Grand Theft Auto Vice City
From Take 2
The biggest driving game ever returns in a hot new city and new era. Return to the mid 80s amidst palm trees and pastel beach in tropical Vice City—a mecca of glamour and corruption. The car-jacking thugs of Grand Theft Auto move in a world populated by bikini-clad beauties and gold chain-wearing crime lords, but the rules remain the same. Explore a highly detailed city landscape packed with vintage 80s Ferraris, motorcycles and speedboats, and build a rep with the city's gang lords and crime syndicate by hijacking as many cars and raising as much mayhem as possible.
Amazon Sales Rank: #1757 in Video Games Brand: Take 2 Published on: 2005-01 Released on: 2004-06-07 ESRB Rating: Mature Platform: PlayStation2 Number of items: 1 Dimensions: .59" h x 5.42" w x 7.52" l, .34 pounds
How big is this game? Even publicists for other games end up talking about Vice City when they call our office, babbling in the same helplessly intoxicated way that afflicts everyone who plays it. The achievement of Vice City (which, as everyone knows by now, is set in the 1980s and offers an all-new, Miami Vice-inspired story) is not only that it manages to live up to an absurd level of expectation, but that it takes the game places that fans of its predecessor Grand Theft Auto 3 never dreamed of, and that it achieves this astonishing level of innovation without losing anything that made GTA3 the bestselling PS2 game of all time. After a brilliant homage to the era of the Commodore 64 in the opening credits, the first thing you'll notice is the improved graphics, which are smoother and more detailed, and--with effects like neon lights reflected on rain-slick streets, and intense Florida sunlight--have a lush, tropical look that immediately gives you a strong sense of place. The architecture is more fabulous by tenfold, with art deco buildings, high-rise hotels, and believably seedy back alleys. The control scheme is essentially the same as in GTA3, but the cars handle much better, and in pedestrian mode there is a new crouch move. You will have access to fast, great-handling cars right away, as opposed to GTA3 which made you unlock the second island before you could get your hands on any respectable wheels. This game has such riches to offer that there is no need to be chintzy with the vehicles. Cops are more vigilant this time--minor offenses like whacking innocent bystanders will more often than not get you a two-star wanted level--and are harder to elude (though they still can't seem to climb stairs or negotiate sharp turns). So while free-roaming exploration is as fun as ever, there is more incentive to perform the missions instead of randomly raising hell. Not that that's a bad thing: even lazy criminals like myself (in GTA3, I would rather toss hand grenades into traffic than follow orders from some rude Mafia boss) will be quickly caught up in the vivid characters and hilarious, fascinating story, in which you play an acid-washed-jeans-wearing thug named Tommy Vercetti. Where in GTA3 missions were blocky, schematic affairs only nominally connected to the story, this time tasks move the story briskly along and deftly blend cinematics and game action. For example, there is a scene of a character throwing Tommy a gun, at which point you are suddenly thrown back into the action and must make an instant decision about whom to trust and what to do. There are more, and more detailed, indoor environments, including a hotel, police station, and mall (a slight downside to this is that some of the more elaborate indoor environments require load times). The layout of the city, with tons of backyards, narrow alleys, and fire escapes, encourages creativity when eluding pursuit, as does greater access to rooftops. Get your motorcycle up the fire escape and a whole new world of action is possible, including... well, use your imagination. This overview barely scratches the surface of the Vice City experience, its colorful explosion of music, clothes, combat, and brilliant voice acting, not to mention the plot twist midway through the game that changes the very nature of the game itself. Though it was the outrageous, amoral violence that got all the press, the essential genius of GTA3 was its intoxicating blend of script and open-ended action. In Vice City this is--to use a cliché that is for once apropos--taken to a whole new level. --David Stoesz Pros: Astonishing, innovative gameplay Godlike attention to detail Opportunity to drive on the beach at midnight listening to the Human League's "Fascination" Con: More load times Preview Vice City, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2001's Grand Theft Auto III, promises to take the crime-does-pay concept to new heights, this time in a glamorous and corrupt 1980s seaside town called Vice City, inspired by the TV series Miami Vice. The developer, Rockstar Games, also acknowledges Scarface and other violent '80s films as inspiration. If parents need even more warning that the M (for Mature) rating on this game is to be taken very seriously: do not let anyone under 17 anywhere near this game. Our "hero" is Tommy Vercetti (voiced by Ray Liotta), a gangster just out from a long stint in lockdown. Working for the Forelli family, Tommy is involved