Ask anyone about the PSP’s greatest hits and they’ll mention Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories or maybe God of War. Almost nobody mentions the Gangs of London game. Honestly, it’s a bit of a tragedy. Released in 2006 by London Studio—the same mad geniuses behind the The Getaway on PS2—this game was Sony's attempt to shrink a massive, cockney-fueled underworld into something that fit in your pocket. It wasn't just a clone of GTA. It was weirder than that.
It was basically a cocktail of tactical strategy, open-world driving, and pub games. Yeah, you heard me. Pub games.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Gangs of London Game
People usually assume this was a direct tie-in to the ultra-violent Gareth Evans TV series. It wasn't. The Gangs of London game predates the show by nearly 14 years. If you go back and play it now, you’ll see it has a completely different DNA. While the show is a Shakespearean tragedy with more blood than a butcher shop, the game was a stylized, almost comic-book-inspired take on the capital's criminal hierarchy.
It featured five specific gangs: the Morris Gang (the old-school firm), the EC2 Crew (the flashy street gang), the Zakharov Family (Russian mobsters), the Talwar Brothers (Indian syndicate), and the Kane Group (posh ex-military types).
You didn't just play as one guy. You played as the strategist.
The Mechanic Nobody Expected
The game’s structure was actually its most controversial feature. Instead of a seamless open world, you had a map of London divided into territories. Think Risk, but with more tracksuits. You chose a gang, and your goal was to take over the city district by district. Some missions were "Drive-bys," some were "Brawls," and others were "Snatch and Grabs."
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It was bite-sized. Perfect for a commute on the Tube, which was literally the point of the PSP.
Most critics at the time—including the folks over at IGN and Eurogamer—knocked it for not being a "proper" open-world experience. They wanted The Getaway 3. Instead, they got a tactical hybrid. But looking back in 2026, the Gangs of London game feels ahead of its time. It understood that mobile gaming (even on a dedicated handheld) requires a different loop than console gaming.
Why the Graphics and Vibe Still Hold Up
Sony’s London Studio had access to some incredible reference data. They didn't just "guess" what London looked like; they used high-resolution photographic data to recreate the streets. Even on the PSP’s small screen, the grit of the East End and the polish of the West End felt real. The colors were desaturated. It felt cold. It felt like London in November.
The "Gangland" mode was the meat of the experience. You had to manage your "Heat" level and your "Power." If you pushed too hard into a rival territory, the police would swarm. If you played it too safe, the Zakharovs would outmaneuver you.
- The Morris Gang: High stamina, low speed. The tanks of the game.
- EC2 Crew: Fast cars, weak defense. High risk, high reward.
- The Kane Group: Precision weapons. The professionals.
Then there was the "Free Roaming" mode. It was limited, sure. You couldn't hop out of your car whenever you wanted like in San Andreas. But the driving physics had weight. Smashing a Rover into a black cab felt satisfyingly crunchy.
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The Weirdest Features You Forgot
Beyond the shooting and the driving, the Gangs of London game had these bizarre "Pub Games." You could literally just go play Darts, Pool, or a 8-bit style arcade game called "Snake" inside the game. There was even a "Tourist Mode." In this mode, you weren't a criminal. You were just a guy with a camera taking pictures of landmarks like Big Ben and the London Eye.
It was a strange, experimental inclusion that showed the developers were trying to push what a PSP UMD could actually hold.
The Legacy and the "What If"
Why didn't we get a sequel? The game sold decently well in the UK—shocking, I know—but it struggled in the US. American audiences didn't quite vibe with the British slang or the "tactical map" approach to a crime game. They wanted to be the guy on the ground, not the boss at the desk.
Interestingly, when the Gangs of London TV show became a global hit on AMC and Sky, rumors started swirling about a revival. There were whispers that London Studio might return to the IP for the PS5. Sadly, as we know now, London Studio was officially closed by Sony in 2024. That pretty much killed any hope for a modern Gangs of London game remake.
How to Play It Today
If you’re feeling nostalgic, getting your hands on this isn't too hard, but it's getting pricier. Physical UMD copies are still floating around on eBay. However, most people are turning to emulation.
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Using an emulator like PPSSPP allows you to upscale the game to 4K. Honestly? It looks surprisingly good. The textures on the cars and the character portraits in the cutscenes have a distinct style that hasn't aged as poorly as other 2006 titles.
- Find a PSP: If you want the authentic experience, a PSP-3000 is your best bet for the brightest screen.
- Check the Region: The game was released in PAL and NTSC versions. There’s very little difference, but some of the slang in the UK version feels more authentic.
- Master the Map: Don't treat it like GTA. Treat it like a board game. If you try to run and gun through every mission, you’ll run out of resources before you hit the city center.
Real Talk: Is It Actually Good?
It’s flawed. Let’s be real. The controls can be clunky. The camera sometimes hates you. The voice acting is about 40% "innit" and 60% screaming. But there is a soul in the Gangs of London game that you don't find in modern, sanitized AAA titles. It was risky. It tried to blend genres that shouldn't work together.
It captures a very specific era of London—the pre-smartphone, pre-gentrified grime that defined the city in the mid-2000s.
Actionable Steps for Retrogamers
If you're looking to dive back into this gritty underworld, don't just rush the main story. To get the most out of it, you need to engage with the territory system properly.
- Prioritize the EC2 territories early. Their speed makes the timed getaway missions much easier.
- Don't ignore the Pub Games. They actually provide a break from the repetitive combat loops and are surprisingly well-polished.
- Use the "Cheat" codes. Look, it’s 2026. You’re playing a 20-year-old game. If you want to unlock all the gangs immediately to see their specific storylines, just look up the button prompts. No one is judging you.
The Gangs of London game remains a fascinating footnote in PlayStation history. It’s a reminder of a time when Sony was willing to let its first-party studios get weird and experimental with their biggest IPs. It’s gritty, it’s loud, and it’s quintessentially British. If you can handle the "vintage" controls, it’s well worth a weekend of your time.
Grab a copy, fire up the PSP, and try to take over London. Just watch out for the Zakharovs—they’re much tougher than they look on the map.