Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

"How I spent my summer vacation in Liberty City."

Boss gave me the end of last week off and I basically cut myself off from the world and played GTA:Liberty City Stories for almost four days straight. How was it? I'll say it's a 7.5. This isn't a low score really - it counts as solid. It's another GTA what else do you want? Well...

That's just it, it's just another GTA. Sure it was ported from a PSP game and that's very impressive that they can make such an involved game for a portable. As a longtime fan of the series I thought it was great to be back in Liberty City - the setting for GTA III - especially on motorcycle. The game looks fine and plays the same as GTA:VC. The "story" follows Toni Cipriani on his way up in the Leone Family. I thought he was an interesting character to focus on considering his comedic role in GTA III.

Regular characters and a few cameos add yet another layer to the GTA universe. This time around there's less appeal to the in-jokes and cameos and satirical commercials. The humor comes across as flat and snide - the aging shock comedian making the same jokes but bitter because he's still making the same jokes. The main story missions are patchy and uneven. One mission maybe genuinely frustrating then be follwed by a mission where you simply have to drive from point A to point B. The story itself unfortunately makes me shrug. Meh. Sure I'll finish the story arc in a day or two and I'm not compelled to finish it. There's no drive. There's no burning desire to see it through to the end. That's a damn shame. Another damn shame is the poor quality of the radio programming. If there is anything that shows the transition from PSP to PS2 it is the limited soundtrack. Out of all the stations I can only listen to three of them and even then only so long before hearing the same song over and over again.

Now for the reasons I gave it a 7.5. It's GTA! I love this series and despite the hullaballoo and nonsense and suits and "GTA made me - insert horrible act here" this will potentially remain a great series. I have a blast on some of the side missions, for some reason I thrive on delivery missions and hauling ass around in a taxi. The "Avenging Angels" missions were a blast and something that I look forward to playing again after I finish the game. The Donald Love and Katsuki threads were a lot of fun to play. It was great to be back in Liberty City and seeing was different or what was where and that feeling of, "Hey, look it's the _____!" The three radio stations I enjoy - Double Cleff, Flashback, and Radio Mundi - are solid stations and listening to Radio Mundi is just fun to put on when tearing around in a cab. Added bonus - there are no arena races, demolition derbies, or pointless races. Sure there are still street races but they are a bit more in the style of the game - you are challenged to the races. I loathe the racing in VC & SA. I'm sure there are people that like it but either make it part of the story or make it truly optional. Just sayin.

Basically I say pick up GTA: Liberty City Stories unless you're not a fan of the series at all. The price is right at $25 an it has given me a solid chunk of nonstop gameplay. Can't beat that with a bat.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/18/06