Reviews for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (PSP)

Strengths: Decently good graphics especially for the PSP. Not quite the same storyline as Vice City. Fun!

Weakness: The could be a bit better but then again we're playing on a PSP and from what I've seen these are better graphics than other games I've played on it. Need to be away from others while playing *words*

I've enjoyed the game quite a bit. The same storyline as any other GTA game. It's a portable game yet make sure to MUTE or wear headphones while playing this game in front of others due to *bad words* I know people are used to hearing vulgarities but whenever I take my DS or PSP out I'm usually at the hospital or something. The graphics are better than some I've seen for the PSP but the graphics aren't better than others I've also seen on the PSP. This is a must have for a GTA fan!

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A Blast From The Past

Strengths: The graphics of Vice City Stories are probably the best on the PSP. In fact, they're arguably better than the PS2 GTAs' graphics. However, every rose has its thorns, and in Vice City Stories that means pop up, both in terms of solid items and textures.

Weakness: Just like every other GTA, it's flawed with terrible fighting, driving, shooting, and etc. mechanics. This time they attempt to make hand-to-hand combat a bit better by adding a few more moves and tweaks. Such as, Grab, block, snap neck. although they ar

Vice City Stories definetly brings in much more than the previous GTA title for the PSP. The pop-ins are a definite downer, since they can seriously mess you up during a mission and the major glitches you'll find right when you start the game aren't pleasant either. But, all in all, if you had to pick one PSP game to buy this month, honestly it should be this one. It has a great storyline, pretty cool music, and it just makes you feel like your playing your Vice City copy again!

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GTA Vice City Stories

Strengths: Interesting game stories and good musics

Weakness: Similar to GTA Liberty City Stories

I love GTA series whether the games are for PS2 or PSP. So I enjoy playing this game like the other GTA games. Fun to play, good storyline, and enjoyable musics. However, like one reviewer mentioned, this game seems to be a kind extension to GTA Liberty City stories. They are very similar in many aspects. However I am a kind of fanboy of this series so I love this game.

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Good GTA game with a few flaws

Strengths: Another good GTA game. Cool 80's theme. You can swim finally. Many parts are easier than previous GTA's.

Weakness: PSP version cuts out some missions. Slow loading. Music not as good as others. Some things are too easy.

Overall, another good GTA game. Good story line, awesome graphics and lighting. Good music, but not nearly as awesomely 80's as the original Vice City. You can fall in the water without dying finally (besides San Andreas). They made some of the regular missions easier, like the Fire/Ambulance/Vigilante, you have to get to level 15, but it saves your progress every 5 levels. None of the frustrating arena races. The dirt track races are much, much easier than the ones in Liberty City Stories. On the other hand, it almost seems like some of the missions are just a "gimme" now...I did all 15 Fire and Ambulance missions in the first try without breaking a sweat. While Liberty City Stories had some side-missions that where seemingly impossible and quite frustrating, Rockstar is almost too accomodating this time.

Also, there are about 8-10 side missions that got cut out of the PSP version as compared to the PS2 version. I know the UMD's can't hold as much, but I feel like I got cheated out of some of the game. The glare during sunrise/sunset is very blinding, to the point that it can screw you up in the middle of a mission. Loading of objects can be quite slow sometimes, such that it loads up just before you hit it, without giving you a chance to avoid it.

So some annoyances, to the point that I think it is my least favorite of all the GTA games. But still good overall...I give it 4 stars where all previous GTA's I give 5 stars.

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Solid GTA Title

Strengths: Mission variety, side jobs, fun!

Weakness: Slightly glitchy, a bit formulaic.

This is another solid title from the GTA franchise. Those of you who played Liberty City will appreciate being able to swim, outside of that there are few surprises. If you liked the first one you'll like this one too. Phil collins makes a fun in-game debut.

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More of the same is a good thing?

Strengths: More open sandbox game play, solid sound/voice work, longer missions, vintage soundtrack, $20 retail price

Weakness: Weak story, combat control issues, annoying save system, no online support, nothing really new

A prequel to PS2's GTA: Vice City, Vice City Stories follows the adventures of Vic Vance, brother of Lance Vance from GTA: Vice City, as he builds his empire in a 1980's Miami-inspired city. If you've played any of the PS2 GTA games, you know what to expect here.

You get all of the classic open sandbox game play. You can go anywhere and do anything. Vice City Stories also sports an outstanding cast of voice actors and vintage pop recordings. The missions are a bit longer than in Liberty City Stories, and Vice City Stores retails for a reasonable $20 new.

Of course, Vice City Stories sports the usual GTA problems: weak story, lousy combat control, etc. This release has multiplayer but not online support, and you still can't save anywhere at anytime (annoying in a handheld game).

Unfortunately, Vice City Stories (like Liberty City Stories before it) brings nothing exciting or new to the franchise, and since it's also available for the PS2, series fans might want to buy it for the home console instead given that saving isn't always quick or easy on the PSP.

