Review

But the vehicles and graphics aren’t the only things improved in this second Grand Theft Auto game for the PSP. This time around we actually get a radio that’s worth listening to. If you’re one of the two million gamers who played Liberty City Stories last year then chances are you noticed that the soundtrack was not up to snuff. It’s not that the music was bad, but given its 1990s setting most people were hoping for some big name bands, perhaps a Nirvana, Metallica, Pearl Jam or something. Instead we got a bunch of no-name artists cluttering up the airwaves.

 

This time around Rockstar decided to go all out and give us some real 1980s tunes to listen to. Despite the fact that it is running on a small UMD disc, Vice City Stories manages to pack in 105 songs from the decade that brought us big hair, tight fitting pants and sexually confused men. The music is split up into nine different radio stations, from your rock to your new wave to your rap. You’ll be driving around the city listening to selections from Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, INSX, Hall & Oates, 10CC, Eddie Money, Run DMC, Rick James, Barry White, Blondie, New Order, Human League and dozens more. If you get sick of all that music, there’s even a way to insert your own custom soundtrack. And if that’s not enough, Vice City Stories even continues the tradition of including a hilarious talk radio station full of jokes about the era.

 

The great audio doesn’t end with the music; you will also find that the voice acting is top notch. While last year’s game didn’t feature a lot of recognizable names, this time around we actually have a few voices you might know. The most obvious character would be Phillip Michael Thomas (Miami Vice) who reprises his Lance Vance role. Also included are Gary Busey (The Buddy Holly Story), Luis Guzman (Boogie Nights) and Phil Collins as himself.

 

Phil Collins may seem like a strange choice at first, but given the context of the story it makes complete sense. While he won’t be giving out orders, you will have to drive and protect Phil Collins as he attempts to play a sold out concert in Vice City. These moments with Phil Collins are among the most inspired in the entire game. There’s a moment towards the end of the game where you actually get to help Phil put on a show that is easily one of the greatest moments in Grand Theft Auto history.  The moments with the ex-Genesis leader are almost worth the price of admission alone. You can tell he had a lot of fun playing a fictional version of himself from 22 years ago, and Rockstar even managed to get three different Phil Collins songs on the soundtrack.

 

The game does suffer from some of the same game play quirks that plagued last year’s PSP title. The lack of the second analog stick is just as noticeable this year as it was last, and some of the vehicles are a bit on the floaty side. For the most part this isn’t that big of a deal, but there are a few times in the game where it can really get in the way (and even make it hard to play). For example, it’s almost impossible to do a drive-by shooting, since you can’t look over and steer at the same time. This is only complicated by the fact that Rockstar insists on creating missions where you have to do drive-by shootings. Either way, these problems aren’t enough to keep you from having a good time with the game, and they give you something to blame when you die for no reason.

 

Just like Liberty City Stories, Vice City Stories gives you several different multiplayer games that you can play with up to six different players. These modes aren’t all that different from what we’ve seen in other multiplayer games, but they can be a lot of fun given the Vice City surroundings. There’s a traditional deathmatch mode, a fun variation on the capture the flag game type, a team mode and more. These modes are a nice addition to the lengthy single-player experience, but you can only play them with people that are in the same room (there is no online support in Vice City Stories).

 

Vice City Stories doesn’t attempt to reinvent the Grand Theft Auto formula, it’s very much more of the same. Thankfully the same can still be a whole lot of fun. You’ll have a blast going through the colorful streets of Vice City, no matter if you’re on foot, on a motorcycle, in a helicopter, in a boat or on a bicycle. Along with great graphics and voice acting, Vice City Stories also features one of the best video game soundtracks you will ever hear. If you’re not sick of the traditional Grand Theft Auto experience then this is one game you won’t want to miss out on this year.

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