Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
2006 | PSP, PS2
The setup: This follow-up to Liberty City Stories and prequel to Vice City gives PSP owners everything that game lacks - helicopters, the ability to swim, a bigger story, a better soundtrack, deeper gameplay and a more interesting lead criminal: Victor Vance, a career soldier who's kicked out of the army after he's set up by his degenerate sergeant. He immediately falls in with a bad crowd and, after becoming a petty crime boss almost by accident, he gets sucked deep into Vice City's high-end drug scene.
The rides: Motorcycles, quad bikes, helicopters and speedboats, along with a nice selection of Miami-appropriate cars. Also, there's a Jet Ski this time around, which is kind of tough to control. But you can swim this time, so it's not a big deal if you fall off it.
The criminal: Victor Vance, brother of Tommy Vercetti's partner Lance Vance, is perhaps better known as the bald guy who gets shot to pieces in the opening minutes of Vice City. Here, he's younger, leaner and tougher (but just as bald). He's also irritatingly stoic for most of the game, but gradually becomes more human and likable as it wears on.
The town: Vice City, still warm and colorful, but now with a carnival (with full-sized Ferris wheel) and a few other additions.
The music: The soundtrack feels like Vice City: Volume Two, throwing in nearly every iconic '80s track the first game missed. Still no Take on Me, though, but you can add it to the PSP version with the custom-soundtrack feature.
The violence: About the same as it was in Liberty City Stories, except that Victor Vance is a mean hand-to-hand fighter and can straddle downed opponents to beat their faces in.
Why it's the best: Vice City Stories actually introduces a new feature to GTA: empire-building, which enables you to buy out illegal rackets and then rake in cash without really doing anything. It also gives players the chance to buy back all their cool weapons after they're killed or arrested, something that's long overdue. It also features one of the series' most intense firefights - which happens to be against a platoon of bikini girls with assault rifles - and a big chunk of its story is dedicated to doing favors for Phil Collins. Awesome.
Why it isn't: Buying up businesses here feels less personal than Vice City's model, in which every place you buy comes with its own short storyline and unique missions. And speaking of missions, the difficulty here is all over the map; one mission might be a cakewalk, while the one right after it will kill you with its mind.
Does it hold up? Yes, but the PS2 version isn't as good.
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