Product Reviews
Submit to the seedy streets of Vice City in this portable prequel to the top-selling PlayStation 2 game of 2002. British developer Rockstar Leeds revisits a familiar open-ended world while creating an original storyline with new missions and design elements. Lance Vance's brother Vic is the game's lead protagonist, and players will follow the ex-soldier in his bid for power and respect in 1984's corrupt, Miami-inspired metropolis. The mission structure, controls, and perspective are similar to those introduced in 2005's Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, albeit with several notable enhancements. The draw distance has increased, allowing players to see more of their surroundings, the missions are more intricate, and the variety of vehicles has expanded. Players will zip through the narrow streets in various sports cars and motorcycles, take to the air in helicopters or jets, and bob along the water in speedboats or on jet skis. One of the Grand Theft Auto franchise's distinguishing features is its high production values, and Vice City Stories showcases professional voice acting, cinematic cut-scenes, and radio stations rife with licensed music, satirical commercials, and quirky personalities. More than a dozen '80s era songs include such hits as {:Dio's "Holy Diver," {:Ratt's "Round and Round," and {:Pat Benatar's "We Belong." Multiplayer options offer a mix of cooperative and competitive games playable over an Ad-hoc wireless connection. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide