Be warned: Vice City won't knock your socks off when you first start playing. In fact, it somewhat feels like more of the same. And while not a bad thing, it certainly doesn't seem to be worth all the ridiculous amount of hype it generated over the past year. At first.

Things slowly begin changing not long into the game. Right off the bat, you'll notice some improvements. Right off that same bat, you'll also notice a few things not-so-improved. In your head, you'll likely be making your own little comparisons, deciding if the first half-hour of the game is enough of an assessment to assume how the whole of Vice City will be as a gaming experience. In all likelihood, you'll also deduce that it is a bigger GTA 3 and nothing more. That's what we thought. Big mistake.

Not only is GTA: Vice City an all-new game, it is also an all-new experience that, like GTA 3 before it, will lure gamers into its grasp, and never let go. As a former prisoner for fifteen years, Tommy Vercetti (you) have been released, and your employer, Sonny Forelli, sends you to Vice City to expand his empire from Liberty City. It doesn't take long for Tommy to see that the white-sand beaches, beautiful palm trees, neon-splattered streets, and nefarious mullets shouldn't be taken for granted; for it is merely a sugar-coated version of Liberty City, and the underbelly of Vice City is almost immediately thrown in Tommy's face.

Vice City certainly plays like GTA 3. Anyone remotely familiar with Rockstar's blockbuster (and if you own a PS2, how can't you?) will likely feel right at home with Vice City's controls -- the two games are identical, save for a few additions here and there. Much of Vice City's much-hyped features supports the "bigger, better, faster, more" reputation it has been making for itself. The city is twice the size of what Liberty was. The number of cars in the game has jumped from 50 to 120. Pedestrian models have jumped to 80. Weapons have gone from 15 to over 30. 8,000 pedestrian lines. 600 pages of dialogue. Over 90 minutes worth of cut scenes, blah, blah, blah. Impressive numbers sure, but far more interesting are the additions themselves, and how they affect the experience. And there are quite a few, so let's cut to the chase.

First, the missions have broadened in their complexity, making for much higher levels of immersion, and much more fun. There are still your shorter missions featuring simple pick-ups and drop-offs, but more intriguingly intricate tasks await. Some include being dressed for the occasion, and as such, you are sometimes required to get a change of clothes as a part of the mission itself (a subtle, but welcome addition). Because of the added complexity, missions feel more linked to the overall storyline, and become more addictive than the one's you played through in GTA 3. Couple this with the Hollywood-worthy script and voices, and you've got yourself something very difficult to put down. If you thought GTA 3 sucked you in, Vice City will knock you upside the head and drag you around like a little girly-man. And the side missions have received a good beefing up too. In addition to all your favorites from GTA 3, new side jobs like pizza delivery have been added, and there are loads of other things to do in Vice City. If you feel like testing out your Motocross skills, snoop around the Arena area. Just want some quiet time? There is a lighthouse out on the beach. Wanna' try some stunts in a car, truck, cycle, tank, or any other vehicle? There are ramps all over the place. Want some new threads? Go get them then.

Gamers everywhere have sent Rockstar North thousands upon thousands of suggestions after GTA 3 on how to improve the prequel. And while some of the more far-fetched ideas were scrapped immediately, Rockstar paid close attention to others, not only improving on rough spots, but also adding what gamers wanted most but didn't have in GTA 3. Among the most requested were the addition of motorcycles, and Vice City has them in droves. Dirt bikes, hogs, crotch rockets, scooters... all for the taking. They even have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, as well as their own physics and rider animations. On a bike, you can shoot ahead of you as well as to the side. But you can get busted more easily on a bike, and you take damage from collisions and other accidents.

Other additions vehicle-wise include baggage carriers and golf carts, as well as a ton of new boats. And forget all about trying to fly that nasty Dodo from GTA 3. Vice City has planes and choppers for you to commandeer, and all of them are more forgiving than the Dodo could ever be. Wanna’ know exactly how big Vice City is? Flying one of these bad boys will give you the scope you’re looking for, and you'll be blown away -- guaranteed. Another department that has been overhauled is the weapons. Not only are there more, but many of them are melee weapons, such as a screwdriver, machete, katana blade, golf club, nightstick, knife, baseball bat, and even a gas-powered chainsaw! Yes!

