Quick Facts:
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – for PS2. PC Version also available. Under $10 at the time of this writing, 1 player. Released by Rockstar Games in Oct 2002, rated M for Mature. Action/Adventure Genre.

Full Review:

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will be coming out in a couple of weeks. I myself just managed to find the time to play Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which is bargain priced about $10 these days. (I of course paid full price when it was new, but that’s a different story) No doubt you’re going to get caught up in the GTA hype when this game comes out, and you may want to go back and play the two games that really started the sensation, GTA: III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Very few games since the video game heyday of the 80’s have enjoyed widespread commercial success. Doom, in the early 90’s, Everquest, The Sims, and Grand Theft Auto III are a few of the ones who have, perhaps none as controversial as the last on that list. When it was released, the anti-violence-in video games lobby had a field day with a game that featured such strong adult themes as gang violence, gunplay, and mob jobs. And worse, the game was incredibly fun and innovative, and went on to become one of the most popular gaming titles ever released. The good thing about success is that it allows you do to more, and that is exactly what Rockstar Games gives us with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Set in the 80’s, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is the story of Tommy Vercetti. A man with mob ties, who is just released from jail, and sent by the family to investigate a drug deal gone bad in sunny Vice City. Once there, Tommy decides he likes the place, and with a little help from some friends decides to take this project on solo. The story involves Tommy’s rise to power, and how he has to defend it once he has it.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City plays more like an add on than a full blown sequel. The graphics and gameplay are pretty much the same, but it has new missions, new vehicles, new weapons, and a whole new setting.

The gameplay itself is pretty much exactly the same as GTA: III. In a third person world, you stroll (and drive) through the city. Certain people will give you missions to do, and of course you’ll locate hidden packages and items spread around the vast cityscape. You’ll steal cars, avoid the cops and gangs, and find new and more powerful weapons. One of the biggest changes to Vice City is the addition of the motorcycle, which will allow for some insane speed and stunts. Also added are helicopters and more boats, allowing for a bit more variety in that area. You’ll make use out of RC vehicles as well, including RC planes, cars, and choppers.

Another big addition to the game is real estate. Tommy will buy an acquire various properties in Vice City where he can not only save game and store vehicles, but also get side missions from. These locations will also raise money for you, and further the plot of the game. They are an interesting change, and I enjoyed getting into the real estate biz.

The atmosphere is really what makes this game stand out. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is basically, Miami Vice on your PS2. There are babes in bikinis, hot cars, the cars of the era, rollerskaters, and more. One of the biggest atmosphere generating items from GTA: III is back and improved too – the radio. You’ll hear issues and music from the 80’s with commercial hits from musicians like Michael Jackson, Hall and Oates, Run DMC, Iron Maiden, and more. And though not completely credited, you’ll hear some familiar voices from pop culture, including Dee Snider doing some of the radio/commercial work. All in all, there is over 9 hours of unique in game radio content covering several distinct stations. Playing for over 40 hours myself, there were still clips of stations that I hadn’t heard.

Speaking of the voice acting, many big name actors signed on to do the voice over work for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Tommy is voiced by Ray Liotta, and he’s backed up by Dennis Hopper, Burt Reynolds, Luis Guzman, Jenna Jameson, Gary Busey, and even Lawrence Taylor… And many more. One great note is the voice of Miami Vice’s Tubbs – Philip Michael Thomas.

It’s that sort of touch that makes me love Rockstar Games and these series. These guys grew up in the 80’s, they know their stuff. They give the nod to Thomas, but also throw in nods to the Atari (referring to it as the Degenetron), breakdancing, hair bands, as well as the Commodore 64 via the intro screens. You gotta love that. In addition to nods to reality, Rockstar also adds plenty of nods to the GTA series – Laslo the DJ makes a comeback, and Avery Carrington is also a prominent figure in the game.

And what about the game itself? Well, the good news is that the game plays pretty much exactly like GTA: III, so if you enjoyed that – you’ll love this. The bad news is that, well, the game plays pretty much exactly like GTA: III. Which means some of the same annoying problems – weird glitches, AI problems, some awkward camera moments, and a generally awful weapon aiming system, all return – though some improvements WERE made to the aiming system.