in a shady business deal that goes horribly wrong. So begins his quest to regain money, power, and respect in Vice City. As in GTA3, stealing cars, relieving folks of their cash, and whacking targets is the order of the day, but the open-ended story line and other elements that made its predecessor a smash hit have been expanded in Vice City. Taxi driver mode is back, but Tommy can now score a host of new odd jobs, including pizza delivery guy. Along with the missions, hundreds of hours' worth of such side activities are promised. Even so, the plot is tightly integrated with the missions through the use of nearly 120 minutes of cutscenes associated with Tommy's many quests. The combat system has been tweaked and will allow you to easily target combatants while pummeling more than one victim at a time. There are a number of new weapons including machete and chain saw, and an improved targeting system that makes it easier to pick out your victim in a crowd. Along with your improved abilities, though, come smarter cops who can use more hand-to-hand combat moves, evade gunfire, and attack in various squad formations. The much improved graphics give a better feel of how large Vice City is (about two times larger than GTA3's Liberty City) while conveying its distinctive style. The highly detailed, nicely animated inhabitants of Vice City look more alive. Music will also be a huge part of the game's atmosphere. The radio will feature nine hours of talk, fake ads, and Reagan-era pop music, with such artists as Hall & Oates, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Lionel Richie, and Wang Chung. Vice City will feature 120 different cars, none of them licensed, but each with a distinctive '80s style and unique looks and handling. A variety of boats will also be part of the game, including everything from tugboats to yachts that can cruise the meticulously planned waterways. Motorcycles are another new element, with a whole range of stunts and moves possible, such as weaving in and out of traffic and the ability to do drive-bys. The action also takes to the skies with some very cool helicopters that appear to be easy to fly and to have unrestricted freedom of movement. Some of the helicopters will reportedly have weapons attached. Vice City could be one town many gamers won't be leaving for a long time. --Mark Brooks Manufacturer's Description Welcome to Vice City. Welcome to the 1980s. Having just made it back onto the streets of Liberty City after a long stretch in maximum security, Tommy Vercetti is sent to Vice City by his old boss, Sonny Forelli. They were understandably nervous about his reappearance in Liberty City, so a trip down south seemed like a good idea. But all does not go smoothly upon his arrival in the glamorous, hedonistic metropolis of Vice City. He gets set up and is left with no money and no merchandise. Sonny wants his money back, but the biker gangs, Cuban gangsters, and corrupt politicians stand in his way. Most of Vice City seems to want Tommy dead. His only answer is to fight back and take over the city himself. From the decade of big hair, excess, and pastel suits comes a story of one man's rise to the top of the criminal pile as Grand Theft Auto returns to the PlayStation2. Vice City is a huge urban sprawl--ranging from the beach to the swamps and from the glitz to the ghetto--and the most varied, complete, and alive digital city ever created. Combining nonlinear gameplay with a character-driven narrative, the game plops you into a town brimming with delights and degradation, where you are given the opportunity to take it over as you choose. As a major gateway to South America and the Caribbean and for attracting migrants, Vice City is brimming with diverse characters, so there's a friend for everyone. It is a sociable place, and the new guy in town is sure to meet all manner of friendly people in the sunshine capital of America. Athletes, pop stars, real estate developers, politicians, trailer trash--everyone is moving to Vice City to find out what makes it the number one growth city in America. But, as Tommy quickly finds out, trust is still the rarest of commodities. Vice City offers vehicular pleasures to suit every taste. For the speed enthusiast, there are high-performance cars and motorbikes. For the sporty type, a powerboat or golf cart lets you enjoy the great outdoors. For those needing that sense of freedom and escape, why not charter a helicopter and see the beauty of Vice City from the air? As all this happens in the party capital of America, you'd expect your ears to be seduced by a host of sultry melodies and pumping beats, but the city is truly rocking. You'll be amazed as you sweep through Vice City's FM dial. If you are feeling like trouble, you can tune into some driving rock, or some crucial electro, or maybe you want to slow down with some sweet soul, and there will always be some great romantic anthems if you want to really take your mind off things. For the action man or outdoors type, there are tons of fun things to do and adventures to be had--guaranteed. For the secretive or creepy type, Vice City is full of surprises, a place where you'll be constantly surprised by the vivacious, fun-loving types who live there and the things you can discover.