But, while there are new melee weapons, as well as numerous new handguns, shotguns, and heavy weapons, they come with a catch: you can only hold one weapon per category. If you want the chainsaw, you gotta' give up the machete. Molotov Cocktails or grenades? Rocket launcher or flame thrower? Shotgun or 12-guage? The choice is yours, but it is indeed a choice. In Vice City, you are only half the arsenal you used to be in Liberty. Take that as a positive or negative; we leave that up to you.

Another much-requested inclusion is that of interior environments, and before you go thinking that Rockstar North scattered a few around here and there to shut people up, know that there are over 60 of them in Vice City. For a metropolis this big, 60 isn't the largest of numbers, but the provided additions change the game's feel dramatically, especially when you learn what all can be done with them. It's true that many of these indoor playgrounds are as minor as walking into an Ammu-Nation, but some have multiple floors and hallways to fully explore too. It isn't disappointing in the slightest.

But one thing that does disappoint is the controls. Yes, GTA: Vice City controls just like GTA 3, and you can take that as a blessing or a curse. Anyone familiar with the control scheme of GTA 3 will know exactly what to do, but the problems associated with the controls of GTA 3 still haven't been fixed in Vice City. The controls are still a bit imprecise, and aiming in first-person is still far too touchy (yes, we know that the new crouch move is supposed to help remedy this, but it doesn't. It's still hard as hell). The auto-target is still a bit unwieldy, but much-improved. As soon as you learn how to properly use it, you will notice a big difference. In the heat of battle with thugs surrounding you, the system is still useless, but Tommy's new arsenal of hand-to-hand moves help a bit to take on enemies from all sides (you'll still take a pounding though).

But it's not all bad. In fact, there is one addition to your moves that will be greatly helpful to gamers who have problems drowning frequently (no, you can't swim): bailing. You can do so in a moving car now, so when you are going full-speed without knowing about the channel of water ahead, you can jump out at the last minute and save your sorry ass from an unpleasant dip. Ghost-riding a truck into a crowd is fun too. Not life-saving, just fun. Do it. You'll feel good about it. We did.

In GTA 3, did you ever fire a bullet into the window of an unknowing denizen, just to have him/her speed away unharmed? We did, and we didn't like it. In Vice City however, no one is safe from your wrath, as you can fire as many bullets into the windows as you please, and you will scare the hell out of -- if not kill -- the driver or passenger, and the vehicle drifts to a stop. If you want to intimidate them, you can also blast out their tires; now they know there is no escape. Any car you jack that has a passenger along for the ride will likely get trapped in the car when you take it over. And they are desperately at your mercy.

Ahem. The cops are a bit stricter in Vice City. If you have a wanted level, and go to a Pay N' Spray, your wanted level doesn't decrease automatically. Instead, the illuminated stars will flash. Do anything during that period -- anything -- that is breaking the law (like hitting someone, hitting a cop's car etc.), your wanted level goes right back to where it was before you had your car sprayed. It actually improves on the dynamics, and the flashing doesn't last long. Besides, the difficulty needed to be a bit ramped up considering that the new clothes changing also rid you of a wanted level. Nice change, and teaches you good citizenship too.

Can you appreciate a good cop or what? In Vice City, the fuzz chases criminals other than you too, so now you don't feel as if the police are only watching and chasing you. You will see car chases with the cops and baddies, but you'll see an officer chasing one on foot even more frequently. The only gripe we have with the A.I. is that the cops still know exactly where you are all the time, no matter what. So if you are hiding somewhere, and there are walls between you and them, they will still scream at you and gather on the other side of the wall. Some even still fire at you (or rather, at the wall), despite the fact they shouldn't even know you are there. Shame.

But saving the very best for last, one of the greatest elements of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is the ability to buy your own property (Yes! Finally, the money we make can be used for something!). In fact, this one feature changes the whole gameplay dynamic of what you know about GTA later on in the game. Because we don't want to spoil anything for you, we're not going to reveal anymore, but trust us, it's very cool, and takes the series to a whole new level. Unfortunately, what we are keeping mum about is also one of the defining features of the new game. Don't be mad at us. You'll thank us later.

