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GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY First and foremost let me just get something out of the way: I love Vice City! If you enjoyed GTA 3, or simply enjoy games in general, then you should just stop reading now and go out and buy this game. Seriously, go. Now for the rest of you, this review is split up into 5 sections: Graphics, sound, playability, lasting appeal, and overall score. Graphics The graphics in Vice City are essentially the same as those in GTA 3; however there are many little extras that put it a step beyond anything in the previous iteration. The biggest change one will notice is the draw distance, which has been significantly lengthened. This becomes immediately apparent once one enters a helicopter, as one can see literally the whole city. It?s quite spectacular. Another significant change is the character models. Although this won?t jump out at you immediately, once you go back to GTA 3 the improvement will be as obvious as the ugly girl in a beauty contest ? and there?s always one! Finally small things like sparks shooting out from under your car as you scream down a crowded street on your rims, or shards of glass showering down onto your car from as street light, as you spin wildly out of control adds a sense of excitement and vibrance to this game. Overall I really must commend the folks at Rockstar Games for making an already great looking game look even better. It just goes without saying: this game looks great! Sound Really now, do I actually need to say that the sound in this game is absolutely stunning. Whether it be the crashing of a car, or the sound of a chainsaw gruesomely killing a pedestrian, the sound effects just fit. There?s no point in the game where you?ll say ?Now wait a minute, that just doesn?t sound right!?. It just won?t happen. Trust me though, where the game?s sound really shines is in the hours and hours of REAL 80's music. From The Buggles? ?Video Killed the Radio Star?, to Ozzy and Iron Maiden, from Blondie to Tito Puente, this game has amazing music. I don?t know what else to say. Amazing music! It really makes you feel like you actually are in the 80's.
Playability The control in Vice City is spot on. As soon as you pick up the controller this game will just flow. Getting into the game is also very easy. From the very beginning of the game you will have access to the hottest cars, a welcome change, and soon afterwards you will have access to the whole of the city. The result is that from the very commencement of the game, you will be saying ?Holy shit that?s cool!?. And, from that point on, it will be repeated at regular intervals. A few ?Holy shit that?s cool!? moments include the first time you fly a helicopter, the first time you shoot someone while they are driving, the first time you jack a motorcyclist, and, my favourite ***Spoiler Ahead*** when you get to the point in the game where you first realize that YOU are in control of the city *** Spoiler Over***. Of course, those are only a few ?Holy shit...!? Moments. There are so many more, and you will delight in discovering them, as much as I delight in spanking naughty choir boys ? you will enjoy it immensely. However, there is one quasi-negative aspect to the game. The camera can, at times, be very frustrating. This is especially when you are in doors, or going around a corner. Needless to say, it can be quite annoying going around a blind corner only to be shot by a group of baddies (as I call them) who you had absolutely no chance of seeing. To be fair though, it?s really only a minor gripe, and only rarely causes any damage. Make no mistake though, this game is easy to get into; It will hold your attention; And will leave you crouched in a corner, giggling in delight like a little schoolgirl. Lasting Appeal Although the main story is rather short, this game will keep you playing for a very long time. There?s an incredible amount of side missions to take part in. There are many properties to purchase. There are some quite addictive L3 missions, like Pizza Delivery, and of course Vigilantly. There are 100 packages to collect that give some great rewards. And finally, simply roaming around the city causing chaos by ground, air, or sea, and avoiding capture by law enforcement is incredibly fun. Even after you beat everything this game has to offer, doing this will retain every bit as much of its enjoyability and allure. Overall Score Every part of this games exudes craftsmanship and finesse. Rockstar Games has done an incredible job of creating a sequel to an already amazing game. Game developers should take note, as this is how a sequel should be done. As of right now, I would say that this is definitively one of the PS2's top 3 games. The only thing wrong with this game is the occasionally awkward camera, but I assure you, this should not stop you from getting this game; however it is the only thing keeping this game from perfection. -M. Yilmaz 9.8 out of 10
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