Gangstar New Orleans

What the game is

Gameloft's long-running Gangstar series moves to Louisiana here, and the setting does most of the talking. Story missions are scattered between the Quarter, the slum blocks and the bayou, each with its own strand of criminal trouble, car chases and shootouts.

Around the campaign sit a private island to build into a mansion complex, Turf Wars for fighting over territory, customisation and themed collections. With a 4.7 rating from over 100K ratings, it's one of the most-reviewed games in this batch.

How a session plays

A typical sitting means picking a mission on the map, driving or shooting your way through it, then spending the proceeds. The districts feel distinct by design, so a bayou job plays differently from a French Quarter one. Chases and gunfights are the staple, with a cast of underworld figures handing out the work.

Once the story thins out, the island and Turf Wars take over: raid a rival gang's territory, defend your own, decorate the mansion with the cars and boats you've collected. Gameloft also singles out the soundtrack, which suits a New Orleans setting.

Why people look for it

It's the open-world crime game that people search for when they want something in the style of the big console series but on a phone. The New Orleans setting is unusual enough to be a draw on its own. The large rating count and 4.7 score tell you plenty of players have been satisfied with the trade-off of a free download.

Look and feel

Five screenshots on the page will show the city, and the listing frames the districts as its visual hook: wrought-iron balconies in the Quarter, swampland in the bayou, grimier blocks in the slums. Action games of this scope on mobile tend toward a slightly stylised 3D, and the mansion complex and car collection give the customisation side its own showcase.

Updates and upkeep

Gameloft is one of the oldest names in mobile gaming, which bodes well for a title still being listed. The 100K+ rating count is large and the 4.7 average high. Android isn't represented in the listing, which points to the App Store and nowhere else. The device floor named in the listing is old hardware, suggesting the game has been around for a while.

Good for

• Open-world wandering

  The three districts give you room to drive around and get into trouble between missions.

• Gang-versus-gang raids

  Turf Wars adds a competitive layer for players who want to fight other people, not just the story.

• Collectors of virtual garages

  The island mansion exists mostly to show off the cars and boats you've gathered.

Before you install

It's rated 17+ for violence, so this is not one for younger players. The download is free, but the game sells virtual items and may show third-party ads. An internet connection is required throughout, which rules out playing on the move without data.

The listing's hardware floor is the iPhone 5 and the iPad mini 2 (a 4th-generation iPad also qualifies), which almost any current device clears. Storage size and account requirements aren't specified.