Overall, the open-ended, non-linear gameplay is the one mainstay between GTA 3 and Vice City. Without it, it's not GTA, and a million new features wouldn't change the game enough to outdo this one factor. You can still do pretty much whatever you want. You still don't need to bother with the missions, and you still don't need to "progress" through the game. You'll want to, but you don't have to. No matter who plays the game, it will all unfold differently for everyone. And if that doesn't give you an accurate idea of the scope of this excellent game, then we don't know what will.

Those looking for a huge improvement over GTA 3 won't find it here. Yes, Vice City looks better, but it is more due to the tropical setting of Vice City, not poly counts. In the tropics, the palms, multi-colored skies, and vivid neon set the scene. And in Vice City, it certainly does. No, the visuals aren't beautiful, but yet they are captivating to the eyes. Palms sway gently in the breeze, and the sunset is absolutely stunning. So heavy is the ambience that you can nearly smell the ocean air. The sun now shimmers off the cars, and ladies in bikinis and roller skaters fill the streets. Pedestrians and gangs now even gather together in a group (like real gangs would). Citizens stop to talk to others, and even take seats on benches. Vice City feels even more alive than Liberty City did; as if you were merely taking a summer vacation from Liberty. Technically, the graphics do improve on GTA 3, and considering how big Vice City is in comparison, it's quite a feat to pull off any improvement at all.

But despite these improvements, flaws still exist. Sure, the slight pop-up isn't a big deal, but the trifling frame rate should have improved over the last game. While frivolous enough overall, the very existence of it is worth noting.

If you thought the soundtrack in GTA 3 rocked... well, you'd be right. It did. But that doesn't mean it can't be outdone, and Vice City certainly accomplishes that goal. Setting the new standard, the overall sound presentation is some of the very best ever heard in a videogame. The music is timeless, the commercials are funnier than ever, and the pedestrians will have you rolling on the floor with laughter. Nine radio stations are broadcast throughout Vice City, and you will hear some familiar voices from GTA 3; from your future (Vice City is set twenty years before GTA 3, remember?). Furthermore, all of the music is licensed 80's smash hits, in which we won't go into any detail here. Safe to say, if you were around in those days, the majority of these tunes are familiar. Want the greatest licensed soundtrack in the history of gaming? Here you are.

Between the music in GTA 3 were some of the funniest radio commercials ever. Vice City is no different, actually taking the humor to the next level. Sometimes, it's a bit dirtier, but it's a whole lot funnier all the time. And once again, it is pulled off with class. The humor never gets to the point of being gratuitous, and we're not talking dumbass humor, but amusingly comical, and tasteful humor. The same can be said of the pedestrian dialogue. Downright-friggin'-hilarious, Vice City residents insult you, others, and even themselves. They bitch and moan, flirt with you, and talk with varying accents. And now with over 8,000 different things to say, you can assure you'll always be thoroughly entertained. Fantastic.

And speaking of dialogue, the script and storyline in Vice City is genius, and not by merely the writing and pacing of the story (but that's a big, big part of it), but also with the silver tongues of the silver screen. Over 20 celebs lent their voices to the main characters of GTA: Vice City and it's all pulled off brilliantly. Included celebrities are Lawrence Taylor, Phillip Michael Thomas, Burt Reynolds, Jenna Jameson, Ms. Cleo, Dennis Hopper and many more. The awesome voice work gives Vice City that extra breath of life for a truly immersive world.

Is it any surprise that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was a runaway success before it was ever released (pre-orders were over 4 million)? It doesn't surprise us in the least, though something else did: the fact that Rockstar North didn't merely update us with a few new missions and cars in a somewhat- new city. They could have done so, and the vast majority of us would have been more than satisfied. Instead, the developers completely overhauled what we loved, and then added entirely new gameplay dynamics to make GTA: Vice City one of the very best games of all time. Just for not resting on their laurels, Rockstar North deserves credit. But then give us this fabulous piece of work -- this new portion of the ever-growing, living, breathing, Grand Theft Auto universe -- and you have one of the videogame industry's defining moments -- and an effort worthy of praise.





Article By: Brendon Hivner