Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

I'll say right now that I've had a LOT of fun with "Vice City Stories", and a huge part of the game's draw is returning to Vice City (it was fun to witness the architectural changes in the prequel setting). A nice new addition was the Empire building feature, which spiced things up but still made it satisfyingly more-of-the-same. The soundtrack is (again) terrific, the satire and talk radio shows are as much fun as ever (I need more Billy Joe and Bobby Ray) and the story's a departure for GTA; sometimes it works, others not so much. But then they had to go and integrate Phil Collins into the actual story - a stroke of brillliance, and I love that Phil was down with this.

What this game really proves is that Vice City is an awesome place in which to set a GTA game (take note, Rockstar).

Many hours of fun.

9/10

Not as famous as the brothers, but still a good game with lots of action and a good story, good gameplay, good music and makes you enter the 80's / 90's in Miami.

Rated M for Violence,Strong Language and Sex and Drug Content.

I am a fairly big Grand Theft Auto fan.I got GTA2 a couple of years back but then about two years ago I got Vice City and loved it! Then I got San Andreas and loved it even more.To me this series is the best game ever.The games have great storyline's,characters and are loads of fun to play.Sure the graphics may not be as good as other games but the gameplay makes up for it and gameplay is the most important aspect of a game in my opinion.I got Liberty City Stories for Playstation 2.For me, that one was the worst in the series.The game had the worst storyline out of all the GTA games and the worst soundtrack.It was still a great game but not as good as the others.I forgave it because it was originally a PSP game(and a good one at that).But then Vice City Stories came out and made this game look much worse.I still like Liberty City STories but Vice City Stories is much better.I got really excited when I heard they were bringing the game to Playstation 2 and I got the game three days after it came out.Now Vice City Stories has the worst graphics out of all the Grand Theft Auto games but the other things make up for it.I got the game yesterday so I am at the beginning but so far Vice City Stories seems to have a much better storyline and much better characters than Liberty City Stories.There are new features in Vice City Stories that were not in any other GTA game such as the ability to buy your weapons after you get busted or wasted.Also the combat system is the second best out of all the GTA games(San Andreas is the best because you can learn new moves).In Vice City Stories you can use new fighting moves on your opponents such as snapping their necks.The soundtrack is very good.Not as good as Vice City's but there are plenty of good 1980's hits to enjoy.The game takes place in the year 1984(it doesn't say in the game but it says on the back of the box).You are Victor Vance(you might remember his brother Lance from Vice City).You join the army to pay for your brothers medication(he apparently has asthma).Your mother and other brother(Lance) are drug addicts.However your superior officer Jerry Martinez asks you to do illegal jobs which eventually get you kicked out of the army.You know must make a name for yourself in Vice City while meeting new and interesting characters.There are some new parts of the city that were not in the original Vice City such as a trailer park.Vice City Stories is only $30 Canadian and is definitely worth the price.

"Before the lights, the coke, and Tommy Vercetti... there was Victor Vance. And he had something to lose."

Vice City Stories isn't just a prequel-it's a gut punch with heart. It takes the neon-soaked chaos of Vice City and grounds it in something rare for GTA: honor. This is Victor Vance's story, and unlike most GTA protagonists, Vic isn't trying to rule the world-he's trying to take care of his broken family. That's what makes this game hit differently.

Let's break it down:

Setting: Vice City. 1984. Two years before Tommy Vercetti turns the place into a cocaine-fueled empire.

This is a dirtier, hungrier, more vulnerable Vice City. There's construction still happening. Crime is on the rise, but it's not yet organized. It's in chaos-and you're right in the middle of it.

Gameplay Upgrades: Empire Building: You take over businesses, defend them from rivals, and turn your street hustle into a criminal empire. It's like San Andreas' turf wars, but evolved.

Improved Combat: Finally, you can swim and climb in Vice City! (Something the original didn't allow.) Vehicle Variety: Jet skis, helicopters, muscle cars-you name it. And the handling? Smooth.

Soundtrack: Pure 80s fire. From INXS to Phil Collins (who literally appears in-game). This isn't just background music-it's a time machine.

Characters: Victor Vance (voiced by Dorian Missick) is a man's man. Military background, tough but loyal, principled but fierce. He's doing all of this to care for his sick brother Lance (yes, that Lance).

Lance Vance is back, and even more of a reckless wildcard here.

You also meet a colorful cast of hustlers, psychos, and crooks like Reni Wassulmaier, Armando Mendez, and Phil Cassidy. It's classic GTA: twisted, funny, and dangerously real.

Why It's a 10 Out of 10: Vice City Stories is everything a prequel should be: ✅ It deepens the lore.

✅ It makes you care.

✅ It enhances your view of the original Vice City.

It doesn't just rest on neon and nostalgia-it builds something bolder. There's genuine emotion in Vic's journey. He's not a power-hungry maniac. He's trying to survive. And when the world pushes him? He pushes back-hard.

Final Word: Vice City Stories is criminally underrated. It's cinematic. It's brutal. It's stylish.

And it's arguably the most human GTA story ever told.

10 out of 10. No hesitation.

Beautifully done, a great storyline, characters well developed, awesome music and the best decade. It's a shame that only came out for PSP and PS2 (I own it for this last one), because you can tell that it has a lot of effort in it and not so many people played it. Even so, it never had any remaster or a planned one is on sight. Only con: it's so glowy. I'm going to be blind. Definitely worth it. Play it, for Pete's sake. It has Phil Collins in concert.