The Roaring Twenties are arguably an underused setting in video games. Only a handful of games have ever really utilized it, and of those arguably only one, the first entry the Mafia series, has ever achieved any real mainstream recognition or success. Gangsters: Organized Crime is an unfortunate member of this club of forgotten games, but nevertheless one that you should add to your library today.
Taking place in a fictionalized version of 1920s Chicago, Gangsters casts you as an up-and-coming crime boss with the ultimate goal of taking over the city through eliminating all rival gangs, being elected mayor, or going straight and becoming a legitimate business magnate. To accomplish this goal, you will order your trusted lieutenants and hoods to conduct a wide variety of illegal actions, including bootlegging, extortion, bribery, arson, and murder. You can also conduct diplomacy with other gang bosses, donate to charity to improve your image, acquire legitimate businesses, and hire lawyers and accountants to cover up your crimes.
Gangsters has much to recommend it. The game world feels deep and alive, with your actions often having unforeseen consequences. Gameplay is an excellent mix of long-term planning and quick reactions to daily events. The AI is ruthless if you get sloppy, so fending of both rival gangs and the authorities is a requirement, rather than an annoyance or an optional extra.
However, the game does suffer from a few issues that stop it from being perfect. The soundtrack is forgettable and the voice acting is lame. More importantly, the game can have severe stability problems, and issues like random CTDs and missing menu text can make extended playthroughs an irritating affair.
Overall, Gangsters is an underrated gem despite it's technical issues. Any fans of strategy, historical games, the 1920s, or crime/Mafia lore should pick this one up.