ViceCityStories
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Deal of the Day: Rockstar gets really cheap
This week's circulars are highlighting the PSP price drop, and some fantastic deals on some great Rockstar games. The Warriors, which received a prestigious 8.5 review from PSP Fanboy, is getting even cheaper, dropping down to a mere $15 at Circuit City. Sure, it's a port--but it's a mighty fine game on the handheld.Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is also entering the Best Buy bargain bin this week: it'll be available for a mere $20. Who said PSP games had to be expensive?[Via IGN]
The Simpsons presents Death Kill City II
Maybe the writers of The Simpsons are PSP fanboys like us, angered by the impending release of the PS2 version of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. The once-PSP exclusive is moving to the home console, and The Simpsons takes a shot at it through the parody game Death Kill City II: Death Kill Stories. As Siliconera reports, the goal of the game seems quite fun: "You have destroyed all human life on Earth. Level one complete."
PS2 Vice City Stories to have exclusive new content
In the DVD industry, this kind of practice is called "double dipping" and it absolutely sucks. It makes people that have purchased the original feel neglected and the real fans are punished because in order to access the new content, you have to repurchase a new copy. While the practice is considered fine when there's some amount of transparency, Rockstar has been handling it all wrong. Don't call a game a PSP-exclusive if it'll head to another system immediately. Don't consider the games equal, when they're not. Shouldn't gamers have a choice to get the best version of GTA possible?According to GTAPortable.com, the Italian Take-Two website refers to Vice City Stories on PS2 as having better graphics and exclusive, unpublished content. Hopefully, it won't make PSP gamers feel like the $50 they spent on the original went wasted.
VCS: Okay, so it's actually coming to PS2
We told you so. But now it's official. March 6th for North America. March 9th for the UK.Press release after the cut.[Via Joystiq]
GTA: Vice City Stories available for PlayStation 2 in March
Following GTA: Liberty City Stories' evolution from a PSP exclusive to a PlayStation 2 port -- and after popping up on the ESRB's ratings website -- a PS2 port of the PSP's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories seemed like a pretty safe bet. Sure, there was some scuttlebutt that it would remain a PSP exclusive, and the product listing mysteriously disappeared from PlayStation.com last week, but Rockstar has carjacked that rumor, '80s-style, announcing that GTA: VCS will be available in North America on March 6, 2007 and in Europe on March 9, 2007. No price for the PS2 release is listed, but when GTA: LCS made the jump to it's stationary big brother, it did so at the eminently reasonable price point of $20. With considerable new-gen competition, we can't imagine they'd opt to change that strategy now.
No Vice City Stories for PS2? Sure ...
You may remember that a few days ago, the ESRB let slip that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories was heading to the PS2. Looks like PlayStation.com also had a listing for the potential port. However, it looks like the ESRB listing has disappeared, as well as the PlayStation.com listing. Was the original posting just a mistake? Rockstar neither confirms nor denies a PS2 version, simply telling IGN: "as a company, Rockstar does not comment on rumors or speculation."While it may be true that Rockstar isn't working on a PS2 version of Vice City Stories, this listing had to have come from some place. For now, we'll say it's not in the works, but we'll be unsurprised if it ever materializes.[Thanks, Joe! Via Joystiq]
Vice City Stories PS2 port plugged, then pulled from PlayStation.com
A PlayStation 2 listing for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories briefly appeared, and then disappeared on PlayStation.com, mimicking happenings on the ESRB website last week (VCS is no longer listed there either). As to be expected, Rockstar remains coy, having neither reiterated nor reversed its previous claim that the PSP exclusive would not be ported to PS2. Eurogamer supposes that there are still some financial issues to work out, namely retail price, before Rockstar and Take-Two go public with the port.On the flip side, the VCS port could also be in the process of getting canned. Letting fans starve a little will help build anticipation for GTA IV -- not that it's needed. Pulling the plug on the port would more likely signal that Rockstar is concerned about diluting its key franchise.
Shocker: Vice City Stories listed for PS2
A search for "grand theft auto vice city stories" on the ESRB website now yields two results. Surprised? Didn't think so. Despite Rockstar's insistence that Vice City Stories would not go the way of Liberty City Stories (that is, be ported to PlayStation 2), it appears as if the company is again being tempted by the potential gains of a double-dip. Can you blame 'em? (Perhaps the better question: Can you resist them?)
Vice City Stories no longer a PSP exclusive
Vice City Stories to be PSP exclusive? Many doubted Rockstar, considering how Liberty City Stories made the jump to PlayStation 2. Well, looks like the doubters were right: A look at the ESRB website reveals a listing for a PS2 version of Vice City Stories. If it follows the footsteps of its Liberty City brethren, it will launch on PS2 for a measly $20, sans multiplayer.Considering the relatively low sales of the latest GTA, it makes sense. Now, a whole new audience will be able to play with Phil Collins.[Via IGN]See also:PSP Fanboy review: GTA Vice City Stories
Saturday PSP background explosion [Update 1]
I love my Xbox 360 and I also love custom backgrounds. I don't love paying for them though. Luckily PSP users don't have to pay to have a custom background (that's coming in PSP2). Because of this and to help spice up our reader's PSPs, we will be showcasing new backgrounds every Saturday for you to marvel at. Backgrounds after the jump...
