Grand Theft Auto Vice City is the kick-ass game where YOU get to drive around the streets of Vice City and cause as much mayhem and destruction that your evil heart desires.

 

Tommy Vercetti has finished his jail sentence and the gang have sent him south to Vice City to set up a deal involving a suitcase of money and a couple of cases of drugs. Unfortunately, all does not go to plan. It was a setup and only Tommy got away alive. The gang aren't happy that he lost the money and order him to find it, or else. This is where you come in. You'll do whatever it takes to get that money back. You'll do jobs for exiled Cuban Generals, fight off gangs of chefs with cleavers and kill powerful drug lords to set up your own criminal empire in Vice City.

 

The weapons in Vice City are some of the sickest in any game. They vary from pistols to miniguns to chainsaws. Whether you want to snipe people with your semi-automatic scoped rifle of destroy everything in your path with the minigun you have the equipment to do it.

 

Unfortunately, this does not all come for free. There is a money system in Vice City so that you can by weapons, food (health), armour, car repairs and even real estate! You can get money in many ways; killing people and taking their cash, landing insane stunts, finding hidden packages and completing missions.

 

The real estate in Vice City is thriving. You can buy houses with save points, garages for your vehicles, helipads and even businesses. There are many advantages to owning businesses. The businesses generate revenue over time. They also offer there own missions. In the Film Studio there is a hummer, a seaplane, a chopper and 4 missions! PLUS up to $7000!

 

Now the part I'm sure alot of you have been waiting for, the vehicles. In Vice City there are a whopping 99 different cars, trucks, vans, bikes, scooters, boats, choppers and planes. You can cruise through over the tops of huge buildings in your very own Skimmer seaplane of bounce along the road in your spring loaded Voodoo. No matter what your looking for Vice City has it. some exclusions may apply. see strategy guide for detalis.  For the sailors you can speed through canals in your Squallo speed boat or cruise along in your ill gotten yacht. For the budding policeman there are some of the best police vehicles on offer. Try catching crooks on the high sees in your boat with dual forward mounted cannons. Or blowing the fucking hell outta everyone you please in your Rhino tank!!! And for the Nascar drivers,  there's the Sabre Turbo and the Hotring Racer.  The pilots will have plenty of fun in there shiny new Maverick chopper or Skimmer (try boarding boats out of a chopper). There are a wide selection of bikes for the people who want a ride on the wild side. But then, there are the people that just don't want to be noticed. Maybe you'd just like a Faggio scooter or a Blista Compact? Maybe a fish van or a pickup would do nicely? The vehicles in Vice City are one of its many high points but remember, drive safely!

 

One Star-

Any nearby cops will pursue you within a certain range. This rating will eventually disappear.

Two Stars-

This is where the trouble starts. 2 or 3 cop cars will be on your tail and they won't stop coming until your caught or dead. The cops are quite happy to shoot you on spot instead of arresting you. All ratings above 1 star don't go away.

Three Stars-

Oh boy, your in trouble. The cops are really pissed now! Cops will wait for you and they'll set up road blocks and spike strips that blow your tires! And now you get undercover cops in there Cheetah. The cops just speed up and ram you, stop, get out and shoot you with their sub-machine guns. These cops have armour so don't fight them unless you need to. Taking their car can be useful though. The choppers on to you now. It'l take pot shots at you every so often. just watch out!

Four Stars-

Prepare to be die! This is where the SWAT teams come in their armoured Enforcers. They have good armour and better sub-machine guns than the undercover cops. They come in pairs or rope down from the chopper in small groups so its best to get rid of the chopper as quick as you can. I love the smell of burning fuel in the morning...

Five Stars-

You've stepped in it now. The FBI are taking a personal interest in your affairs. Watch out for their black Washingtons and Ranchers. these guys play with assault rifles so discression is the better part of valour in this case. In other words GRAB THE NEAREST CAR AND RUN!!! Watch out for spike strips as they're pretty common now.

Six Stars-

Can you get on National TV? At 6 stars the military are after you and so are the news crews. The longer you avoid the Rhino tanks, Flat bed trucks and Barraks OL's, all loaded with troops, the more popular you become with the press. If you live for long enough you could be on National TV! Don't drive on the road is the best bit of advice! Tanks kill you if they hit you. That is, unless you can steal a tank.

 

The police in Vice City are smart, if not corrupt. Keep clear of the law if you can help it.

 

Vice City is one of the greatest games on the market. I give it alot of praise but it has a few tiny flaws in the game which I thought weren't worth mentioning. This is a must buy for all PS2 gamers.

GRAPHICS: 7.6 SOUND: 8.2 GAMEPLAY: 9.7 LENGTH: 9.1 ALTOGETHER: 9.1

-Sheepie Punge