Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Masterpiece"

For the ones of you who have not played Grand Theft Auto: Vice City yet, stop reading this freaking review and run to your local game store, because this game is not only worth your money and time but also comes with a whole lot of easter eggs and a bunch of non-storyline content.

OK, first, let me start with the atmosphere. Vice City is a metropolitan moddled after Miami-Vice. the story takes place in 1986, which means you will be hearing some great 80's music including Flock of Seagulls, Hall & Oates, Buggles, Brian Adams and Electric Light Orkestra. There also is some great rap in the game, but I focussed a little less on this type of music. We've got some New Wave in there, a LOT of 80's Pop, some Soul and Disco, Rock, basically anything you would expect from a game set in this glorious period of time. There are certain songs where you just stay in the same car all the car just to hear it completely.

Vice City is a neon covered melting pot full of crime, where "there are more criminals on the streets than in jail". A perfect place to set up the kind of bussiness you would expect from GTA protagonists. The city is beautifully decorated with all kinds of eye-candy, quite happy colours, and since we're talking Miami, all kinds of different weather conditions that come and go. There are three parts of town. One is where most of the beauty is, with all its hotels, the (HUGE) beach, The Vice City Police HQ, and a street I like most in particular: Ocean Drive. At this part of town there also is a golf court, which I found kind of boring because you can't do anything aroud it. At the beginning of the game the other two parts of town are completely locked from you because there is a hurricane warning. At a certain point in the game you are allowed over all the bridges again and can peacefully go from island to island. The second part is where all the fat cats of Vice City live. This tiny island called Starfish Island is a crucial part of town, but I'm not going to spoil the game for you :P. The third part of Vice City is the less glamorous part. The Mainland gets unocked last but there is where you will have to do most missions. There is a boatyard and industrial area, an airport, Little Havana, Little Haiti, and the financial district. The financial area is also where the highest building in the game is. That's Vice City in a nuttshell, now to the storyline.

The protagonist this time around is Tommy Vercetti, and he's pissed! He was sent to jail after murdering fifteen people who ambushed him, entiteling him: "The Harwood Butcher". He is a likable caracter, friendly to his friends, harsh to his employees and unforgiving to his enemys. I will not reveal any of the storyline or who you meet, but I can sure tell you that it's going to be a hell of a ride!

Gameplay: 10
Audio: 11
Characters: 9
Graphics: 9
Intensity: 11

AVERAGE: 10/10 (duh)

CYCLOPS WILL KILL YOU!!! 0-)