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Is Toni a good protagonist?


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El Penguin Bobo

I like Toni, i really do but some people say that he isn't that interesting. What do you guys think?

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I'm not a fan of him because he's been written a bit flat. He's 99% of the time angry without any reason and does everything what everyone tells him. He's like Claude from III, just with the ability to talk. Hope I won't offend anyone, I just didn't like LCS that much compared to the other GTA's.

Edited by Jeansowaty
El Penguin Bobo

I'm not a fan of him because he's been written a bit flat. He's 99% of the time angry without any reason and does everything what everyone tells him. He's like Claude from III, just with the ability to talk. Hope I won't offend anyone, I just didn't like LCS that much compared to the other GTA's.

Yeah but, Toni was doing stuff for Vinchizo(however you spell his name), and he was demanding it and Toni had enough of it and destroyed his car. So i might have to disagree with Toni doing EVERYTHING they told him to do. Soon he snaps and has enough of it. And in my opinion, i thought Toni getting angry was funny.

Edited by xXPinguXx
  • Like 5

I admit, some scenes where he was incredibly angry were indeed funny :D Oh and I completely forgot about this mission. I personally think though that Toni exaggerated Vincenzo being so evil, him destroying his car just fuelled the guy with real hate so Vinnie decided to finish him off so he can regain his position in the mob. Their relation kind of reminded me Ryder and CJ in SA, just that Toni was taking everything too seriously, but in the end his suspicions became true.

 

LCS lacked a proper main antagonist though, imo :p

El Penguin Bobo

I admit, some scenes where he was incredibly angry were indeed funny :D Oh and I completely forgot about this mission. I personally think though that Toni exaggerated Vincenzo being so evil, him destroying his car just fuelled the guy with real hate so Vinnie decided to finish him off so he can regain his position in the mob. Their relation kind of reminded me Ryder and CJ in SA, just that Toni was taking everything too seriously, but in the end his suspicions became true.

 

LCS lacked a proper main antagonist though, imo :p

I won't disagree with LCS having a weak antagonist. I agree with you saying Toni is Claude from GTA 3 but can talk. I agree. Toni is really Claude but he can talk, he has emotion, and sh*tl like that.

  • Like 2

He is not definitely a bad one, but Toni seems so shallow in general, not possessing some sort of interesting complexity. Toni, almost always, fits the stereotype of macho tough mob guy with the baddest temper and strict loyalty, but that's it. The problem with Toni is that he lacks certain details that would make a character distinguishable and interesting. In short, Toni Ciprani is kind of a lesser "devil-in-the-details" Luca Brasi. Only dynamic put-in with Tony's persona was his psycho whore of a mother (who had some Olivia Soprano aura) but even that can't save Toni from being dull in the end.

Edited by Rebel Yell
  • Like 1

I always said it, and I will say it again, it all comes down to every person, personally I don't like other protagonists besides Niko, one of my friends likes only CJ so it's basically up to the player to decide witch protagonist he like's the most and connects better with.

I don't mind the variety of protagonists so far, but from all of them, Claude, Toni and (for me) Victor Vance are only shells, empty characters for the player to interact with the game, nothing interesting about them.

As for you liking Toni, I appreciate it, it's nice to see people discussing different protagonists and pointing out things they like/care about that protagonist.

Edited by RaMMy
  • Like 2

I always said it, and I will say it again, it all comes down to every person, personally I don't like other protagonists besides Niko, one of my friends likes only CJ so it's basically up to the player to decide witch protagonist he like's the most and connects better with.

I don't mind the variety of protagonists so far, but from all of them, Claude, Toni and (for me) Victor Vance are only shells, empty characters for the player to interact with the game, nothing interesting about them.

As for you liking Toni, I appreciate it, it's nice to see people discussing different protagonists and pointing out things they like/care about that protagonist.

I get what your saying, but to me the only protagonist who is a 'shell' is Claude. He has no emotion, he doesn't talk, AND HIS FACE DOESN'T CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE GAME.

El Penguin Bobo

 

I always said it, and I will say it again, it all comes down to every person, personally I don't like other protagonists besides Niko, one of my friends likes only CJ so it's basically up to the player to decide witch protagonist he like's the most and connects better with.

I don't mind the variety of protagonists so far, but from all of them, Claude, Toni and (for me) Victor Vance are only shells, empty characters for the player to interact with the game, nothing interesting about them.

As for you liking Toni, I appreciate it, it's nice to see people discussing different protagonists and pointing out things they like/care about that protagonist.

