Genre: Action
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Number of Players: 1
ESRB Rating: Mature
Introduction
Last holiday season, the video game industry was robust with new franchises, quality titles and even a couple of console launches. In the flood of choices for gamers, only the truly remarkable titles stood out. Metal Gear Solid 2. Halo. Madden NFL 2002. Final Fantasy X. All incredible titles which pushed systems and were forces on sale charts. But one game topped them all: Grand Theft Auto 3.
GTA3 was the 3rd true game in the Grand Theft Auto series. Born on PSX, GTA was known for its unique over the top camera view as well as its over the top action oriented gameplay. True to its name, any car in GTA was available for the taking, and basically any sort of havoc you wanted to wreak upon the citizens in any of the series various cities, there were vast amounts of ways to do it.
The biggest change made for the next-gen GTA was a switch from the over the top camera system to a 3rd person perspective. More than just a change of pace, the switch was essential in making the gamer feel more like a part of the game and it made every area of the game much more enjoyable.
Vice City can be called a sequel or just a tune up. The basic feel of the game remains, while the usual new animations/vehicles/weapons/environments are all present and accounted for. What does that mean? Well, it means if you were a fan of GTA3 you’ll love Vice City ten times as much.
Presentation
The biggest thing GTA3 enthusiasts will notice about the game is the setting. Rather than just whisk the gamer off to a different city, VC takes you to a new city in a new time. Set in the 80’s, everything in VC is presented to you in a fresh 80’s theme that will make you want to break out your parachute pants and stone washed jeans. From the automobiles to the clothing everyone wears to the music you’re given, Rockstar pulled off the 80’s theme quite nicely.
While it’s fresh and does exactly what it’s meant to do, the presentation still seems a little off from last year. Things like menus and cut scenes just don’t seem as well done. Still better than 99% of the other games out though.
Graphics
While gamers were wetting their pants over the switch to 3rd person view, GTA3 surely left ALOT to be desired as far as graphics go. The textures were not good, and the framerate was not very consistent. Another problem was the draw in and pop up. While the backgrounds were amazing as far as the draw rate went, especially considering just how big GTA3 was, other things like cars and pedestrians would sometimes appear feet in front of you. Or, things would randomly disappear. You could stop a car and do a 360 turn and it would be gone.
However, for the most part, GTA3 was a huge success. The cities were absolutely huge and load times were almost nonexistent. The special effects and animations were among the best ever, especially things like car damage and the fire effects.
Well, VC basically improves upon everything. While some things like framerate issues are still around slightly, most things have been taken care of. The disappearing object glitch is gone, and the textures look a little better. There are loads of new animations, and they are even more over the top than GTA3. Overall, GTA3’s graphics were good, VC&’s are better across the board but there will still be people who won’t like them. They have a certain style to them, and it’s hit and miss.
Sound
Man, this is almost unfair to any other game around. GTA:VC just might have the best sound ever in a video game. Incredible sound effects, including weapons, automobiles and boats, and superb voice acting. Did I mention close to 100 songs, all 80’s themed? Think of it like Gran Turismo exploding onto PSX with hundreds of cars and forever changing the way racing games are viewed. Well, VC stomps the sound in any other game around, period, and it should be the game all others are judged against from here on out. Nothing much to say here. Excellent sound effects, some of the best voice acting ever in the genre and music that fits the game perfectly.
Gameplay
If you have played GTA3, you will feel right at home with Vice City. Most of the gameplay changes are just extensions and revisions of things found in GTA3. To some that would appear disappointing but it just makes the game deeper and more enjoyable. Some of the improvements include:
Better AI. Not just for the people trying to kill you, but each and every person you see in the game. Cops are most effective, shooting out tires, beating down gang members. Other touches, like better civilian AI and smarter opponents, are welcome improvements.
You can now drive around on motorcycles and mopeds, as well as fly helicopters and control boats.
The weapons system is both improved and vastly increased. Many many more weapons and some of them now have specific uses.
The targeting system, while it is still average at best, is much easier to use now thanks to better camera work and better controls.
Your character can now enter the inside of buildings, making the game that much bigger.
Probably the most important, the story mode is much clearer and the missions aren’t as far fetched and irrelevant as before. Each mission now has more importance to the overall story and none of them feel like they were tacked on to take up time like last years.
The basic gameplay of GTA remains unchanged. You travel throughout the city, completing various missions, moving up in rank while you progress the story. The fun comes with what happens in between. GTA3 was probably the most open ended game ever made, and GTA:VC is simply bigger and more open, thanks in part to abilities sich as helicopters, boats and entering a building.
You can play the story, progress it, and beat the game. Or you can run around and try to find all the games secrets and jumps, as well as special missions. It will probably take you longer to do the secrets than it would the story mode.
One big change is the weapon system. You can no longer carry as many weapons as you wish. Weapons are now broken down into categories, and you are allowed to carry one weapon from each category, ranging from melee to rifle to automatics. The old weapons are there, but the news ones are much better. As I said above, some weapons can perform certain tasks if you’re good enough, such as blowing out the tire of a car, or shooting someone through the window of their car.
Overall, VC holds true to the old saying. If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Rather then risk messing up the gameplay with huge changes, Rockstar has just given gamers more of the same great gameplay from GTA3 and improved it enough to make you queasy all over again.
Overall
GTA Vice City is basically a bigger, better, meaner GTA3. While it looks and will feel the same as GTA3, there are more than enough improvements and refinements on it to warrant a purchase. The main problems from GTA3 remain, mainly graphics and framerate issues. But the pros from GTA3 easily outweighed the cons and Vice City easily topples GTA3.
The open ended gameplay of GTA3 returns tuned to perfection in Vice City. Just when you get tired of the story mode, you find a secret jump or package or mission and you want to go find more. And story mode will take you awhile because the difficulty is much higher this time around. Overall, Vice City is set and ready to do its predecessor justice and dominate the charts, as it should. It’s the best game so far this year and will most likely be the best overall this year and well into next year, or whenever Rockstar unleashes GTA4.
The Good
+ Completely open ended, deep gameplay
+ Over the top game engine keeps the game fresh
+ Best sound, ever
+ Incredible size, probably twice the size of GTA3
+ Psychics for vehicles better than most racing games
+ Great weapon system and loads of them
+ Much better mission and overall story mode
+ You can now enter buildings, adding to the depth
+ More secret jumps The Bad
- Camera when you go inside of a building
- Lock on system still needs an overhaul
- Framerate drops when the action is intense
The Ugly
? Stealing a scooter, and having one of the two occupants stay on for the ride. Then you get blindsided by a bus and your passenger is flung off and into an oncoming car, head first.
? Your pants, after you piss them for laughing so hard at the above experience
