Gameloft unveils mobile Grand Theft Auto beater

While the world waits for Grand Theft Auto to go mobile, publishers are filling the gap with their own drivey-shooty-gangster wannabes. Thus following in the trail of blood left by THQ Wireless' Saints Row, Gameloft is now bringing its effort to the party.

Gangstar: Crime City is its game, and it's looking like a more cartoony take on GTA, with bigger and bolder graphics than Saints Row. It's also got all the free-roaming movement you'd expect from this genre, letting you explore the two included cities on foot or by borrowing cars.

The game will feature more than 60 missions, which you're assigned by local criminals. Locations include the beach, marina, docks, swanky neighbourhoods and dodgy downtown area, and judging by our first look, the game features some of the most comical gangsta dialogue yet seen in a mobile game. We're not quite sure if that's intentional or unintentional though.

Besides the colourful nature of the game, Gangstar looks to have two other key selling points. One is the focus on simple controls, with an on-screen GPS to find your way around, automatic gun aiming, and the chance to have assisted driving to make getting around on four wheels easier.

Second, the gameplay branches out into business, as you can run your own restaurants, clubs and a music label as well as yomping around the city killing people.

It looks set to provide quite a challenge. The game is out now, so expect a review as soon as we've popped enough caps in shizzling crims' nizzles. Or something.