I get what your saying, but to me the only protagonist who is a 'shell' is Claude. He has no emotion, he doesn't talk, AND HIS FACE DOESN'T CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE GAME.

 

That's weird for a dude with a name ClaudeIzABadAzz.

 

 

I always said it, and I will say it again, it all comes down to every person, personally I don't like other protagonists besides Niko, one of my friends likes only CJ so it's basically up to the player to decide witch protagonist he like's the most and connects better with.

I don't mind the variety of protagonists so far, but from all of them, Claude, Toni and (for me) Victor Vance are only shells, empty characters for the player to interact with the game, nothing interesting about them.

As for you liking Toni, I appreciate it, it's nice to see people discussing different protagonists and pointing out things they like/care about that protagonist.

I get what your saying, but to me the only protagonist who is a 'shell' is Claude. He has no emotion, he doesn't talk, AND HIS FACE DOESN'T CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE GAME.

 

That's weird for a dude with a name ClaudeIzABadAzz.

 

Yeah, you'd' think so? He's an empty shell, but I still think he's a badass.

Well, LCS was meant to be just a GTA for PSP, along side the main ones. It wasn't supposed to be a hit, so everything is kinda flat. But, still, hell of a great game!

  • Like 2
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

He isn't unique nor has that much of charisma in my opinion, but he's still a good protagonist in his own right. He's a badass protagonist, The Portland Chainsaw Masquerade mission is a great example how Rockstar portrayed his toughness. I won't compare him to Claude (who is also a great protagonist in my opinion) as he reminds me more of Tommy Vercetti. Toni in my opinion IS Tommy without being a boss. Well, Tommy has more memorable quotes/one funny liners and much more charismatic protagonist in my book (it's possible Tommy possess countless charisma as he was voiced by Ray Liotta).

  • Like 2
  • 2 weeks later...

Toni was not the deep story kind of guy but he made up with a funny character and overall, good skills. Cold blooded and tough.
He is like Tommy, just darker and not as famous (I myself prefer Tommy).

I like both, the GTA 3 and the GTA LCS Toni. They are both awesome even if GTA 3 Toni seems to be more badass.

It's actually interesting that some people brought Tommy into the conversation. Well, it's right on its own term because when Tommy plays the "tough guy" card, he sounds too similar to Cipriani. Tommy and Toni are pretty alike in their ways of solving problems but being a boss, Tommy steps up as more of a quick thinker than Toni is... and Toni is more prone to use bursting violence and go bloody. However, Toni generally fails in class because he has not that kind of characteristic complexity and interesting background story that Tommy has.

Edited by Rebel Yell
  • Like 3

Toni doesn't give a sh*t about running an empire like Vercetti. At the end, all he wants is a payoff. Most likely takes whatever money he has and cleans it up through the restaurant, Leone businesses, etc. It's more grounded in reality, but overall less exciting. Plus Ray Liotta is the man so it's hard to compare the two objectively.

Edited by Mr_Rager
  • 2 weeks later...
BowlingMaster

I think he is. He shows extreme loyalty to the Leone family, maybe because of his mother's pressure for him to be like his father. He also has an obscure past, since we have no idea of who he killed before laying low for a while. Toni is Sal's lapdog, but a very dangerous lapdog who can blow Fort Staunton without second thoughts.

You know what trips Toni up? His side cast.

Who does he have to speak to? Sal, who treats him like sh*t. His Mother, who treats him like sh*t. Oh, and JD, a fat guy who is only there to be in a gimp suit because Rockstar has the sense of humour of a five year old.

 

Now, what if they included Luigi? Clearly a tough character in the mold of Toni himself, who he could respect. Or Joey, a younger guy Toni could take under his wing and talk to about the mob life, and how Joey clearly doesn't have much interest in it. Boom. Then you've got a real character with relatable relationships, relationships more complex because Toni either might kill or be killed by his own friends at some point.

 

But instead, everyone feels flat, and the omission of some key figures from III is really jarring. I don't know about you, but I was excited to see what 8 Ball and Luigi were like before Fido met them years later, but either they don't show up, or their characterizations are completely wrong (Looking at you, Donald.).

In that kind of setting, what chance did Toni really have to stand out? It's a heartless game.

  • Like 4
  • 2 years later...

As I said the other day he was better as side character in GTA III, but as a protagonist nothing really stands out about him. Don't get me wrong he's not really a "bad" character persay, but he's not a remarkable protagonist.

 

Infact I would've preferred if 8 Ball was the protagonist in LCS. 

  • Like 5

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