robmuska Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 from ign news daily, in my hotmail inbox August 27, 2002 - It's funny, the difference a year makes. Let's look at the players in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, one year ago today. DMA Design: A small independent developer, most famous for the Lemmings series. Take-Two Interactive: A distributor and publisher occasionally flirting with financial instability. Rockstar Games: Take-Two's "avant-garde" console imprint, a lot of attitude still looking for a hit. In that intervening year, one thing happened: Grand Theft Auto III. The 3D sequel to DMA's first two crime sims became the biggest success of the current generation of videogames, crushing even the hugely-hyped Metal Gear Solid 2 underneath a wave of buzz and mainstream notoriety. GTA3, it could be argued, defined the formula for success in videogames today: innovative design, solid technology, and credibility with the mature audience that's taking over the market. All of the folks listed above are now fantastically rich and some of the biggest players in the videogame industry. By IGN's reckoning, Sony paid a sum in the tens of millions of dollars to make GTA exclusive to PS2. And now we have, if not exactly a sequel, certainly a game that builds on its predecessor's strong points. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City appears to add a more distinctive personality in place of GTA3's bland crime-movie melange, with a specific setting and more easily identifiable characters. It's Miami in the mid-80s (well, Vice City, but you see what we mean), and Liberty City Mafia soldier Tommy Vercetti is leaving prison for a little more southern exposure. His mission, of course, is roughly the same as that of the nameless thug in GTA3 -- take over the entire town. It's a much bigger place, a single continuous area about three times the size of Liberty City, but on the other hand, Tommy has far more tools with which to do his work. The suite of weapons has expanded on both ends of the spectrum -- chainsaws and hammers for hand-to-hand combat, magnum revolvers and M60 machineguns for shootouts -- while the garage of vehicles now includes motorcycles, helicopters, powerboats, golf carts, and plenty of variations on traditional four-wheeled transport. GTA3 succeeded as much on the strength of its attitude as its gameplay, of course, nailing the gritty street credibility that its predecessors had aimed for. Vice City is going for the same atmosphere, to a degree, but in a particular time and place -- it feels about equally composed of Miami Vice (for the flashy, pastel feel) and Scarface (for the insane-Cuban-thug-with-a-razor-at-your-throat feel). That duality pops up in several aspects of the game's presentation. Character design, for example, features many creative examples of '80s fashion abuse, but there are just as many supporting stars who would have been far too frightening to appear opposite Sonny Crockett. Some notable cast members, as yet: Ricardo Diaz A short, sweaty Colombian cocaine boss with a Napoleon complex. Bears a certain resemblance to legendary real-life narcotics kingpin Pablo Escobar, except that Escobar had more hair. Gonzales A "cultural attache" (read: generic fixer, likely bribable) at the San Dominican consulate, associate of Colonel Juan Garcia Cortez. We're not sure where San Dominica is, but it's probably somewhere near Wakanda or Latveria. Steve Scott Mob-linked film director. He's apparently patterned after Steve Spielberg -- Rockstar says he has a fondness for sharks and mashed-potato sculpture. Uh-huh. Pastor Richards Half-mad Bible-thumping televangelist, promoter of intense nuclear/apocalyptic paranoia, involved in many right-wing political causes. Composed of equal parts Jim Bakker, Oral Roberts, Pat Robertson, Jimmy Swaggart, and various other TV preachers we can't remember. Ice Cream Lady Described as a "psychotic distributor of soft ice cream." We're down with any game that features psychotic distributors of soft ice cream. Georgio Forelli Transvestite mafioso associate of the Liberty City families, about to go down in court for a long prison stretch. As such, he is most likely not long for this world. Mr. Black May or may not be running money-laundering and assassination business as a sideline to his day job as commandant of Kamp Krusty. Leo Teal Restarateur and suspected hitman, associated with Mr. Black. Big Mitch Baker Biker gang leader and decorated Vietnam veteran. Affiliated with various small-time drug and arms dealing. Apparently enjoys eating live animals. We think he looks a little like a heavyset Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Phil Cassidy Redneck gun-runner at war with Mexican arms dealers, as well as the revenue agents on account of his moonshining hobby. Cam Jones Unfortunate kleptomaniac associated with Cassidy, due for a long prison term thanks to his uncontrollable theft habit (he was caught running down the street with a largish safe in his arms). The soundtrack, at least, has a strong unifying theme: just about any of the tunes so far announced to appear will make you wonder what was going on with the top 40 during the Reagan years. Why did anyone pay money for an album by Cutting Crew, for example? Daryl Hall and John Oates? The Flock of Seagulls? We'll allow that there are some superior examples on the radio, though, at least in comparison: Judas Priest, Grandmaster Flash, and Kool & The Gang (accompanying the trailer movie). To be perfectly honest, it is of no use to anyone for us to give you more information about Vice City. After all, you're already going to buy it, right? Nevertheless, we'll try and pin down more details and deliver more screenshots as soon as we can extract them from Rockstar. And even if we don't, we'll still be seeing you in Vice City... David Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OBrien97 Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 Moved to tha vice city discussion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guns don't kill people, I do Posted August 31, 2002 Share Posted August 31, 2002 Ice Cream Lady?? Lmao! That will be so cool. I can imagine her screaming a mission to you, "TAKE THE TRUCK DOWN MAIN ST. AND WHEN YOU SEE A BUNCH OF KIDS, ACTIVATE THE BOMB AND RUN!" Haha, this game is gonna kick ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All-Blacks Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Haha, this game is gonna kick ass. Sorry to break your heart, but it didn't.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Haha, this game is gonna kick ass. Sorry to break your heart, but it didn't.......... Don't bump old topics unless you have something worthwhile to add to them. 'Mildly witty' doesn't cut it, I'm afraid. Locked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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