Some major improvements over GTA3 There are many enhancements over GTA3. Here is what is confirmed so far:9 hours of music (GTA3 was 3.5 hours) - The music is licensed, 90 songs. 10 radio stations, including authentic period slang for the DJ's and Callers very small examples of confirmed tracks include: "You've got another thing coming" by Judas Priest "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five "Self Control" by Laura Branigan "Summer Madness" by Kool and the Gang "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls "Out of Touch" by Hall and Oates "I just died in your arms" by Cutting Crew Main character speaks, by voice of Ray Liotta (from the legendary movie goodfellas) Over 8000 voice overs (2000 for GTA3) Double the size (city size wise) then GTA3's city Also, there will be Interior action Multi Tiered enviorments (Casino, Discos, Hotels) -AI is dramaticlly improved -a new routing system for pedestrians including a ton of more variety and actions. -Gangs are now inteligent, and now steal cars and get into chases with police among other new actions. -New Renderware Engine with modifactions, Texture Streaming, Framerate IMPROVED. Special lighting work -New auto-targeting system 40 weapons, (GTA3 had 15) Use of cover from objects in rooms and on street.. also pedestrians Camera is locked behind the user when in targeting mode. New targeting system to make finding and shooting enemies even easier. It will highlight targets based on "priority and not on proximity". The new system also includes a new crosshair system that shows you both the exact target and the bullet spray radius. The crosshair will also change color to indicate the enemies threat level New maneuvers like crouching will help you make use of cover. Work has been made to avoid motion sickness from the rabid camera. Missions are greatly varied Many extra side missions, including Pizza Delivery 120 Cars (50 in GTA3) Motorcycles confirmed Jetskis, boats More reflective surfaces on vehicles. Real time shadowing from passing scenery. Tires can blow or be shot out, effects physics Over 100 missions and will include more complex missions that include a greater variety of objectives. These new missions will ask more of you by melding vehicle, outdoor and indoor combat all into one mission. Can fly helicpters, land on buildings Many new side missions like Pizza delivery man, etc... An Improved, New Game - The Best in Years Right before writing this review, I read a news story about a teenager who attempted to steal more than 100 cars and said he got the idea from "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City." And I couldn't help but think, "Here we go again."Last year, Rockstar released their groundbreaking "Grand Theft Auto 3," a far more realistic sequel to their cartoony, cult GTA series. Defying convention (and the ratings system), GTA3 became one of the best-selling video games ever, introducing gamers to levels of atrocity and violence usually reserved for war crimes tribunals. Vice City is the update to that game, and while GTA3 was a genre-buster, Vice City perfects the formula, retaining all the good aspects of the old game while tweaking most of the problems and adding enough new things to keep gamers coming back for more.Set in a Miami-like tropical town in the 1980s, Vice City captures the feel of Hawaiian shirts, fast cars, and faster women. The player is Tommy Vercetti, a gangster down from Liberty City who just got out of jail and came to Vice City to set up operations for his organized crime syndicate. His first deal goes bad, and he's left with the clothes on his back and the ambition to get the people who wronged him - and whatever guns, cars, swords, explosives, and people he can use along the way.This game has much more of a "plot" than GTA3, but still manages to retain the open-ended feel of the first two in the series, as there are always two or three missions for the player to choose from. Rockstar also fixed some of the physics problems with cars, meaning the player can take corners faster and not have