing there is endless things to buy, gorgeous graphics.”
- “Awesome graphics, I love this game, best game ever.”
- “Great graphics and gameplay!”
- “The graphics are horrible, and the screen will get black frequently.”
- “Graphics are low, controls need improvement.”
- “The graphics are outdated and I'm able to basically walk through pretty much any wall I see; otherwise, it's an exceedingly fun game.”
story
302 mentions
33 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging plot and humorous writing, often drawing comparisons to the Grand Theft Auto series. However, criticisms include its brevity, some plot holes, and a lack of mission replayability, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, technical issues such as crashes and control difficulties during missions have been frequently mentioned, impacting players' enjoyment of the narrative.
- “The story is surprisingly good, and the gameplay itself is simple and enjoyable.”
- “With obvious influence from the likes of the Grand Theft Auto games, it stands on its own legs with an engrossing revenge story that'll keep you engaged till the end.”
- “Great storyline, great graphics and sound effects.”
- “The story is short and there are some plot holes, but the driving mechanics in this game are superior to the newer Gangstar games.”
- “But the story was too boring.”
- “Storyline was written in a different and translated horribly.”
stability
146 mentions
4 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration over the game's inability to run smoothly on various devices, leading to a poor overall experience and requests for refunds. While a few users mention having no issues, the overwhelming consensus highlights a pressing need for stability improvements and bug fixes.
- “I love this game; no glitches or gimmicks.”
- “No glitches, perfect gameplay!”
- “No lag, no glitches, and no forced exits.”
- “This game is no good; don't waste your money on it. It freezes and stops the game completely. I am through with this game and do not recommend it to anybody because you will just be throwing your money down the drain.”
- “The game freezes and crashes after less than ten minutes. It's incredibly frustrating and makes it unplayable.”
- “This game is a scam. I bought it and it doesn't work; it just freezes, glitches, and then quits. I wish I could get a refund.”
gameplay
76 mentions
59 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay is praised for its fun mechanics, particularly in driving and shooting, with many users highlighting its addictive nature and smooth controls. However, there are significant complaints about stability issues, including crashes and lag, which detract from the experience. While some users appreciate the game's graphics and storyline, others note that it falls short compared to newer titles in the genre.
- “There's no adverts and no pressure to spend real money in order to progress through this immensely entertaining gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is perfect but the graphics suck.”
- “The game has overall great gameplay with adjustable controls as well as excellent graphics for a mobile game, resulting in the only downside of this game, which is the space it takes up.”
- “I want my money back; bad gameplay and it lags.”
- “I keep getting booted out of gameplay... just bought this today... very unhappy.”
- “Awful controls, worst voice acting ever, laggy gameplay.”
optimization
25 mentions
48 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many users reporting smooth performance on various devices, particularly on newer models like the LG Wing and Samsung Galaxy S3. However, significant issues persist, including poor graphics, frame rate drops, and unresponsive controls, particularly on older devices like the HTC Evo 3D. Many players express a desire for updates to address these performance shortcomings and improve overall gameplay experience.
- “Playing on LG Wing, the game runs very well and is well optimized for Android devices.”
- “Game runs smoothly for the most part.”
- “Very good graphics and runs smoothly on Samsung Galaxy S3.”
- “Poor graphics, poor physics, poor hardware optimization. It constantly has frame rate issues. I would've expected better for $6.99; it is like a Game Boy Advance quality of a game. It took forever to download, so by the time I tried it, it was too late for a refund. I likely will not buy another Gameloft product.”
- “The game could have been the best, but I guess the developers aren't interested in rolling out performance patches.”
- “Secondly, it's incredibly poorly optimized.”
monetization
13 mentions
23 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
31 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the absence of ads and the option to pay upfront for an ad-free experience. However, many express frustration over the high cost of in-app purchases and the feeling that the game becomes increasingly difficult, pushing players towards additional spending despite having already paid for the game. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable gameplay and graphics, the aggressive monetization strategy has left some players dissatisfied.
- “I played Gangstar Vegas beforehand, which is free, but I ended up spending a lot on in-game purchases because I liked it so much, which made me willing to buy this game.”
- “Early days but loving this after the disappointment of 4; I would rather pay for a game, be ad-free, and have no pressure for in-game purchases.”
- “Sure, there are in-app purchases, but they aren't necessary.”
- “It's okay, graphics just like GTA, but in-app purchases are way too expensive, and the game itself is already seven bucks!”
- “Fun gameplay and brilliant graphics; however, as with all Gameloft games, even though I've paid money for it, they still try to claw money out of me with in-game purchases... it's disgusting!”
- “These missions get brutally difficult really fast, so you're forced to make in-app purchases after you already paid for the game.”
music
13 mentions
38 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, users express a desire for a more diverse and recognizable music selection in the game, including the incorporation of American music and licensed tracks. Many players also request the ability to play their own music from personal playlists, highlighting a preference for customization and a broader range of audio options. While the soundtrack is appreciated for its authenticity and graphics, the lack of well-known music and limited audio features detracts from the overall experience.
- “Good graphics, Brazilian voices authentic, nice soundtrack.”
- “Licensed good music would have been nice too.”
- “I had it on my iPhone device before and when I saw it here I bought it. Cool game, but can you guys have an update so people can listen to their own music, please? Thanks, guys.”
- “Also, it needs more music that is more well-known and maybe more radio commercials.”
- “It would be better if we could play our own music from our playlist because iPods can play their own music.”
- “I know it supports iPhone's iTunes music, but come on, this is Android that can do anything with its music.”
humor
9 mentions
89 % positive mentions
-22 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding the voice acting and writing genuinely funny, particularly in cutscenes and NPC commentary. However, others criticize the voice acting as poorly executed, leading to unintentional humor that detracts from the experience. Overall, while there are moments of comedic value, the execution leaves some players feeling frustrated rather than entertained.
- “The voice acting is funny and so is the writing.”
- “In fact, I found the radio ads and NPC commentary to be genuinely hilarious.”
- “Much easier to control than Vice City and has a great sense of humor.”
- “The voice acting sounds as if they used Google Translate for the dialogue; most lines come off as unfunny jokes.”
- “The attempts at humor feel forced and fall flat, making the game more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
- “I found the jokes to be stale and predictable, lacking any real wit or charm.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by users expressing strong enjoyment and enthusiasm, with one reviewer declaring it a "great game" and praising its fun factor. However, there are suggestions for improvement in controls, indicating a desire for a more immersive experience. Overall, the emotional response is positive, reflecting a deep engagement with the game.
atmosphere
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a vibrant and diverse environment, despite the small map size, contributing to an overall fun and engaging experience. Players express a strong appreciation for the game's lively ambiance.
- “The map, although small, has a lot of diversity and creates a fun, colorful atmosphere.”
- “I love the atmosphere in this game.”