Deal of the Day: Rockstar goes budget
Gamers looking for deals on Rockstar's finest need look no further. It appears that the excellent Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories has dropped in price to a very reasonable $30. Considering how much content the game has, this is certainly quite a bargain.Looking forward, you'll see that Gamestop is also listing the upcoming PSP port of The Warriors at a budget price of $20. The PS2 version of the game wasn't too bad at all, so you may want to pick it up as well.Use coupon code "SAVER" to get free shipping.[Via CAG & PlayStation]
The Political Game: Censorship in Beantown
Each week Dennis McCauley contributes The Political Game, a column on the collision of politics and video games:I don't much care for Grand Theft Auto.Aside from occasional review duties, I don't play Saints Row, either, or Reservoir Dogs or Scarface. Crime games are just not my thing; however, I don't dispute your right to enjoy those titles.In Boston, though, political pressure has forced the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) to agree that it will no longer carry ads for GTA or any other M-rated game. This came about after an organization known as the Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood objected to subway ads for GTA Vice City Stories on the MBTA's Green Line.Faced with a politically tenuous situation, the transit authority folded, deciding that it could ban M-rated game ads under the same rationale by which it refuses ads for X-rated movies. This is the games-as-porn approach that failed so miserably in Louisiana recently.
PSP dominates on list of games for parents to avoid
The National Institute on Media and the Family has just released their annual Report Card, and are advising parents to avoid buying certain games for their kids. All of the titles feature "M" ratings, but meh... parents are too busy to actually look at ratings! Here are the games to avoid, with PSP titles bolded: Gangs of London * The Sopranos Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories * Reservoir Dogs Mortal Kombat: Unchained * Scarface: The World is Yours The Godfather: Mob Wars * Saints Row Dead Rising Just CauseThis list tells me one thing: the PSP really is for the mature crowd. Four of those titles are either exclusive, or enhanced on the PSP, making this system easily much more evil than the childish DS counterpart. At least the Institute recommends Loco Roco for the holidays, which should distract the kids from downloading porn onto their systems.[Via Joystiq]
IGN picks its top 10 PSP games for this holiday
Just in time for next week's infamous Black Thursday, IGN has released its 2006 Holiday Buyer's Guide and has also added their 10 choices for PSP games that should fill your stockings this Christmas. That's if you've been a good boy or girl, because if you've been bad, you get Family Guy. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception Daxter Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories Killzone: Liberation LocoRoco Medal of Honor Heroes Mercury Meltdown Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror Tekken: Dark Resurrection What, no Sega Genesis Collection or EA Replay? And while Daxter is a very good game, I don't think too many kids will go Nintendo 64 Kid crazy over getting a game released in March. Still, this is a pretty decent list, and I can't argue with it too much. If you're PSP shopping for someone, you might want to refer to this list.
Hijack PSP Fanboy's 1500th post, win GTA
About two months ago, I was in a bar, having a few drinks, thinking about how awesome my blogging experience was going to be at PSP Fanboy. Then, I blacked out. I woke up, with a mysterious mark on my neck, and then learned that my super power was to blog profusely. In just a little over two months since our 1000th post, we've reached yet another milestone: our 1500th post. And like before, it's time to give away some swag! We're giving away a bag full of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories goodies, including the game, a t-shirt and a sticker. All you have to do is threaten us... GTA style. Imagine me playing my PSP, and you're telling me to give you GTA... or else! Think of your funniest/most intimidating threat, and post it in the comments section. Watch your language, though. Simply offensive comments will be deleted and disqualified. The best entries will be the ones that don't resort to such low-brow measures. Giveaway ends on 11/23/06. Random winner will receive their prize after 12/8/06. Limit 1 entry per person. P.S. Expect a review of GTA soon. Also, thanks for all your support. Our readership has been growing steadily, and I'd like to thank all of you for reading the blog. Please, spread the word and help PSP Fanboy continue to grow! Thanks.
