Oct 26 2005 Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories Review
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Summary: Otherwise perfect transition.
Reviewed by digi
90
Like a lot of you, it has been a while since I have bought a new PSP game (short of being tempted at Fry's to buy Bleach 1 & 2). As well, like many of you, I have been waiting for Grand Theft Auto : Liberty City Stories to come out along with the high tide of games to follow its release (finally, some RPG's).

First off, I would like to say that every initial review of the game from semi big internet entities such as Gamespot/IGN etc, are giving a completely whiney perspective on the controls of this game. They are executed flawlessly with the lack of the 2nd analog stick (not that the originals use of the 2nd analog was a requirement). Camera control is extremely easy as where other reviewers have said "you have to stand still to change camera angle cry cry cry", this is not the case and leads me to question their job as a supposed "gamer/reviewer".

Gameplay

It's Grand theft auto. Seriously, it reacts the same as any of the other GTA 3/vice games, short of San Andreas since I haven't touched that game. Controls work great and the only gripe I have about the controls is the fact that the PSP's analog isn't so limber when it comes to precise, short adjustments.

Story:

So far, there IS a story, which not much can be said for GTA 3 (yes I beat it), but GTA 3 takes quite awhile to get into anything other than the "climb to the top". LCS gets you in straight from the beginning, without even having played the game (intro) you learn immediately how many possibilites the story could have.

Sound

Flawless with a couple irritations in Options. I bought the game with the educated assumption that LCS would have custom soundtracks, and with the option in the audio portion of options screen, why would you think anything else? It looks like this.

Radio Volume: ||||||||
SFX Volume: ||||||||||
Custom Soundtracks: Unavailable
Radio Station: MSX 98

Where Unavailable, doesn't move, no matter what you do to it, even if you have both MP3 and ATRAC3plus songs on your memory stick. It just doesn't do anything. To add to the frustration, it doesn't say ANYTHING at all in the manual about these adjustments. I'm assuming there will be something announced later as to what this is, or i'm assuming (I hope not) that Custom Soundtracks means downloadable music content (such as more Lazlow talk radio). Audio is clear and crisp, the existing radio stations have good tracks (even ones when you jack a cab it starts playing stereotype based music, such as like Hindu chants and crap like that, yeah yeah, I know it's bad, but doesn't lead to laughing).

Controls:

With the sometimes cumbersome and annoying lack of precision the PSP's analog stick provides, driving can be a pain, leading to too slow or too hard of a turn, especially on motorcycles.

Loading Times:

Perfect. Like the other GTA games, the only long loading time is really when the game is first started. When changing rooms, buildings, mission beginnings and endings, anywhere there is standard game loading, it is astonishingly quick. You won't be waiting around wondering if your disk is messed up.

Overall

While almost everything points to this game being probably the most thorough and well thought out gaming experience on the PSP so far, I had to give it a 90 simply for the fact that I am left hanging when it comes to the confusion regarding Custom Soundtracks. I'm a picky bastard when it comes to music, and when i'm driving around launching my purple Buick off someones face, I dont want to hear Hip-Hop, I want to hear something messed up like gabber or squarepusher.

REVIEW IT PRODUCT INFO BUY IT


Comments

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10/26/05 Agent808
hey, quick question, where do we put our music that we want to play on the user track?. i have music on my psp but was wondering if there was some special place to put them or if there was a certain way to scan them in? it says custom tracks unavailable. i dont see anything in the manual about how to add them in.
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10/26/05 n1keman
You have to unlock custom soundtracks by completing a mission where you kill a DJ, so I have heard.
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10/26/05 baggyshorts
Can anyone give me a demo of the game so I can download it to my psp?
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10/26/05 bigstu
It doesn't work like that.
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10/26/05 mikeike
too answer the question aboutmultiplayer I loved it.... i played it with a frend when it came out so we were messin with it no lags no funky glitches just real smooth and real time stuff.... we just laughed at the little things u could with but i was surprised at how smooth the transitions were.... the only thing i didnt discover was a way to chage the controls when your aiming the weapon from inverted to normal.... bit peevish of me but otherwise yes great game so far....
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10/26/05 baggyshorts
Hey I wanted to get an answer y or n
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10/26/05 bigstu
I gave you an answer straight after you posted.

Some manners wouldn't go amiss either.
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10/26/05 digi
bigstu already answered it..

Things just dont work that way... you can't just "download" demo's or games unless you wanted to do it illegally.. in which you'll never find an answer here.
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10/26/05 baggyshorts
darn't. btw sorry for not using my manners
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10/26/05 Azizco
Walmart doesn't get this game till oct 27th (hopefully)
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10/26/05 Agent808
n1keman said: "You have to unlock custom soundtracks by completing a mission where you kill a DJ, so I have heard."


cool, that may explain it thanks i'll be on the look out for that mission then.
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10/26/05 baggyshorts
My walmart gets gta oct 24 but i dont get it till the 30 cause i live in well i live some where and our walmart is in pheonix thats where i get my hair cut & to get gta and eat a poptart
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10/26/05 DAFFYDC
I traded in a few of my other PSP games figuring that GTA will consume most of my time. Can't wait to check it out. It's cool that the games are starting to flow. We've got GTA, X-Men is looking pretty good, SOCOM is around the corner, Star Wars:Battlefront, Infected, etc. The PSP will be a hot this XMAS. Shame on those that gave up on the system early on and traded their PSP in. I knew it was only a matter of time before more games came out and now it's overwhellming.
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10/27/05 Miiiguel
well done Digi. In your opinion, are the controls too awkward ? I read some quite harsh reviews concerning the controls, saying that the game is almost unplayable. Do you agree we this ?

edited: Oct 27 2005 
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10/27/05 hausome
The controls are as good as it gets with one analog stick! Flawless...I mean if someone could name a flaw, tell me, I'd like to know!
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