Gangs of London

Gangs of London
Developer(s)	SCE London Studio
Publisher(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform(s)	PlayStation Portable
Release date(s)	EU 1 September 2006 AUS 7 September 2006 NA 3 October 2006
Genre(s)	Action-adventure
Mode(s)	Single-player
Distribution	UMD

Gangs of London is an action-adventure open world video game released in 2006 for Sony's PlayStation Portable console. It was developed by SCE London Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment.

The player has the choice to play as five different gangs in London, all with different ethnicities and colours. It is separate in canon from The Getaway despite its close likeness and same publisher.

The Asturian singer Melendi appears in this game.

Gameplay

During the course of story mode, the player is given a wide variety of objectives. One objective may require entering a nightclub armed with a jackhammer, while another may involve trying to run the enemy off the road, or them trying to run you off the road. There are also kidnapping missions, stealth missions, and even race missions. Once story mode is complete, a cut scene will pop up and a cliffhanger ending ensues.

As well as the story mode, there are mini-games under the "Free-Roaming" heading, including "Free Drive" where the player explores London while watching for gangs, "London Tourist", where the player appears as an American tourist and has to take pictures of various London landmarks, "Cause Havoc" where the player, as a gang member, has to earn points by killing pedestrians and blowing up vehicles, "Speed Trap" where the player has to drive at a certain speed to prevent a bomb inside the vehicle from exploding, "Riot Control" where the player, as a London police officer, has to "neutralise", by killing or handcuffing, rioters on the street, "Get Away" where the player has to survive against the police pursuit for a certain time, "Four Weeks Later" where the player has to defend himself or his gang boss from zombies rising from the ground, and "The Knowledge", a taxi driving mission.

The game also has "bar" style mini-games, accessed from a pub. The four pub games are darts, skittles, pool, and an arcade game, which is similar to Snake.

Gangs

The Talwar Sword Brothers

In 1995, Asif Rashid organised the Talwar Sword Brothers and they began working in the local vice scene. Asif’s leadership led to the acquisition of numerous properties around the area. The gang expanded and is now a dominant force in London organized crime. The Talwar Brothers are a young, confident, and dangerous group. They lovingly modify all their cars to the same high specifications. The Talwar Sword gang is a newcomer to the London gang scene, but it is quickly making its mark. Their rivals may soon find that London’s underworld belongs in the hands of a new younger generation.

The Water Dragon Triad

Formed in Hong Kong, more than 50 years ago, the Water Dragon Triad is one of the most powerful Asian gangs operating in the UK. Shan Chu Yang eventually rose to leadership of the London enclave. Since then, he has expanded their operations in every direction, from human trafficking to extortion. Anyone who crosses them is punished without mercy. Covered by a strict code of loyalty, they have been untouchable by London authorities and are feared throughout the city.

Zakharov Organization

Vladislav Zakharov was one of the "Thieves in Law" in what is commonly referred to as the Russian Mafia. Posing as an international entrepreneur, he was able to build up a profitable, legitimate shipping business in the UK. Vladislav then encouraged other Russians to come to London, where they assisted in the formation of the criminal side of his organisation. A military-style operation combining the latest technology with old-style ruthlessness, the Zakharov Organization benefits from access to high-tech weaponry. The members of this organisation follow orders with a fierce determination and an unquestioning obedience to their superiors.

Morris Kane Firm

Run by an aging old-school cockney gangster, the Morris Kane Firm is a tough, well-respected gang of hardened cockney criminals. The Firm was formed in the early 1970s and has had mixed success ever since, with most members having spent time behind bars. Protection rackets and armed robberies were the backbone of the gang’s income for many years, but changing times have forced them to expand their interests into other, more lucrative areas. Some say they are past their time, but there isn’t much they don’t know about organised crime.

The EC2 Crew

One of a number of Yardie gangs at large in London. Mainly of Jamaican origin, members are fearless and demand respect. 30-year-old Mason Grant arrived in the UK for a "holiday" over a decade ago and soon realized there was a lot of money to be made outside the law. He assembled a formidable gang, and the Crew soon earned a reputation for violent retaliation, which encouraged rival gangsters to keep their distance. Hard as nails, and completely fearless, the EC2 Crew are quick to gain respect and quicker to repay the lack of it.

Unplayable gangs

Beyond the five playable gangs, during the story mode, many other crime syndicates appear:

• The Andy Steele Associates, a white-collar English criminal group.
• The North London Albanian Mob or Vulaj gang.
• The Kanesaka Yakuza family.
• Mr. Rhaman's Organization, an Indian gang.
• Globe Road Gang, made by prostitutes.
• The Pozzi Camorra crime family.

Reception

Gangs of London received mainly negative reviews, though it received some praise for its graphics. Sound, voice acting and gameplay were harshly criticised, the worst being the voice acting, described as being on the verges of pantomime.

References

External links

• Official website