GTA Vice City Stories: first screens, details exposed
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Aug 1st 2006 at 1:55PM }
GTAPortable.com has posted the first screenshots, scanned from GamePro (Australia), of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. In addition, the GamePro article reveals a number of new gameplay details, including the game's lead role, Victor Vance. Remember him?Vic, Lance's brother, is a 28 year-old Marine, and unlike Tommy Vercetti, he can swim (hint, hint). He was gunned down in the beginning of Vice City. So, as speculated, VCS occurs before the original Vice City. In fact, VCS is set in 1984. Expect subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences in the city you conquered four years ago on PS2.
Here's the complete list of details from the GamePro article (via GTA Portable & GTAPSP.com):
- Takes place in 1984 (2 years before Vice City)
- Victor is a 28 year-old US Marine
- LCS was a "rookie first-gen PSP title compared to VCS"
- VCS is "much, much bigger than Vice City"
- Multi-tiered mission structure
- New/altered locations and buildings; some landmarks are half-built or yet to be refurbished to their state circa 1986
- New theme park on Ocean Beach, featuring the "Chunder Wheel" (Ferris wheel), which you can ride in first-person perspective
- Radio stations from Vice City return, with new (older) songs
- New weather effects (possibly hurricanes)
- All new vehicles and weapons/items, including helicopters, jet skis, and binoculars
- New handling system for bikes
- Swimming ability has been added
- Faster mission loading
- 'Trip Skips' return (if you die or get busted, a taxi will take you back to the location where you received the last mission)
- More life-like animations; a "step-up from previous titles in the series"
- Better draw distance, compared to original Vice City
- Increased density of pedestrians, cars, and objects
- Reduced clumping (when groups of the same model type appear together)
- Richer color palette (enhances sunsets)
- More interiors than in previous GTA titles; but no more seamless exterior-to-interior gameplay, as in LCS
- Multiplayer modes similar to those featured in LCS
- Not in VCS: character/vehicle customization & wall climbing
Update: Added source credits.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
diskoboy @ Aug 1st 2006 2:05PM
A Vice City sequel - There is a god!
I can't wait for the soundtrack, already..
Zeldathebest @ Aug 1st 2006 2:06PM
This game is a disgrace to gaming.With all its stereotypical depiction of ppl and glorification of senseless violence.For all the ppl who like this game and buy it you deserve to die a very slow and painful death.
BKirst90 @ Aug 1st 2006 2:11PM
@2 I hope your irony was intentional...
Christian aka nsomneia @ Aug 1st 2006 2:13PM
wow .. . zeldathebest tell us how you really feel there guy .. .
it's a game, at times a pointless and repetitive game, but nonetheless a game.. . but it definetly doesn't deserve a comment like that .. .
Night Elve @ Aug 1st 2006 2:18PM
@ 2. Zeldathebest
Do you need love? ... Guys can we show him some love right? I think he needs some sugar.
xDD
tcc3 @ Aug 1st 2006 2:21PM
So Zeldathebest - What you're advocating is real violence against people who enjoy or glorify virtual violence?
The hipocracy is overwhelming.
mike @ Aug 1st 2006 2:28PM
Seems almost like Rockstar day! I have to admit this is my favorite of the series, but, will not be touching my PSP.
Jay @ Aug 1st 2006 2:29PM
No cheers, I'll wait for the PS2 version. Then maybe buy a PS2. I traded in my PSP too long ago now, sorry Sony. Really is too little too late. Though Vice City is my favourite GTA by far.
Evil Inside @ Aug 1st 2006 2:31PM
Still no Infrastructure mode for multiplayer games?
FMB @ Aug 1st 2006 2:36PM
Faster Mission Loading! So its now 6 minutes instead of 10? Im glad Rockstar decided to move this franchise to a dead console. Not worth the money at all.
Pretty Obvious @ Aug 1st 2006 2:41PM
#2 You are a disgrace to gaming. Do us all a favor and go shoot yourself.
John @ Aug 1st 2006 2:41PM
Sounds a crap load better than LCS, I think I'm going to buy this.
