GTA: Chinatown Wars
- January 18, 2010
- Rockstar Games
- 5h median play time
Get on Play Store
Get on Apple Store"GTA: Chinatown Wars" is an action-packed game set in the Grand Theft Auto universe. With a wonderful story, compelling game mechanics, and pretty visuals, players are drawn into the world of organized crime in Liberty City. The game also features an awesome music score and plenty of hilarious moments, making it a must-play for fans of the series.
iPad
iPhone
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Android
Mobile Platform
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Reviews
- Great graphics and engaging storyline that brings back memories from the DS version.
- The drug dealing mechanic adds a unique and addictive element to the gameplay.
- Smooth performance on various devices, making it a fun game to play on the go.
- Crashes on startup for many users, especially on newer devices like the Samsung Galaxy S22.
- Controls are often unresponsive or difficult to manage, particularly while driving.
- Lack of updates and support for modern devices, leading to a poor user experience.
- story325 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally well-received, with many players praising its engaging plot, humorous dialogue, and interesting characters, particularly highlighting the protagonist's sarcasm. However, some users express disappointment over bugs and mission difficulties that hinder progression, as well as a desire for more missions and improved controls. Overall, while the narrative offers a nostalgic and entertaining experience reminiscent of classic GTA titles, technical issues detract from the enjoyment for some players.
“The story is good, the dialogues are hilarious, and I really enjoy Huang's sarcasm.”
“Fantastic stuff and you can get 8+ hours worth of storyline gameplay along with an endless amount of free roam fun.”
“Great story, challenging and fun gameplay with classic GTA sarcasm.”
“The cut-scenes/story is uninspiring and doesn't get you excited or interested in the slightest about being in this game world.”
“The story is bad; I did the first few missions and got bored and deleted it.”
“The story's writing is somewhat hammy and stilted on occasion, but beyond that, it's exactly what you'd expect from an overhead-view GTA.”
- graphics202 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the improvements over previous versions, particularly the DS, and noting the vibrant art style and detail. However, several users express disappointment with the overall quality, citing issues like poor camera angles, minor graphical bugs, and a lack of polish compared to console standards. Overall, while some players find the graphics enjoyable and fitting for a mobile game, others feel they fall short of expectations.
“The graphics look great with the kind of presentation it brings.”
“The graphics are beautiful and it makes driving through the surprisingly large Liberty City even more enjoyable.”
“Great graphics, great gameplay, great storyline and runs super smooth on my Samsung Galaxy Tab 4.”
“My one issue is that unless you really want to have top-down graphics, or want to play the game because you haven't played it before, it isn't as good as GTA III, GTA VC, or GTA SA, all of which are available for mobile for the same amount of money.”
“The graphics are horrible and so is the camera angle.”
“Graphics suck and the controls suck; can I have a refund?”
- gameplay110 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay is a mix of innovative mechanics and nostalgic elements, offering a fun and engaging experience for players, particularly with its mission structure and dynamic controls. However, many users have expressed frustration with the driving mechanics and control responsiveness, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite some technical issues and varying opinions on difficulty, the game is generally praised for its graphics, story, and replayability.
“Gameplay is really fun for the most part; it's very innovative and takes the player through missions without hand-holding, but more or less gameplay tutorials on how to hotwire a car, create molotovs, tattoo, scratch lottery tickets, and more.”
“Fantastic stuff! You can get 8+ hours worth of storyline gameplay along with an endless amount of free roam fun.”
“Great gameplay, art style, exploration, mini games, cut-scenes, voice-acting; this game has it all and is by far the best mobile GTA.”
“The gameplay is a bit difficult to tolerate.”
“The driving mechanic is just a disaster.”
“Less than 24 hours from purchase and less than 20 minutes of frustrating gameplay and I'm already seriously regretting my purchase, with no way to get a refund.”
- stability19 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 58 % negative mentions
The stability of the game varies significantly among users, with some reporting a smooth experience with minimal glitches, while others encounter frequent freezes and bugs, particularly on certain devices. Overall, many players appreciate the game's performance on specific models, but there are notable complaints about glitches and unresponsive controls that need addressing.
“Great game, no glitches or whatever.”
“It runs great, doesn't ask for money after you buy it, and doesn't have any weird permissions.”
“Runs great and looks good!”
“So many glitches.”
