'Vice City' tops its predecessors

Rockstar Games could have left well enough alone. If the company wanted to, it could have just let the sales of "Grand Theft Auto 3" keep rising into the stratosphere. Fortunately for us, Rockstar decided not to rest on its laurels. Instead, the company returns with "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," a pseudo-sequel that is jaw-dropping in its level of graphic and sonic detail, expansiveness, gameplay, replay value and unabashed amount of violence. \n"Vice City" centers itself around recently freed con Tommy Vercetti and his quest to take over the underworld in 1980s Vice City. Tommy must interact and work with a cast of seedy characters, ranging from drug dealers to corrupt politicians. Missions range from muscling your bosses' detractors to stealing tanks and helicopters. Because game play is almost non-linear, as much time can be spent just exploring the huge metropolis of the city as completing a mission. This means "Vice City" is a deep game, deeper than "GTA 3," which says a great deal in itself.\nRockstar put a huge amount of detail into the game's graphics and sounds, and it shows. It's almost possible to see and hear something new every time the game is played. The backdrop of the '80s provides "Vice City" with visual and sonic flair while also helping the game become more immersing. Cars and costumes are all era-appropriate, and the radio stations have playlists ranging from early rap to new wave to metal.\nThe character models and voice acting are all greatly improved over "GTA 3." Voices for the characters include Ray Liotta, Tom Sizemore, Dennis Hopper, Burt Reynolds, Luis Guzman, Jenna Jameson and probably the game's greatest nod to the '80s, the voice of Ricardo Tubbs himself, Philip Michael Thomas.\n"Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" will have a great deal written and said about it. Unfortunately, most of it will be about the game's content and not the game's technical level of excellence. Yes, the game is for adults -- it features a great deal of violence, language and sexual content -- but it's also rated mature. The appeal of "Vice City" is not found in its content alone. It is an immensely entertaining piece of work that has the ability to entertain gamers for weeks, months and years from now.