Maximilian Lockwood @ Aug 1st 2006 2:46PM
Seriously though, please take your hating elsewhere everyone. I realize this isn't a fanboy blog, this is the main joystiq, but still, don't hate! This game is coming out for one system (hopefully no PS2 port) and you either get it or you don't. Don't trash talk it before it comes out. It's a game and thus should not be judged by its cover (art).
Save your hate for the DS fanboy. Talk about it over there, laugh at it for all I care. (Rhymes!) Please, just go away, let us have our fun with it, and move on. I realize it gets you all off putting other people (even inanimate objects like videogames) down, but I mean, you can always just resort to pr0n stars like Will Wright can't you?
Night Elve @ Aug 1st 2006 2:48PM
@ 10. FMB
Dead console? as far as i know is selling really good not as good as the Nintendo DS but enough to say that is getting quite a success.
Besides we are getting really good games por example:
- Ridge Racer.
- Wipeout Pure.
- Lumines.
- Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth.
- Tekken Dark Resurrection.
- Metal Gear Acid 2.
- Untold Legends: Brotherhood Blade.
- Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
- Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror.
- Daxter.
- Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix.
- SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo.
- Burnout Legends.
- Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee.
- World Tour Soccer 2 (Even this Demo looks good).
Cheers.
Pancakeshouse @ Aug 1st 2006 2:51PM
October is looking like a very good month. And btw, LCS's load times wern't all that bad, in fact they were some on the best before games like Tekken for the PSP came out...last week.
Fandel @ Aug 1st 2006 2:55PM
"Maximilian Lockwood"
Sorry, that's just too much to ask for system fanboys.(ALL system fanboys)
If you asked them to stop posting on video game websites, lobbing childish insults at other system owners, then they would probably come to the conclusion that they have no real life's or girlfriends.
FMB @ Aug 1st 2006 2:59PM
Every console has their share of good games. Last I checked half of the games on your list have already launched. This doesnt save it from death. Havent you seen the commercials. Sony has already reduced its price and its still the most expensice (non next-gen) console.
$50 for a psp game is a complete rip off no matter how good it is.
Ian @ Aug 1st 2006 3:12PM
Vice city was my favorite GTA (well I only own 3: GTA3, VC, and LCS) and I'm so happy this is coming to the PSP. I'm hoping for online multiplayer but I don't know if I'm willing to spend 50 bucks on a title like this when I have VC already, then again I did buy LCS.
Night Elve @ Aug 1st 2006 3:16PM
@ 18.
I never said they were new games, i said that PSP has great games.
Ethan @ Aug 1st 2006 3:24PM
wow, at least now we know that Jack Thompson goes by the name Zeldathebest on gaming comment boards. Anyway, this game is most likely going to be on my PSP in october. My favorite GTA so far.
darryl @ Aug 1st 2006 3:31PM
Too bad I have to wait until October... can't wait! Sounds like Rockstar has made many improvements to their new GTA engine. Love the GTA!
NeedleLies @ Aug 1st 2006 3:47PM
Just wait for the 20$ PS2 port 6 months later. I bet we see a GTA: San Andreas Stories inside a year also!
AB @ Aug 1st 2006 3:48PM
Why do people keep supporting the crappy GTA series? If they port this game onto the PS2 or come out with a "San Andreas Story", you idiots will probably still buy it.
Maximilian Lockwood @ Aug 1st 2006 4:06PM
I actually believe that there is going to be character customization. Check out the pic of the main character on pspfanboy and then look at some of the screenshots from the source page.
Convinced?
Zeldathebreast @ Aug 1st 2006 4:13PM
#23 - Oh yeah? No one has ever played Halo before ever. Also, Final Fantasy games are made by children drawing sticks in sand. And Mario's left testicle is a third of the size of his right.
I can make ridiclous statements too. Calling the GTA series "crappy", when it has been the single biggest revolutionary step in gaming in the past 5-6 years....is oh so deliciously laughable. If people bought GTA3/VC/SA/LCS...it is because they wanted it. Boo hoo for them. This clearly sounds like the greatest portable game ever created.
