Rockstar’s slick and stylish 80’s throwback open-world action game makes some smart improvements to the base formula, becoming one of the PSP’s most essential titles.
Acting as a prequel to the originalVice City, Storiesfollows the life of Vic Vance, brother of Lance Vance who gets roped into the drugs trade in the titular city.The game takes place over a number of years and startsin the early 80’s with Vic as aCorporal in the US Army, before he gets framed, stripped of his title and falls deeper into the criminal underworld.
The plot here isthe usual tale ofcriminal activityand to be honest, passed me bywhileplaying. That’s not to say it’s bad – you’re given plenty of characterisation and motive and will play some truly thrilling missions (picking updrug shipments at the dock while avoiding the DEA, escaping an abandoned power plant andassaulting a drug stronghold by helicopter being particular highlights), but I did feel the story was merely a meansto an end(although I did appreciate the numerous ties to previous entries).
Prompthunt: Highly Detailed Old Man In Car Holding Gun Gta Vice City Art,, Fantasy Art By Stephen Bliss
TheGrand Theft Autoseries has alwaysincluded a wide range of absolutely bonkers charactersin its plotsand that’s fully on point here–you can expect everything from corrupt Army Sergeants, intimidating Cuban drug Lords and even Phil Collins himself, in a cameo thatwas hilarious andworks surprisingly well. My two favourite cast members were Lance Vance (returning from Vice City and still as bonkers as ever) andReni, atranssexual film maker who helps fix up Vic with a few important contacts.Interacting with them is probably the best part of the story as you an expect plenty of profanity-laden humour to spice things up.
Another major element of the franchise is satire and again, this is fully represented here.None of it is subtle – whether it’s theridiculous shop names (“HardcorePawn”) or thestupidthings sputtered by the radio presenters (“I’ve got fun sensibilities, sexual ambiguity and a synthesizer!”), all of it is over-the-top and made me laugh out loud regularly.The factthat the game can tackle some serious content in such a humorous manner is commendable and really a testament to the writers atRockstarat the time.
Undoubtedly the star of the show is Vice City itself.Set years earlier than the PS2 entry, it’s more crime-riddled with some different elements (trailer parks, fairgrounds)but its fictional interpretation of Miami is just as glorious as ever. You’ll drive alongside sun-soaked beaches, through neon-lit city streets andaroundmansions and greenery in the suburbs, all the while blasting some brilliant licensed 80’s music– the simple act of exploring this gorgeous place is amazing in itself.
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So while the intricacies of its plot may not be the most gripping, all the other elements ofVice City Storiesare massively on-point – making a narrative experience that you’re really not going to want to miss.
While it won’t win any awards for its graphics, Vice City Storieshad plenty of moments of beauty and is an incredibly impressive technical feat considering everything that can happen on screen at once, all running in the palm of your hand.
So I want to spendmost of the time in this section talking about Vice City itself. Put simply, it’s one of the most immersive locations I’ve ever come across in a videogame and the vast majority of that is down to the presentation which although simple, fully embraces its80’s inspiration.This is most evident in its packed urban areas which are filled with neon signs, seedy motels, tight alleyways and just a generallived-infeel.
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All of this is in stark contrast to the more rural areas – one of my greatest pleasures in this game was blasting along a palm-tree lined street next tothe water while the sun set in a beautiful mix of oranges and purples on the horizon, which is the kind of moment you can find yourself lost in. There’s plenty of other times like this – exploring all the posh mansions in the green hills and the golf courses that surround them, taking a detour through thegrittydocklandormeandering through theriver, Vice City Storiesis full ofbreathtakingmoments.
Thisserves to demonstrate what a diverse location that has been created here that elevates well above its simple graphical elements (things like textures are poor and buildings can look blocky).Unfortunately it comes at a cost – there’s plenty of pop-in from distant objects when you’re driving and the framerate can get a bit iffy when a lotis going on, but these are just small concessions for such an impressive handheld title.
In terms of other elements, character models aredecent enough and although they’re fairly chunky (particularly with things like hands), they animate well especially incutscenes(shout out to Reni for being the most memorable cast member).What’s impressive is that there are quite so many models for NPC’s filling the streets, something that’s repeated with cars – you’ll come across tonnes of different types and it’s quite enjoyable hunting around to find one you like.
Grand Theft Auto Vice City Hd Wallpaper
I need to make a special note of the sound here which is an integral part of the package. Voice acting is professional and highly impressive – plenty of celebrity cameos like Danny Trejoare mixed in, but Vic himself steals the show with a successful performance that makes him likeable above his horrible deeds. Meanwhile the soundtrack is one of my favourites in gaming ever and absolutely helps sell the atmosphere–everything from mainstream staples like Blondie and Phil Collins are here to more forgotten stuff like ABC and LauraBranigan. I absolutelyloved scrolling through the stations (complete with DJ’s offering commentary) and finding something I wanted to drive to.
As a pioneer among open-world games, Grand Theft Autohas always tried to innovate to stay ahead of the curve. WhileVice City Storiesoffers gameplay largely similar to PS2’sVice City, the fact it has been condensed down to a handheld is miraculous – and a few nice additions ensure this is a classic you won’t want to miss.
So you’re almost immediately plonked into the massive open world of Vice City as soon as you’ve booted up (after doing a couple of tutorial missions to set the tone) and are given free reign to do what you want, which is a liberating feeling so early on.You can undertake missions by going to markers on the map (there will always be 2-3 of these at any one time), hunt down side content or simply explore around to see the sights and sounds – the possibilities are fairly endless!
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Of course, you’requickly going to want to find a vehicle to get around in – true to its name, Grand Theft Autoallows you to steal almost any car, truck or bike that’s around (including those that are being driven, simply by throwing the driver out) and go on your way. The driving mechanics here aren’t the greatest – cars have a habit of spinning out, trucks are slow and cumbersome while bikes have barely any weight, but it’s a fun enough means of getting around.
A large amount of the missionsare based around driving – these can range from transporting a drug shipment from the docks while evading police to acting as the getaway driver after a heist in a bank. One of my favourites involvedacting as a stuntman on a film set and having to take the most dangerous (but exciting) route while ramming other cars off the roadto keep going –Vice City Storiesis full of inventive moments like this which always keeps it feeling fresh.
When you’re not in a vehicle you’ll be making your way around on foot – Vic can run, jump and swim but he’s mostly going to be engaging in firefights with police and other gang members via some simplistic third-person shooting mechanics. One shoulder button locks on to the nearest enemywhile square shoots and you cantoggle between weapons with thedpad. There were times I found it a little finicky (especially when you’re overwhelmed by foes) but it does the job and there’s a huge range of weapons here, which are all fun to mess around with.
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Speaking of messing around, one ofGrand Theft Auto’s greatest pleasures has always been causing havoc in its open world and that’s present and correct here, providing some of its most memorable moments.This can range from harassing pedestrians in the street (you’ll get some very funny reactions) to robbing shops and dealing with the inevitable police response (which escalates to SWAT teams if you let it get out of hand). Honestly I had the most fun just trying to get to places – I’d pass a hotel in the environment and try and find ways to get onto the roof, or see an island in the middle of the riverand try to figure out if I can reach it before running out of stamina.
Of course, there’s plenty of actual side contentto do too that actually tends to be the most interesting of all – for example if you steal an ambulance you’ll get missions requiring you to pick up patients, while stealing a taxi will lead to aCrazyTaxi-esquemini-game of whizzing round the city collecting fares.There’s a driving range, a shooting gallery and plenty ofother options here meaning there’s always plenty to see and do (including finding and releasing
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