Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Xbox, PS2, PC)

[Ajinryu]

Title: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Developer: Rockstar
Genre: Action
Platforms: Xbox, PS2, PC
Players: 1




Miami Vice

GTA 3 was revolutionary; introducing players to the first true 3D, Free roaming action game. The game set the template for two fully-fledged sequels, both with extra features and expanded gameplay. The critical acclaim and massive sales of GTA III inspired Rockstar to churn out another game, the 2nd instalment of the Saga, Vice City. Vice City proceeded to trump the sales of all the previous games and sold 1 Million copies within just the first day of release making it one of the highest grossing games of all time.

Tommy Vercetti (The games protagonist) was jailed in Liberty City for 15 years for multiple counts of murder, earning the nickname of the "Harwood Butcher." He is released and is quickly sent by mob boss Sonny Forelli to Vice City. There, Vercetti meets up with various underworld figures and begins his own vast criminal empire dealing in drugs, stolen vehicles, guns, and any other odd jobs (mostly illegal ones) that could provide a little extra cash. It is eventually revealed that the incident which resulted in Vercetti's fifteen year imprisonment was an ambush and setup orchestrated by Sonny Forelli. Vercetti is said to have had his suspicions, but the truth is not unambiguously revealed until the final confrontation between both men.

Cocktails and Bikini Costumes

First, the basics. Vice City follows the adage of all the previous installments. The game throws you into a metropolis, an island consisting of two large islands, which are linked by two landmark bridges, and five separate islands. Within these areas you'll find blips and markers which represent missions, upon partaking and completing these missions you will get either a cash reward, or a critical event that explains a significant part of the games story. You can tackle these missions in any order you like, apart from the main missions that you can find by using the circular radar that lingers in the bottom left corner. The radar is extremely well done, it basically presents the map to you from a top down perspective, and certain key points such as missions and points of interests are represented by small icons which change shape depending on whether the key point is located above ground level, or on ground level. It's a great radar system that makes pinpointing key areas extremely easy without minimal fuss.

The games missions themselves consist of a majority of different tasks and errands, near the beginning of the game you'll be faced with simple errands, such as driving big dealer Cortez's daughter to a strip club, or acquiring a outfit for a party, it's not until later in the game that you'll be pulling off big time assignments such as taking out local "threats" to business and taking over properties in a rather "Aggressive" manner. The way that each of these missions pans out through the use of cutscenes is really well done and really gives you a sense of progression as you scrape through each mission. You'll frequently find that the scope of each mission kinda yo-yos from laid-back fetch and carry jobs, to intense firefights in densely populated buildings/streets. The variety is nice and if your ever sick of the intense challenge of the games main missions you can just always head to other key areas for mini games and sub missions that give you a little cash boost. That's what gives the GTA franchise an edge over other action games. It doesn't force you to complete the game in any order; it gives you time to do whatever you want to.

Previous GTA games never really concentrated on a deep storyline but Vice City goes some way to change that. There are all sorts of twists in turns along the way that involve you getting mixed up with other people, and eventually being betrayed by people who seemed to be "Good Friends" It's all actually rather interesting and you'll find yourself happily enduring all the games cutscenes just to find out what happens next. Something that previous games didn't have. Vice City was also the first game that truly gave players a character who actually had a personality. GTA III's main character felt somewhat like a dummy due to the fact that he really didn't say anything at all, but Vercetti has this air around him, the air of an arrogant cocky prick, he's brimming with confidence and doesn't just take orders like a well trained dog. He's actually rather interesting and funny, kinda clichéd, but still great and full of character. The supporting cast is great too, they all have their own unique attitude, from the paranoid laywer and attorney Ken Rosenburg, to the power hungry and idiotic Ricardo Diaz.

No action game is complete without gunplay, and Vice City provides the player with that in buckets, all your basic weapons are there, Rockets, shotguns, Snipers, etc and they're all relatively easy to use. The game doesn't use manual aiming, instead it opts for an automatic lock on system, this is fine for the most part, but when you are confronted with a swarm of enemies it becomes somewhat problematic, you can swap between targets quickly but it isn't really good enough when all the enemies are in front of you at once. Although that sort of scenario doesn't happen regularly it's annoying when it does. The aiming system is good enough if you play this game before it's sequel.

Vice City also throws driving into the fray, any car that is either occupied or idle can be jacked and used for your own needs, but if you come across any of the local law inforces while committing this felony you'll get some cops on your tail, the more crimes you commit such as murder, the more the cops lay the heat on you. So being careful about what you do and when is essential, they're not too bright but when presented to them in huge numbers you often find yourself running for your life. Like in GTA 3, it works well.

The Sights & Sounds of the Eighties

Visually, Vice City doesn't get up to much, there is a noticeable lack of detail in some places, especially on the NPC's and some of the gradual pop up can be spotted easily, The Xbox version looks much better but it still doesn't look too impressive, but the design of the city and the atmosphere more than makes up for the somewhat under whelming graphics, it's actually rather good when you take into consideration that the game has to load up one huge world, with only two short loading screens interrupting progression through the city.

The audio is what makes the game so special though, everything is perfect to a tee, the voice acting is probably by far, the best I've ever heard in any game, the actors and actresses who do each individual voice for each character sound genuinely enthusiastic about their roles and it really shows in the quality of their acting. Each character just feels so charismatic it makes you wonder why other companies don't put as much effort into their games voice acting. The music also takes centre stage here, by far one of the most varied and enjoyable soundtracks I've ever heard in the game, the inclusion of eighties oldies such as Michael Jackson, Blondie, Flock of Seagulls and many more. The pure variety is also astounding, seven different genres included over 9 different radio channels and two hilarious and witty chat radio stations really leaves a positive impression of the player. And a retro kick in the nuts for all those folks in their late 20's and over.

At the Rico Mondo

Overall Vice City a great title that really stands up well compared to other action games, even today. The gameplay may seem a bit out dated compared to more modern games but for people who played the game when it first came out, or haven't played a GTA game, it's a great game that really deserves the recognition it gets due to it's great production values and overall fun factor. And at the price it's at now its worth buying.

Graphics: 7.9
It isn't up to much technically but the eighties design & atmosphere really distracts you from some of the visual flaws that the game carries in both versions of the game. Without the great art direction it'd feel kinda weak.

Sound: 10.0
Perfect. I can honestly say that there isn't one thing I can say about the games sound that is negative in any way, the voice acting is commendable and the soundtrack has to be one of the most enjoyable and laid back soundtracks ever to grace a game.

Gameplay: 8.5
The free form gameplay is great and the way in which you can go around tackling certain tasks and missions really opens the game up, the some what outdated mechanics can put off gamers who have played more recent action games. But if your familiar with GTA III or can forgive the out dated system then it's fine.

Lifespan: 9.4
The main missions are sizable, the story is engrossing, and the amount of hidden secrets and extras is surprising. It'll take you months to find everything if your daring enough to actually go looking for them. Just going on a murderous rampage or driving around the town is great fun as well.

Score: 9.1
Vice City is a fun and engrossing title if you give it a chance, behind the out dated mechanics is a beautiful game that provides the player with a free form experience that never feels restricting or linear, and the whole atmosphere to the game only adds to the enjoyment. If your looking to buy a GTA game then start with Vice City.