Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

I recently got this game via online auction for $10; just curious what all the hype was about. Let's get straight to the point:

The GOOD: Entertaining voice acting by Ray Liotta (Tommy Vercetti the main character), Dennis Hopper (Steve Scott, the porn king), Burt Reynolds (Avery Carrington, real estate mobster), Philip Michael Thomas (Lance Vance, Tommy's buddy), Deborah Harry (Taxi controller), Jenna Jameson (porn star), etc. Facinating storyline with funny plot twists. Open game format allows playing missions in any order you want, do what you want. LOTS of cars, motorcycles, planes, trucks, ambulances, helos, speedboats, RC airplanes, etc. to commandeer and wreak havoc. LOTS of weapons ranging from butcher knife to RPGs. LOTS of 80s music (Blondie, Rick James, A Flock of Seagulls, Wang Chung, Michael Jackson, etc) and chat parody on radio stations whenever inside a vehicle. Well plotted out city streets and ability to buy real estate and business properties as the game progresses. Some missions are tough and need careful planning and weapons selection. Add your own MP3s to listen to! You can even pick up hookers if you're driving a nice car. Just too much goodies!!!

The BAD: Awkward 3rd person view of main character (views can only be changed in vehicles) which means sometimes a structure or the back of Tommy's head can be blocking your view of the enemies. Background graphics can become ungainly and bulky close up (Kind of reminds me of old Tomb Raider games). Vehicle dynamics are purely video game style/not realistic simulations. Games can't be saved during missions and can only be done at "save" houses/properties. Vehicles always exploded when turned over even when there's minimal damage.

The UGLY: Game sometimes lock up (at the car dealership) even with video setting at my desktop 1280x1024x32 native resolution. The newest patch didn't help. Last but NOT least: TOMMY CAN'T SWIM!!!

Bottom Line: FUN and entertaining game at parties. NOT for younger kids or the politically correct. The 80's music collection ALONE is worth getting this game!

Maybe it's 'cause I grew up during the 80s, and between the nostolgia trip, the music from the period and the whole "Me" generation attitude is represented; this game has made it as one of my favorite games of all time...

For you hardcore gamers out there, it's well worth the cost of snacks and fast food for hours upon hours of uninterrupted game play. Load up on caffeine, call in sick and take the phone off the hook!

Aside from the whole period "feel", this is still GTA here. It's all 'bout wrecking havoc with fast vehicles, and Vice City gives you a lot of new toys to play with. Helicopters, Motorcycles, Boats, Planes (that don't suck to try to fly like the Dodo from GTAIII), tanks, and an attack helicopter after you either beat the game, or get all of the hidden packages.

Weapons in the game are decent, anything from a chainsaw to a rocket launcher, you have plenty of new weapons of mass destruction.

One thing to say, you can use cheat codes in this game, but it reduces your infamy factor. Just words to the wise.

Now then, I've beat Vice City so many times, the missions are knocked out quick when I play a new game... the real joy I get from just driving around. It's just kind of cool to run from place to place in this game while listening to tunes off the stereo.

The other plus is when the whole 1980's nostalgia trip wears off, you can load up the MP3 folder with your own music and terrorize Vice City in style.

For other things to say, voices by Ray Liota, Jenna Jameson, Burt Reynolds, and more add to Vice City's "cool" factor. The soundtrack to this game includes a lot of actual music from the 80s, including everything from Joe Jackson's "Stepping out" to Iron Maiden's "Two Minutes to Midnight".

Also, you can buy property in Vice City, which can include businesses. This includes a strip club, a porno studio, a protection ring, your own drug "front", a shaddy cab company, a money counterfitting operation and more. The fun just doesn't stop!

This game rules, and I'm very much looking forward to when GTA: San Andreas comes out for PC (release for the PlayStation 2 is somewhere September according to rumors). I can't wait to see what time period, characters, and cars the new one is going to have!