Anta @ Aug 1st 2006 4:14PM
"Faster Mission Loading! So its now 6 minutes instead of 10?"
oh lol dude, where you been the passed year? don't you know that PSP games load pretty quick now a days but of course you don't know that cause you have never touched one in your life.
josh @ Aug 1st 2006 4:26PM
"Calling the GTA series "crappy", when it has been the single biggest revolutionary step in gaming in the past 5-6 years....is oh so deliciously laughable."
GTA III _was_ revolutionary... but you have to admit, this will be, what, the FIFTH iteration of basically the same game? They may not be crappy, but for many of is it's getting to seem a bit too familiar.
It's time for them to take another big leap like GTA III was... I'm looking forward to GTA 4, myself.
FMB @ Aug 1st 2006 4:55PM
Anta, I play portable games because I enjoy having something to do when im in a waiting room or whatever, but when i have to spend that free time (that i could be playing a GOOD game)staring at a god damned loading screen, the designers of the game havent done their job.
And, I do have a PSP. 2 games, GTA:LCS (long loading times) and DUB Edition (even longer loading times)
Night Elve @ Aug 1st 2006 5:13PM
@ 23.
Im gonna tell you something respect the video games choices of other people.
Just because you dont like GTA it does not mean is crap, just because you consider that is crap it does not mean it is.
And after all you call us idiots because we like GTA geez some people nowadays is so childish.
Alvin @ Aug 1st 2006 5:20PM
#2 & #23 cant get laid thats thier problem!!!
They just live with thier moms in thier basement!!!!!!!
And thier broke asses dont even have money for games anyway!!!!! GTA:VCS is going to be awsome!!!!
I hope there will be a hurricane weather!!!!!!
I hope lazlo is also there (in his talk show)!!!
P.S. Hello out there to all the fans of the 1970's Mickey Mouse Club!!!!!
Zeldathebest @ Aug 1st 2006 5:24PM
GTA is a huge pile of crap!So putting a bunch of stereotypes of minorities with some weapons to kill other minorities on the street is a good game?Arent games supposed to be creative like when adventure came out for atari,or zelda for nes,mario for nes,ff for nes,or street fighter for the arcade.^his game is just so disgraceful the developers do not do anything reative with that game.Its pointless violence mixed in with pointless missions.So fuck GTA and fuck all GTA fans!
Alvin @ Aug 1st 2006 5:36PM
#2 Zeldathebest
You havent gone to puberty, huh??? You got sand in your vigania that it!!!!! Or maybe your on your period!!!! Fuck you you fag!!!
Zelda.... yep, your a fag!!!
Zelda is cool, but not the best!!!
Zeldathebest @ Aug 1st 2006 5:51PM
@32 so im a fag or do i have a vagina make up your mind u dumbass.So i havent gone through puberty but at least I now how to spell VAGINA.I presented my reasons for thinking that GTA is crap all u can say is that im a fag but u cant tell me im wrong.Nobody can tell me im wrong because those are some good fucking reasons!By the way Zelda is the best according to most game reviewers check gamerankings.com and you'll see.So fuck you Alvin!Alvin haha is there a gayer name than that.I think your the fag.
FMB @ Aug 1st 2006 5:58PM
Alvin,
WOW. Ok, i think we realize that people have oppinions, but how does not liking grand theft auto make someone like guys?
This is a place for people to respond to what they think about the post, not yell at others because of their choices. Grow up.
Fandel @ Aug 1st 2006 6:28PM
"Alvin" and "Zeldathebest"
All you guys are doing is making both sides of the GTA argument look bad. From both of your posts on this subject, it looks like you guys are too young to be playing Zelda, let alone GTA.
As for GTA in general, this basically sums up what I think about the series.
Grand Theft Auto = Mega man.
