What it lacks in gameplay value it makes up in attitude!!!!!!
At the beginning of the game you start off working for your uncle Vincenzo as an enforcer. Throughout the game you rise in Vincenzo's ranks, and soon begin building up your own criminal empire.
The storyline in the game runs fairly smoothly, sending you to different parts of the city as you follow the leads you get to reach your three surviving brothers.
The combat system is fairly simple. Concentrating on simple things such as taking cover, although this only applies when controlling Mario and one or two bodyguards.As your numbers rise, and larger firefights are engaged, Management of your mobsters seems a near impossible task.
During skirmish modes, and multiplayer games, skirmish modes obviously only being available after a patch is installed, give more opportunity to focus on the buisness side of the game.
Combat is only a small part of Gangland, extortion, bribery, trades and favors with foreign gang leaders often play a large role in building your empire.
Having your boss survive during the entire game is also a hard task as most of the time your mobsters will be unavailable to do a task, or it would be unwise to send that mobster/s to do that task.
Such situations do require a boss to get his hands dirty. Also your mobsters cannot make buisness with store owners, and it will require a boss or underboss to be present.
This is a frustrating situation, and in multiplayer, also results in your boss being encountered by a triggerhappy bunch of goons inside a vehicle, ready to pump your boss or underboss full of lead.
Although frustrating, and hard to get the hang of, Gangland will at least be remembered as the game that dodged a bullet at the censors office, besides that, it doesn't stand up to even old RTS' like Age Of Empires.