Metareview - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Nov 1st 2006 at 8:15PM }
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We said it before, and we'll say it again: Grand Theft Auto is stale. But we can't knock the hustle. Rockstar has settled into a niche that continues to sell. Why change?Some critics' thoughts:
- 1UP (90/100) - "The empire-building facet, though reminiscent of purchasing businesses in the first Vice City, is quite significant ... The other additions aren't nearly as significant, but they are welcome ... [but] some serious series flaws stubbornly refuse to budge, a fact that grows harder to ignore with each passing entry ... It's a shame Rockstar chose not to fix obvious flaws that have been called out repeatedly, but the weight of the total experience more than counterbalances this disappointment".
- Game Informer (second opinion) (82.5/100) - "I've pimped, extorted, and murdered my way to the top so many times now, the thrill of criminal indulgence has finally begun to fade. This is more of the same from the franchise, with a few more serious themes thrown in. But if you've already drunk your fill of the free-roaming gangbuster cup, then this mix is going to taste a little stale."
- GamePro (75/100) - "[It's] a big shame that lot of that personality has gone missing ... the characters and dialogue don't have the same snap nor does the game exhibit the same goofy and utterly loveable 80's style. Instead, the game is gritty and dull to a fault ... Vice City Stories retains the same problems that plagued past titles. The auto-aim function doesn't work well, the AI isn't particularly smart, and some missions are completed more through trial and error than anything else."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
iEnigma @ Nov 1st 2006 8:38PM
Let's face it, people love their GTA. I bought Liberty City Stories for my PSP, and will not be upgrading to VCS. I'm more casual when it comes to my portable gaming, and I simply can't afford to shell out $50 per PSP game. I'm better off getting 360 games at that price. It's too bad, too! The PSP had incredible potential, and it was wasted by Sony's poor decision-making. I still love my PSP though.
On another note; I wonder what Freud would say about our love of GTA? [/random]
JostiqDisturbsMe @ Nov 1st 2006 8:39PM
Typical Joystiq bashing of pop culture. And yet I still read this all the time. Must be a sadist.
GTA - you know, top-selling franchise. Millions love to play it. Huge for the gaming industry in so many ways, big crossover hit. So, sensibly, we should say that it sucks.
Wait a sec...
And the top 3 reviews posted are 1 slightly over the average review, and two significantly below the average. Wouldn't expect anything less from Joystiq though...
And yet I even posted here. I'm sick.
page @ Nov 1st 2006 9:11PM
It's a lot fresher than Mario and his stale world/s, and for handheld gamers it is literally a godsend. By the way, Liberty City Stories was my first GTA.
maikeru @ Nov 1st 2006 9:19PM
To 3.
No wonder you don't think it's stale. For those of us who have played GTA since 2001, it's gotten rather formulaic. Kinda like Madden, but with more hookers.
page @ Nov 1st 2006 9:28PM
maikeru,
I can understand that. But for those of us that prefer untethered gaming it's brilliant. My last plug-in&hook-up-to-TV system was the N64, and my prior handheld systems were all Nintendo, which as I'm sure you realize were beyond stale with their Mario this and Mario that nonsense.
Ndric @ Nov 1st 2006 9:32PM
One of PSP's most hyped-up title at 87/100. Mmmn...
PuniPuniSakura @ Nov 1st 2006 9:43PM
since 2001? newbie ;P i've been playing it since the first entry(the series didn't start with GTA3) and just picked up VCS yesterday... while i have my complaints, it's certainly a nice entry, and is definitely good fun, with quite a few nice additions, empire building being a much refined and far more fun version of turf war in SA
and i have to say, Gamepro's not the best site for good reviews... the main two problems with this entry are that pop-in still rears it's ugly head and that the radio occasionally skips... that, and as usual there's an unweildy focus on doing missions for much of the game
really, for better or worse it's a portable, highly(and well) modified Vice City, and an original story telling the origins of the greatest sidekick in the series, Lance Vance
Naruhodou @ Nov 1st 2006 9:47PM
There are two reviews with 1 and 5 higher points than the top review here. You biased Joystiq fuckers.
It's actually a pretty decent game. Not "stale" by any means. That makes 4 PSP games I've bought. Keep raking out the hits.
- Naruhodou "Nintendo handhelds: Mario this and Mario that nonsense" Ryuichi
Wulkar @ Nov 1st 2006 9:59PM
they are getting kinda old...still fun to play but old.
Jonathan @ Nov 1st 2006 10:04PM
So far for my PSP I have Hot Shots Golf, Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins, and Taiko no Tatsujin. All great games.
So far for my DS I have Feel the Magic XX/XY, Nintendogs, Tetris, Metroid Prime Hunters, Metroid Prime Pinball, Brain Age, Animal Wild World, Sonic Rush, Clubhouse Games, oh! and New Super Mario Bros. All great games.
Why is does everyone say Nintendo is all about Mario? Sure they milk the franchise (Mario Kart, the Mario sports games, etc.) but many of the top-selling DS games have nothing to do with Mario.
Even if you remove every Mario title from the DS lineup, they still have more million-sellers than PSP...
Naruhodou @ Nov 1st 2006 10:09PM
And gloating for a company gets you where?
Jonathan @ Nov 1st 2006 10:20PM
Naruhodo: I'm merely replying to your complaint that Nintendo handhelds = Mario this and Mario that (#8). I'm just pointing out that you're wrong is all.
Or do you prefer I spelled it out in Japanese? DSのゲームソフトはすごいよ。大好き！
Naruhodou @ Nov 1st 2006 10:39PM
"Naruhodo: I'm merely replying to your complaint that Nintendo handhelds = Mario this and Mario that (#8). I'm just pointing out that you're wrong is all."
That wasn't my complaint. I was quoting the rather foolish above comment. :P
Paul @ Nov 1st 2006 10:57PM
Im really not understanding the low reviews for this game. I've been playing the GTA series since it was top-down, and I think this and LCS is a godsend for gamers on the go. The game looks amazing and it's a lot of fun. I just hope San Andreas Stories will be a step up just as San Andreas was a step up from Vice City. You can say that the gameplay has gotten stale but what really has changed about the game? I think some of these reviewers are a little biased since Im sure they've been playing GTA for about a decade too. It's always been a fun game and this installation is no deviation from that. Fun gameplay, great graphics, extremely deep for a HANDHELD game, definitely worth getting.
Lekko @ Nov 2nd 2006 12:43AM
I'll pick this game up probably on the 15th or so, so I can play it while I wait for my PS3. This game will probably take forever to fully complete 100%, just like the rest of them. That's one thing I like about PSP over the DS, if I'm in for a long wait, the PSP has enough depth to play for hours, where DS games seem to end too quickly, or get repetitive and stale. Not saying the games are bad either, just.. kinda shallow.
Granted, I'll be brining both to wait in line, but I can tell you now my PSP is going to get the majority of my time. That and books.
Mort85 @ Nov 2nd 2006 2:51AM
hooray for actually posting the current average at the bottom!
dubz @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:39AM
Is it a prerequisite for IGN "journalists" to give every AAA game a 90 or better?
AzNPiMp @ Nov 2nd 2006 2:23PM
"I'm just pointing out that you're wrong is all."
but Nintendo fanboys are right. ALWAYS, ALWAYS RIGHT.
DS > PSP BECAUSE I OWN MORE GAMES FOR THE DS. DON'T QUESTION IT. OO-RAH.