After selling 70 billion kerjillion copies of Grand Theft Auto
III on the PS2 and PC, only one thing was missing from
Rockstar’s apparent efforts to make the Grand Theft Auto
series a true global institution: a rollicking, big budget
prequel. Enter Vice City. Set during what historians call the
Michael Mann Period—immortalized in TV shows like Miami
Vice and movies like Band of the Hand—Vice
City casts you as Tommy Vercetti, talented journeyman criminal
from Liberty City. You’re in the City of Vice to make a large
narcotics deal, but as bad luck would have it, things go wrong. If
you’re going to survive the streets of this humid Florida town,
you’ll need to figure out who queered the deal. And if you’ve got
ambitions to remake Vice City into Vercetti City, you’ll read up on
these handy starter tips.
It’s the Little Differences … The 1980s
setting of Vice City is the perfect contrast to the
original GTA3, but the differences are more than cosmetic.
Vice City includes a slew of new missions and mission
types, extra side jobs, and two-wheeled as well as four-wheeled
vehicles. Join me for a jaunt back to the decade that birthed
speedboat explosions, really bad hairstyles, and guys shouting
“Freeze!”
Rampage! The 1980s saw an explosion of bullet-spewing mayhem in
popular movies and TV (although on TV the bullets never hit
anything). The game’s nod to the NRA decade is the Rampage. Pick up
a skull power-up, and you’ll launch into a violent mini-mission
that requires you to slay a set number of criminal scumbags before
the clock runs down. Keep your eyes peeled; there are more than 30
Rampage tokens out there.
This is a stick-up. The designers of Vice City weren’t
content with simple car theft—you can also rob several different
stores and businesses when you need a quick cash fix like more
traditional foot-bound crooks. Don’t bother trying to rob
Ammu-nation (they’re too well-armed, of course) but feel free to
knock over joints like Tooled Up, Gash, and the Donut Shop. Just
make sure to plan your getaway; your Wanted rating will go up as
soon as you start to make your “withdrawal.”
Acid-washed assassination. One of the coolest mission types is
Assassination. Through a bulky, primitive cellular phone, a
mysterious voice will send you to certain locations to whack
certain people for uncertain reasons. Who’s behind it? You’ll have
to figure that part out yourself.
A ride on the wild side. The jackable motorcycles and scooters
give you vehicles that can go almost anywhere, if you’ve got decent
balance. The scooter is one of the more amusing rides you’ll pick
up. Use the scooter or the cycle to reach hidden areas or pull off
some of the game’s more spectacular stunts. Eventually, you’ll even
get some biker-themed missions from a guy named Big Mitch.
We Named the Alligator Elvis … A new
tropical locale means a new cast of characters to provide you with
missions and threaten your life in GTA: Vice City.
Ken Rosenberg. Ken will probably be your first major contact in
the game. Look for the “L” on your map—Ken’s a Lawyer—and
when you get into the vicinity head over to the pink dot signifying
Ken’s location. He’ll get you into a new suit of clothes and onto a
bike (if you like) in no time, but he’ll also have you up to your
rolled sleeves in trouble. Fortunately, it’s the kind of trouble
that makes a great tutorial.
Colonel Cortez. Colonel of what? Good question, but don’t ask.
Instead, go to this wealthy crime lord (“C” on the map) to pick up
some hitman work, or if you’ve ever wanted to commit grand theft
tank.
Lance Vance. Tubbs to your Crockett, so to speak, Lance will
join you for many missions. He holds a serious grudge against
Ricardo Diaz.
Ricardo Diaz. A powerful drug lord who’s got plenty of
nefarious work for our boy Tommy. He’s also responsible for the
death of Lance’s brother.
Tommy Vercetti. Like I said, this is you—and not only do you
get a name and a voice this time, you even get Goodfellas
star Ray Liotta speaking your lines. Given time, you can make the
name Tommy Vercetti one to be feared in this sunny resort
metropolis. And when that day comes, you will be able to choose you
own missions.