My biggest beef with the game is the length and complexity/difficulty. While these can be considered good things, one of the great allures of the GT series is getting all the unlockables, which means solving all the hidden and bonus missions, locating all the hidden packages, and finding all the secret jumps. The main problem with this isn’t so much finding them, because people on the internet have posted locations for them, but in actually doing them. Some of the jumps alone can take 20-30 tries, and cost up to an hour of your time. No offense, but there are things I’d rather do with my time than try the same crazy jump over and over, not knowing exactly why it is not working. Similarly, some of the “race course” type missions are also extremely difficult, especially those involving the boats.

I appreciate secrets, I do. However, when games are made with the assumption that people have the time and patience to do the same jump 100+ times, and that they will look up all the secrets online or get them in a hint book, I think that there is a problem. This same flaw existed in GTA: III also. I would get about 97% done with the game, spend 3 hours on a obstacle course or jump, and then just decide the 100 % completion wasn’t worth the aggravation. As was, I definitely played for over 40 real hours, if not more. One of the biggest examples of this is the Pole Position Strip club. You can buy this property, and even witness a dance for you if you go into one of the rooms in the back. However, if you stay there for about 5 minutes watching the dance, then leave – it will actually fulfill a mission for you. Unless you’re a perv who enjoys pixels shaking their bootay for you for 5 minutes, how else would you figure this out without a guide of some sort?

And really, until I hit that moment of aggravation in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, I was enjoying myself a great deal. I loved the side missions, like pizza delivery and selling “ice cream” on the corner. The story and main missions were enjoyable, challenging, and fun. The addition of race courses and the arena were also a blast. But at the end of the day, after I had finished the game, all I could think of is how impossible jump x was to complete, and it was a bit of a letdown.

Despite all of that ranting, I greatly enjoyed Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. It was fun, varied, and extremely enjoyable through… 97% or so of the game. The story was interesting and well acted, and the characters you meet, though incredibly stereotypical, are all very entertaining. The band Lovefist, and Phil (voiced by Gary Busey) are hysterical. The radio, especially the talk radio station is very funny, and some of Tommy’s one liners are great also. I just wish the game wasn’t designed with 100 hours of gameplay in mind.

Graphics: 3 out of 5

Two years ago, the graphics were slightly dated. Today, they look extremely dated. Not a lot of clear detail, but the graphics are functional.

Sound: 4 out of 5

Many of the sound effects and sounds in the game are a bit weak and repetitive. This is made up for by the radio with over 9 hours of music and talk, which continues to keep things entertaining and add to the immersion.

Control: 3 out of 5

Control is mediocre, at best. Some of the controls are clunky, driving in boats, airplanes and choppers can be very frustrating, and the ever famous aiming system clearly needs work. Add this to a somewhat annoying camera, and the control needs some improvement.

Gameplay: 4 out of 5

Obviously, the gameplay is what stands out here. Stealing and racing cars, shooting up buildings in a chopper, and chasing down criminals in a cop car are all a lot of fun, and you’ll be doing them for hours. Buying real estate and moving along the seedy story also is very fun.

What I liked:

Top notch production, great names and talent added to the game.

FUN!

Addition of real estate is a very interesting twist.

What I didn't like:

Unless I was 14 with all the time in the world, the game is a tad too lengthy and difficult to get 100% completion and enjoy all the bonuses of the game

More of a add-on then a sequel, a lot of the problems with GTA: III are present here.

Overall:

With Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the very near horizon (Oct 25), I thought I’d give you this look at Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which I just completed a couple of weeks ago. I think Rockstar Games is one of the most talented group of developers out there, and I’d like to see them really improve on their formula instead of just add a new skin to it, which is what Vice City more or less was. And for those of you who might be getting their first taste of GTA with San Andreas, you can know what to expect if you want to play the whole series, which you probably will. If you loved GTA: III, you’ll enjoy Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. If you were annoyed with GTA: III, you won’t find much different here.

Mr_D


Recommended: Yes