Like Mega man, GTA was once a revolutionary series, in both theme, and game play. But Rockstar, like Capcom, has literally whored out the series by releasing game after game with only minimal changes, wrapped around in a larger game.
numlok @ Aug 1st 2006 7:01PM
I really look forward to this. Liberty City Stories was imho not a superb game, but still definately the best PSP title out there. It is obvious what it does: Gives us more GTA, italian mafia-style.
Now, Vice City Stories will give us more GTA miami/scarface-style.
I am still looking most forward to the NWA-style San Andreas Stories, and thinking of the future I come to think of two questions:
1: Will Vice City Stories - Console edition be for PS2 or PS3 when it arrives in 2007?
2: Is it possible to include the entire San Andreas map onto a UMD?
Ameen @ Aug 1st 2006 7:51PM
GTA: Vice City for the PS2, PC, Xbox was one of the best in the GTA Series. GTA:VCS would probably be better than that and to all those remarking that the PSP is dead maybe it is for you childish guys who like to Touch Yourselves(Touching is Good! WTF), and numlock it is definitely possible through procedural generation, check out this link if you don't believe me check out this article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kkreiger, more games are coming out for the PSP and not on the UMD but will be available for download directly to your memory stick, which would remove or atleast lower all load times. PSP is not dead, its coming back with a revenge and would hit you so fast that you would have to train your brain again.
Ameen,
http://www.gamebot.co.nr
Alvin @ Aug 1st 2006 9:44PM
Well i really like GTA games and are possibly the best on PS2 and are going to be on the PSP!!! The GTA franchise is awsome!!!
Layla Sims @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:17AM
I love the GTA series, and I literally have every one of them that has been made for the PC, starting with the 2-D, top-down-view GTA1. I had wanted to get the PSP just for LCS, but I figured that with the tiny screen, it just would not be as good as a PC (or even console) version. DUB was another one I was interested in. You PSP'ers, please educate me.
sony psp @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:35AM
Wow, I cannot wait for this game. It looks awesome! I remember playing GTA3 on my computer, it was the first GTA game I had, I loved it so much.
borhan @ Aug 14th 2006 3:57PM
gta vice city stories might b a good game when it cmes out but a think rocstar should just make a knew city to play in instead of the same city's because we know whats cming up next probably gta san andreas stories and another thing they should release it on ps2 at the same time as psp
GAMEA @ Aug 14th 2006 4:10PM
cant wait for it anybody else who doesnt feel the same should go swallow a vial of anthrax and spare us your petty existence
GAMEA @ Aug 14th 2006 4:19PM
i wonder what gave them the idea of creating secondary versions of there games
Kane Desousa @ Aug 15th 2006 4:09PM
i can't beleive why everybody puts down psp? i used to until i bought it i have ds lite and psp so i kno what i say ds is for little babies and only more people buy it because it was like $100 cheaper than psp when first released ds has crappy graphics and psp has ps2 graphics none of you know anything because in 2007 there will be no more ports just original games for psp sony just needed to make some money so they could make ps3 and future no-port psp games such as metal gear portable ops kilzone gta socom fireteambravo 2 locoroco WTF lumines ect...
ds hase more non-ports because they can't really make ports of gamecube because the graphics suck so they do n64 ports lol pwnd
anyway thanx for reading my comment...
Luke @ Aug 24th 2006 9:39AM
It aint cumming out on PS2 just PSP so all u PSP owners go grab a copy when it comes out
dell9300 @ Aug 24th 2006 5:04PM
I have just heard that VCS is not coming to PS2, but that's what they said about LCS and then it did. so, do you think VCS will come to PS2?
http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=255140
mbuk91 @ Oct 27th 2006 4:14AM
well i dunno about you guys but i thought GTA was "THE BEST" game on the ps2. it is really the only game i play on there. because it is a game you can just piss about on if your bored or fed up with games you get stuck on with tedious missions on. so what if its violent, isnt violence everywhere, and these people who say it messes with your head and makes you do things should get a life because i definaltely havent been shooting people, only idiots would take the game to reality. it is truly a great game and dont care if it gets boring or "steroetypical" because it is fun, so much to do so many things to destroy :)