GTA:VCS debuts at 6th in UK game charts
Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games, needed some financial help. They looked to the PSP as a source for the big bucks, and it looks like they're making a healthy return. Within one week of sales, the PSP-exclusive Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories debuted at number 6 in the UK game charts, making it the top-selling handheld game for the week. With Bully also ranking high, and nary a DS game in sight, it appears that both Take-Two and PSP can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy their success.[Via Gamespot]
Playing and cheating Vice City Stories through DevHook
The excellent CheatDevice is back. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories became a wonderous playground with the device, letting you do some truly crazy stuff. Mere days after its release, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories has a CheatDevice of its own. Edison Carter has crafted a tool that will let you get Infinite Health & Armor (helpful) and the Video Recorder (more helpful), which lets you capture footage directly from the game. You'll need to be running DevHook on a homebrew-enabled PSP. If you're homebrew-ready, head over to Edison's website to download the device. Remember: we don't support piracy here at PSP Fanboy. Please buy all your games! [Via PSP Hacks]
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Metareview - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
We said it before, and we'll say it again: Grand Theft Auto is stale. But we can't knock the hustle. Rockstar has settled into a niche that continues to sell. Why change?Some critics' thoughts: 1UP (90/100) - "The empire-building facet, though reminiscent of purchasing businesses in the first Vice City, is quite significant ... The other additions aren't nearly as significant, but they are welcome ... [but] some serious series flaws stubbornly refuse to budge, a fact that grows harder to ignore with each passing entry ... It's a shame Rockstar chose not to fix obvious flaws that have been called out repeatedly, but the weight of the total experience more than counterbalances this disappointment". Game Informer (second opinion) (82.5/100) - "I've pimped, extorted, and murdered my way to the top so many times now, the thrill of criminal indulgence has finally begun to fade. This is more of the same from the franchise, with a few more serious themes thrown in. But if you've already drunk your fill of the free-roaming gangbuster cup, then this mix is going to taste a little stale." GamePro (75/100) - "[It's] a big shame that lot of that personality has gone missing ... the characters and dialogue don't have the same snap nor does the game exhibit the same goofy and utterly loveable 80's style. Instead, the game is gritty and dull to a fault ... Vice City Stories retains the same problems that plagued past titles. The auto-aim function doesn't work well, the AI isn't particularly smart, and some missions are completed more through trial and error than anything else." Current overall average: 87/100
Metacritic: Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories
It'll be out on store shelves soon: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. You've seen all our coverage of the game so far. Does the game live up to the incredible hype? Let's find out what some of the critics have to say about this hotly anticipated entry into the GTA series: IGN (90/100) thinks the game falls in very familiar, but high-quality, territory: "It's still largely the same game that we first saw with Grand Theft Auto III. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as Vice City Stories is still easily one of the best games on the system, but if you've began to grow tired of the franchise's mechanics, mission structure or overall feel, this likely won't renew your love of the series.". 1UP (90/100) is still shocked that Rockstar squeezed so much into this portable game: "Like LCS before it, Vice City Stories impresses like few games have managed to do on the system. The fact that the PSP pulls off everything in here with minimal loading screens is amazing. And the sheer amount of variety the game offers -- from side missions to the empire building to the story to the clever collectibles (red balloons, 99 of 'em) to the best sandbox-style, "mess with the world as you'd like" action out there -- will easily keep you entertained on cross-country flights a few times over (though it sucks down battery life at a startling rate).". GamePro (75/100) thinks the story's poor execution hurts the game: "So it's a big shame that lot of that personality has gone missing in Vice City Stories. Maybe it was the jump to a smaller stage that did them in but the characters and dialogue don't have the same snap nor does the game exhibit the same goofy and utterly loveable 80's style. Instead, the game is gritty and dull to a fault and it doesn't have the same sense of humor that made the past titles so entertaining." Unsurprisingly, the game is more of the same. It seems like for many of us, that's perfectly fine: we need our GTA fix. However, for those of you that never got into the formula, or have become tired of the franchise, Vice City Stories won't do anything to really bring you back. The game is now available in stores.
Multiplayer modes aplenty in new GTA
The official Vice City Strories website has been updated with tons of new info about the game's ambitious multiplayer. We stole the details, and made like a bandit. Here are our spoils: Empire TakedownYour team will try to obtain a cache of explosives hidden in the middle of the map. Once you discover the bomb, your team will try to destroy your opponent's team's base. They will, obviously, be trying to do the same to you. VIP RIPThe VIP is protected by bodyguards and must grab five briefcases scattered throughout the city. Play as the VIP, or try to kill him before he succeeds. Might of the HunterIt's a race to get to the helicopter. Once a player commands the mechanized the terror, it's his duty to try and mow down as many opponents as possible. Everyone will try to blow the copter up, or snipe the pilot. Tanks for the MemoriesIt's similar to Might of the Hunter, only with a tank. The player driving the tank must try to reach the target time. All other players can damage the tank, and whoever deals the most damage to the vehicle gets to drive it next. Vice City SurvivorThis is the classic deathmatch mode, available in single and team modes. Protection RacketDestroy your opponents' limosines, while protecting your own. Taken for a RideSteal your opponents' car, and drive back to your own base. It's like Capture the Flag: whoever holds possession of both cars wins. The HitlistIf you're the marked man, everyone's out to get you. Try to survive as long as you can. Whoever survives the longest as the marked man wins. Street RageThe ultimate race, spanning air, land and sea. Grand Theft AutoThe titular multiplayer game. Players must steal certain cars and deliver them to shipping crates. Players that take the most cars, in the best condition, win. Whoa... that was a lot of multiplayer. I loved Liberty City Stories' multiplayer modes, and it looks like Vice City Stories will up the ante quite considerably, featuring 4 more modes than the previous handheld game. The more you hear about the game, the more you want it, huh? Don't fret, though: it comes out in just a few more days.[Thanks, ZENegade!]