“It constantly glitches.”
“I was enjoying the game on my S6, but it always freezes and I have to start over from the last save.”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting hilarious dialogues, witty character interactions, and a comedic storyline that enhances the overall experience. Many reviews note the game's ability to deliver laugh-out-loud moments, particularly through its quirky characters and absurd situations, making it a standout in the genre. While some mention occasional stilted writing, the general consensus is that the humor is a key strength that appeals to players with a good sense of comedy.
“The story is good, the dialogues are hilarious and I really enjoy Huang's sarcasm.”
“Great music and gameplay with funny dialogue.”
“Simple story, funny dialogues, badass main character, ridiculous random characters... that's all you need from GTA games.”
- music18 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, custom-made soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, despite the absence of vocals. Players appreciate the integration of music with gameplay and storytelling, although some have expressed a desire for the option to use their own music. While the soundtrack is generally considered top-notch, there are minor issues with music playback and control settings that could be improved.
“Great music and gameplay with funny dialogue.”
“I love this game; it has a good story with gun shooting craziness in the missions, has good controls, and the songs (especially Zhou's theme song) sound awesome.”
“The soundtrack consists of custom-made songs (really catchy ones) specifically for the game itself.”
“No cloud save; I have had to restart every time I get a new phone. Custom music is unusable.”
“The only two problems I have are that the control stick isn't in a fixed position, which can make moving awkward, and music starts playing randomly despite the fact that I have the music volume turned all the way down.”
“All I ask for is my own music to listen to when you're riding a vehicle, just like the iOS version.”
- optimization17 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 12 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game varies significantly across devices, with some users reporting smooth performance even on low-end phones, while others experience issues on newer models like the S22 Ultra. While many players enjoy a seamless experience, there are complaints about poor optimization for certain Android versions and devices, suggesting that performance may not be consistent for all users. Overall, the game runs well on many devices, but optimization remains a concern for some.
“Even on my low-end phone, the performance is amazingly smooth.”
“It runs smoothly and everything is just perfect!”
“No performance issues, works smooth like butter and does not drain battery; played for like 10 minutes and found only 2% loss of battery.”
“Apparently it is not optimized for this phone.”
“Poor optimization and does not run on S22 Ultra.”
“Maybe it's not optimized for Android 12; when it is, I will try it again.”
- monetization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for being a cash grab, with users expressing frustration over the lack of updates and comparing the developer to other companies known for exploitative practices. However, some players appreciate the absence of in-game purchases, ads, and lag, indicating a mixed reception regarding monetization strategies.
“There are no in-game purchases.”
“No in-app purchases!”
“No lag and no ads.”
“Currently this game is just a cash grab, especially since it needs an update and hasn't in years.”
“You guys used to put out good games; now you're just another cash grab company that doesn't care about your customers.”
“Don't work. I say we should sue. They make enough money to fix this game, but instead, they're releasing GTA V for a third console generation. Just greedy, and the GTA trilogy is also a cash grab. Rockstar has become EA Sports.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the game's controls, particularly the touch responsiveness, which hinders their ability to engage emotionally with critical gameplay moments. This lack of functionality detracts from their overall experience, making it difficult to progress in emotionally charged missions, such as saving a character's life. Despite their love for the game, these technical issues significantly impact their emotional connection to the narrative and gameplay.
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, players find that the game offers significant replayability, especially considering its low price point, with features like drug dealing and easy acquisition of weapons and safehouses enhancing the experience. However, some feel that it misses opportunities for impactful plot decisions that could have further increased its replay value.
“Endless replay value for 6 bucks, can't beat that in a AAA title.”
“The drug dealing adds a lot of replay value; getting guns and new safehouses is very easy. The plot isn't bad for what it is, and while clunky, the controls for breaking things like windows are pretty innovative.”
“In GTA 4, you could decide who lives and make important plot decisions, which gave it replay value. This game wasted a lot of opportunity to do that.”
“The drug dealing adds a lot of replay value. Getting guns and new safehouses is very easy, the plot isn't bad for what it is, and while clunky, the controls for breaking things like windows are pretty innovative.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the visually appealing comic book-style character designs, which enhance the overall aesthetic experience of the game. However, there is no mention of depth or progression in character development, suggesting a focus on style over substance.
“The comic book-like character designs are pleasing to watch.”
