Gangstar New York is a new open-world free-to-play game under development by Gameloft. Essentially, this new game is very much a spiritual successor to Saints Row and its ilk. Set during a neon-soaked era of a futuristic New York City, this title pits players against each other to race and become the Kingpin of the underworld. With a myriad of ways to traverse the city, players will have full freedom on where to go and what to do. It is also worth noting that the title of “Kingpin” isn’t just an arbitrary thing. There are actually some rather hefty perks that come along with it. There are a lot of things that players can sink their teeth into within this world and the content available will almost be unlimited. Although this game is still under early development, it’s making quite a splash within the industry. There is a lot of potential with this new IP and there is no telling what direction it could take.
The thing is that Gangstar New York is very much a cornucopia of various genres mixed into one game. Everything from racing and deathmatches to even battle royales are all included in this title. Hence, there is no doubt that the developers are trying to reel in players of all types to be a part of this world. The thing is that this title is slipping under the radar for many gamers, due to the fact that there are a handful of AAA titles releasing this year. Even though there isn’t really a release date locked in for this IP, it could very well release later this year. If not, then chances are early next year might be a possibility. In any case, Gangstar New York might seem like just another sandbox game at first glance, but there are actually a lot of things happening under its hood.
Lord of New York
One interesting twist that Gangstar New York has is the feature that is included with the “Kingpin” title. Once a player obtains this label, they will have full control over the entire city. They can morph things around and kind of customize everything to their liking. Therefore, this entire city of New York will be their own personal playground where the other players will need to abide by its rules. It’s kind of like being a “Dungeon Master” of sorts. Of course, this won’t be an all-encompassing thing. There will be various “hotspots” scattered throughout the map that players will need to individually conquer. There will be a giant holo-statue showing the avatar of the player who is Kingpin erected high in the sky. No different than seeing the banners of the champions within Apex Legends.
The ultimate goal will be overthrowing the Kingpin and taking the title. Therefore, Gangstar New York will be a “tug of war” in many ways. Players will be able to get around the city through; parkouring, jetpacking, driving, ziplining, grappling, and racing throughout the streets. There won’t be very many boundaries to where players can go regarding the map. Everything from heavy shootouts in the alleyways to dogfights high above the skyscrapers will be possible. From what was seen in the trailer, the combat mechanic might have slight Watch Dogs feel to it. Especially, when it comes to the parkouring mechanics. Players will be free to take on the map any way they best see fit. There won’t be the main path that players can take to climb up the ranks. From what was mentioned, the entire map will basically be a giant hub where players can explore and find various events to partake in.
Hitting The Streets
So, it appears that Gangstar New York might be following the Red Dead Redemption Online model. This game will very much be a community effort, with the developers taking feedback from players to update, tweak and change things to their fullest potential. Gamers can tackle the city solo or they can have a friend tag along with co-op adventures. Of course, the meat and potatoes with this title will be with the PVP features. There will be daily and weekly events for players can jump into to keep things fresh. In fact, up to 10 players can team up and go on missions to take over the city. The footage in the trailer does showcase all kinds of firearms that will be available. Rocket launchers, grenade throwers, rifles, shotguns, and other standard weaponry will be making an appearance.
Of course, let’s not forget the unlimited customizations that will be available. Everything from the look of the avatar to the skins of weapons can be unlocked through XP. Additionally, let’s not discount the fact that there will a Battle Pass in which players will need to complete challenges to unlock certain content. Aesthetically, Gangstar New York looks very similar to Fornite, however, the gameplay mechanics are more akin to Grand Theft Auto. There is a sense of weight and gravity to the traversing and shooting. Even the driving appears to have a rather solid feel of physics in comparison to other open-world games of this kind. An open Alpha test was recently opened to the public and a closed Beta will be announced soon. The developers have already gotten a rather hefty list of feedback from the Alpha and they want to make sour to iron out the bugs with the closed Beta in the near future.
Big Apple Hijinx
Although Gangstar New York is still early in development, it appears to be shaping up quite nicely. The developers definitely have something special being formed and there is no doubt that they’re taking every step in production seriously. There is still a bit of work to do before release, but hopefully, the Closed Beta will give more players a good taste of what this game is all about. Upon release, Gangstar New York will be available for the PC and also the Andriod. Hopefully, this title will grow a thriving community that will keep it alive for years to come.