to worry about rolling over ten times. The music, always a great part, has been expanded twentyfold - there are literally a hundred songs, many of them semi-obscure but fun 80s tunes (a few are original), across the radio stations. The player can still be a vigilante or a firefighter, but pizza boy has been added as well, and a dozen or so properties are available for purchase, many of them with their own missions. There are 35 weapons to choose from, including a katana, a chainsaw, a .357, and a improved sniper rifle. The airport has airplanes to fly, and there are helicopters for speed and precision. Also, the military base has a nice secret if you find 100 hidden packages - the Hunter, a gunship with unlimited chaingun and missile ammo. Nice! In fact, there is almost no reason NOT to buy this game - the only problem I've ever found with it is that sometimes, when you die on a mission, if you allow your character to be reincarnated at the hospital, then the game will (sometimes) crash. But that's small potatoes.I need to stress, yet again, that this is not a game for children. I'm not living in some fantasy-world where kids will never play games like this, but parents, if you're going to get this to stick in a stocking, PLEASE understand what your kids will be playing. Sit down and watch them play it. Talk to them about the difference between fantasy and reality. Please. It's only a matter of time before enough dumb teenagers steal enough cars and blame enough video games before us adults won't be able to make up our own minds about playing them - because some well-meaning government official will make it illegal.Enjoy, but be warned.Final Grade: A+ A review of Grand Theft Auto Vice City. Grand Theft Auto Vice City is a terrific and brilliantly designed video game. It is very similar to Grand Theft Auto 3, only bigger, better, and longer. It takes some of the flaws that were found in GTA3 and vastly improves on them. There are many more new things that are in the game, as well as many of the old features. Now, I will describe the game and game-play to you. First of all, there are many new features that weren't found in the game's predecessor. Here is a list of some of the new additions. (If you haven't purchased the game yet and want to be suprised with it, I don't reccomend reading this part.)1.The city is larger and more detailed.2.You now have the ability to have access to interior locations, including a mall, strip club, dance club, and more.3.There are over 100 vehicles. This includes motorcycles, helicopters, and boats.4.Now, there is about 35 weapons total.5.Audio wise, there is over 9 hours of music from such artists as Michael Jackson, Ozzy Ozbourne, Grandmaster Flash, A Flock of Seagulls, and much more, including the famous Crockett's Theme from the television show Miami Vice.6.There is much more character dialogue and pedestrian sayings. This time around, your character actually talks.7.A more diverse cast of charaters. This includes voices done by Ray Liota, Tom Sizemore, Burt Reynolds, Jenna Jameson, Danny Trejo, and more.8.You can now shoot out vehicle tires and people driving the vehicle.9.You have the option to bail out of a moving automobile, even the choppers.10.You can inflict damage on a vehicle by using a melee weapon.(Ex. baseball bat.)11.You can now purchase property that eventully earns money for you.12.The graphics and textures are more nice from GTA3's.There is much more minor improvements and new things involved in the game, as well. But, I don't want to ruin your gaming experience the first time you play it. You will be amazed. Overall, the game is great. It is well worth it to buy. It has something in it for everyone. However with a mature title, it is strongly not recommended for children. I'd say 10 or below. Anyway, if you don't have this game yet, you are missing out on a magnificent experience. It will simply stun you. Grand Theft Auto Vice City is undoutebly one of the, if not the best, video game created to date. Thank you for taking the time and generosity to read my review.
