Written by Jeff Buckland, 5/19/2003
Played on:
Windows
As they did last year with Grand Theft Auto 3, Rockstar Games has ported the massive Playstation 2 hit Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to the PC. And as before, the PC version sports better graphics, new mouse controls, MP3 playback, custom skins, and the ability to do quick replays. This time around, though, Rockstar has put more effort into tuning performance than they did with GTA3.
This is a bold statement that some might not believe: on the three computers I played it on, Vice City PC ran smoother than GTA3. The frame rate is more consistent, the horrific "trails" have been finally ditched altogether, and the game slows down quite a bit less when you pump up the resolution. There are a few bugs, including a crash bug that seems to hit all of the computers I tried this game on - it was occasional at the worst, though. The frame rate can also drop massively when a helicopter flies low and kicks up dust, which is a bit frustrating for gameplay.
Other than that, though, this game plays like a dream. The system requirements are just about right; I'd consider the game very playable with a system on or around the minimum specs listed above. While Vice City requires DirectX 9 (in fact, the installer will just suddenly start installing DX9 without asking you), it doesn't seem to use any of the features new to this version of DirectX. FSAA works beautifully in Vice City, which is pretty much expected nowadays anyway.
The mouse controls work wonders for this game when you are on foot. The PS2 version had a targeting system that actually made it really easy to hit people with pistols, shotguns, and sub-machine guns, but the bigger weapons were a hassle to use because you had no choice but to aim with the analog sticks. That targeting system is still here for those who want to use a gamepad, and if you turn on mouse controls, then you'll have to do it manually. Still, the mouse controls are much more consistent across all weapons and are vastly improved over using a stick.
Probably the biggest gripe I have with the PC version of Vice is that controlling a helicopter with the keyboard is such a pain. The keyboard is of course not too well-suited for this, but it could still be done fine if there was a separate set of controls for flying a helicopter (which there isn't); you have to hobble along with your on-foot/driving controls, which is pretty frustrating. Of course, there is the option to use a gamepad, and connecting a PSX to USB adapter along with a real PS2 controller works quite nicely for controlling vehicles. Still, for those who don't have a gamepad, separate helicopter controls would have been nice.
When Grand Theft Auto 3 was ported to the PC, people fully realized just what kind of art was going into the game - much of the detail was easy to miss on a TV. The same is happening here, as the world just seems much more lively when in high resolution. It also looks like some of the textures are a little more detailed in the PC version, which would make sense as the PS2 doesn't have a whole lot of memory for storing them.
The trees and bushes in Vice City look better than the PS2 version, but there are still some problems with transparency - especially when looking at other things through the edges of the trees. There also aren't any new special effects in the PC version, but in my opinion, there really didn't need to be any - this game still looks better than most stuff out there. The sense of style and art that Rockstar used in Vice City is simply phenomenal, and the PC platform does everything it can to show it to you.
I've already reviewed GTA: Vice City - I drooled all over it when it was released last October, and for the sake of this awesome game, I am going to drool all over it some more.
The gameplay in the GTA games is like that of no other yet. I consider GTA3 to be revolutionary due to its open-ended nature, huge jump in production values over previous games, and an immense sense of style. Vice City is an evolution beyond that, with even better acting, more gameplay, a full 80's atmosphere, the ability to fly helicopters and drive motorcycles, and a million references and jokes. There are so many things to see and do in this game that you will wonder if you will ever get bored of it. Yes, you will, but not for weeks, most likely.
The PC version of Vice retains the difficulty of the PS2 version; this is by no means an easy game. Mouse controls will make the on-foot missions quite a bit easier for PC action veterans, although steering and performing wheelies on motorcycles is a little tougher with the non-analog controls. Also, you could switch to a gamepad with analog controls for vehicles and return to the mouse/keyboard while walking around - Vice City allows you to do this.
This game is an absolute riot to play, and it is of course just as violent and vulgar as the original. Nothing has been cut, although nothing has really been added, either. There are still no multiplayer modes, no added missions, and no support for mods other than player skins Still, this is pure gameplay and atmosphere, one that needs to be seen to be believed. If you haven't seen Vice City before, then run out and get it on the PC - you will not be sorry.
For those of you who already own the PS2 version and are considering also getting the PC version, just go ahead and do it. This game can take numerous replays and still be a ton of fun to go through, and the PC version is superior in most ways - as long as your computer can handle the game.
All of the sounds, voices, and music from the PS2 version are here, and the option is there during install to have the radio stations copied to your hard drive. The MP3 support is also back, and it really works well here - after Vice City's release on the PS2, I would constantly think of 80s music that I would have liked to hear during the game. Now, I can set up my own playlist to do it. Rockstar really needs to add a "shuffle" mode to the MP3 playlist, though, as well as the ability to skip MP3 tracks during the game.
The PC version of Vice City is just as much fun as the original, with great frame rates, better graphics, more control options, and all the content that made the PS2 version an instant classic. There are a few bugs that made it into the final release, and the helicopter controls are ghastly, but that shouldn't stop you from going out and picking this one up - as long as your computer is fast enough to run it, that is.