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Rockstar magic shines again

Strengths: GTA style humour, Cool missions, Hours of fun, Nice voiceover & graphics

Weakness: Does not feel like an entirely new game compared to the previous GTA on PSP. More like an expansion

For all the GTA fans, you do not want to miss this game. It has cool graphics, nice cars & helicopters. One can also swim or use jet skis. A solid action packed game, you will find it hard to put it down. This despite the fact that the game feels more like an extension of earlier GTA games & does not offer a whole lot of new gameplay.
I found the control pretty good for PSP. Pop ups might be irritating at times but do not take away the fun. Listening to radio stations while driving is there, though I miss some of the stations that were there in Liberty City stories.
Overall it is a real fun game & a prime candidate for your psp game collection

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More GTA for better and worse

Strengths: Good showoff game for the PSP, decent graphics, still a fun game for exploration and storyline

Weakness: The GTA concept/engine is really starting to show its age, clunky PSP controls

GTA:Vice City Stories is another in the Grand Theft Auto linege, and the second PSP game in the series. It has become such a seminal series I don't think I need to review the overall game as much-- if you need a background on Grand Theft Auto, check ANYWHERE. I personally have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this series, I seem to end up buying all of them and not finding the games quite as exceptional as many do. I do happen to prefer the Vice City storyline, and the atmosphere of the games.

Where this game is different is it brings pretty much the entire Grand Theft Auto experience to the PSP. The developers have done an amazing job in packing everything you expect (wide open game, great soundtrack, etc) into a portable format, and really do deserve credit. All that said, in many ways, Vice City Stories is really starting to feel like "more of the same". It's still a fun game, and exploration is a lot of the fun, but it's much the same as the original Vice City on the PS2 (which was much the same as GTA:III, etc). Additionally, since the PSP is missing some buttons from the PS2 controller, some of the controls get clunky (as do many games that have migrated from the PS2 to PSP). In some ways, buying the newer PS2 version of this game may be a better buy, although having a game as expansive as Vice City Stories on the PSP is a pretty amazing feat.

So, a good soundtrack, good plot, but in a bit of a re-re-re-rehashed format. Now that the price is starting to drop, it's becoming more worthy of a purchase.

I'm giving it 4 stars-- 3 doesn't seem to be enough, but 5 is definitely too much until Rockstar gives us something new.

(Note: The game is M rated, and deserves to be so. Parents, do understand this is a mature game, and not one intended for kids.)

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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (PSP)

Strengths: (1) A solid, but not absolutely perfect, GTA migration to the PSP (2) Some improvements over the previously-released GTA game for the PSP, GTA: Liberty City Stories

Weakness: (1) Short draw distance creates "pop in" of buildings, etc.

Just as GTA: Vice City expanded upon the groundbreaking formula of the PS2 classic, GTA III, this second portable GTA offering feels like a minor upgrade to the first PSP offering with a new narrative and attitude. The main draw of this game is to return to the addicting open-world GTA gameplay on the PSP with a new story, character and setting. There are some improvements in control, fighting and other areas but most players will already know what to expect upon loading up Vice City Stories. That is mostly a good thing, however, as this series offers the best action-and-driving crime narrative on the PSP. The story involves the brother of the PS2's Vice City's protagonist and serves as a prequel. Overall, the action is solid GTA and the experience is an enjoyable one with fulfilling tie-ins to the PS2 Vice City.

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Bigger and Better than Grand Theft Auto: Liberty...

Strengths: Improved Graphics (better framerate, less pop-in), improved mechanics (ability to swim, targeting improved)

Weakness: Not much has changed on the GTA formula, targeting can still be bad despite improvements, story is very weak for a GTA game.

If you liked Liberty City Stories, you HAVE to pick this up. The tried and true GTA formula is followed here, with a bunch of missions you do that open up even more missions, along with a bunch of optional missions to do, such as the usual cop/paramedic/firefighter/taxi missions. A feature retained from LCS is the ability to skip the non-action driving parts of missions, which is nice. Another new feature is the ability to bribe the cops into giving you back all your weapons after you are busted. One annoying thing about this game is the story. It's particularly weak, and seems contradictory at times. The main character is supposedly against illegal activities such as drug smuggling and murder, but he continually partakes in missions that require these activities, allegedly to save his ill brother. The voice acting and music are still excellent as usual, but one area the GTA series has always excelled in is story and here this incarnation of GTA has let us down. As it is, I still recommend this for any GTA fan. It's better than LCS, the GTA formula is still loads of fun, and you get tons of bang for your buck, as you can play this game for dozens of hours without finishing it.

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... and the fun goes on!

Strengths: excellent graphics, awesome music from the past (80s), fun game to play

Weakness: -none- at least not for me

I already loved the GTA Liberty City Stories and this is why I also got this game. I simply didn't want to stop! And Rockstar Games was not disappointing me!
This game lets me immerse into a different time and into a completely different world. Great, if you want to get a break! The storyline is well thought out and the missions are fun to play. It also is not "just the PS2 game on the PSP". The storyline is different and there are some more features added.
Addiction guaranteed! It is a top game - a blockbuster for the PSP!

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Best PSP Action & Adventure Game

Bestcovery experts have rated the Take 2 Interactive Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (PSP) as a best pick for the Best PSP Action & Adventure Game. Bestcovery's experts recommend the best products and services for a particular need based on extensive research and evaluations. Click below to see Bestcovery's full review of this product.

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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Testseek.com has collected 13 expert reviews for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and the average expert rating is 79 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use Testseek.com to see all ratings, product awards and conclusions.

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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS rating of 3.46 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #633 game of all time, #5 game of 2006 for the PlayStation Portable and #14 PlayStation Portable game of all time. The rating and ranking is based on an average of 66 critic scores, awards and other criteria. To see a breakdown of the game ranking, read individual critic reviews, or...

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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

When it came to pushing the Sony PSP hardware to the limit, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories did just that when it brought its free-roaming action game to a portable medium. Yes, the same impressive game design Rockstar brought to its now legendary Grand Theft Auto III title was shrunk down to a portable package that made one of the PSP’s biggest blockbusters. Just like the first portable...

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