I am not normally a huge fan of car games or mafia type games, but the way that the two genres are balanced in Vice City made it hard for me to put it down. From the moment I opened the box, full of wonderfully reminiscent, cheesy 80's style designs and an amusing manual that almost feels like a tourist guide to the city, I was excited to begin my mission. You start out as a lowly criminal by the name Tommy Vercetti, fresh out of jail and now involved in a drug trade that gets busted. Now it is your job to get that money back for your boss. But of course, things are never so simple, and your original mission develops into a more complicated mess, with politicians, Cuban gangsters and bad bikers beeing just some of those after your tail. But unlike the other GTA games, you are not destined to this anonymity forever. In GTA: Vice City, you have a reputation to build, and a crime circuit to conquer.

The basics of GTA remain the same in Vice City. Your dirty work sends you between hosts of vivid characters using different vehicles to speed you towards your tasks. Vice City allows you to use motorcycles where you can shoot straight ahead of you. It also gives you boats and (finally flying) helicopters later on in the game. You can also jump out of moving vehicles. Buildings now have interiors from which you can shop. As your influence and assets grow, you can eventually buy some of these buildings, heightening your prestige in Vice City.

Another major improvement is the revamped combat system. It still faces it's flaws, but they are much more negligible now, which makes fighting quite fun. There is a new targeting system, more tools at your disposal, and the camera isn't as big of a problem now, both indoors and outdoors. You will also find your missions more flexible with the ability to sabotage cars with weapons, pop tires, and aim at targets through windshields. The controls are easy, utilizing both the keyboard and mouse, providing a much needed improvement from the PS2 as far as aiming goes.

Missions goals are clearly explained throughout the game, yet you can approach them in several ways. You can also partake in side missions (for example pizza delivery or cab driving) if you need a break or some cash. One of the best improvements of Vice City is the great reduction of point A to point B tasks. There is a much greater variety of missions, such as protection, assassination, and intimidation, so the game does not start to feel repetitive. The ability to gain influence through property also relieves the potential dullness.

The content of Vice City is rated R, but the adult themes are really what make this so much fun (sorry kids). The humor is intelligent and funny and easily understood, and many of the ideas are taken from well known TV shows and movies of that time (without making it too obvious). It should also be mentioned that this game has no major bugs, unlike GTA III. Everything ran smoothly without the need for patching, and I experienced no crashes or glitches.

No one can say that GTA graphics were ever cutting edge, and the same holds for Vice City. But they are certainly not terrible, and the PC version shows definite improvements from it's PS2 sibling. This version supports resolutions up to 1600x1200, a big step up from 640x480 on PS2. Images are sharper, textures are of a higher quality, and draw distances/clip planes are improved. The models are less blocky, and movements are a touch smoother, less awkward and more varied. Lighting is done well, reflecting off your car and changing with the weather and time. Frame rates are smooth as well, and I have yet to experience choppiness on an average system.

Even if the technical details are not amazing in Vice City, what is amazing is the attention to atmosphere and realism. There is little doubt as to what time period you are in, and the little details added in are so much fun. From the clothes, the hair, the cars, to the neon lights, everything is 80's! Perhaps our most embarrassing decade, it is surprisingly a blast to relive here. And who could forget the city. Vice City uses a huge (!) map, yet it works smoothly and is very nicely implemented. I wouldn't doubt that it is based on the real Miami, Florida, for all it's twists and turns, back alleys and neighborhoods. The people walking down the streets are very different and believable, often commenting at you as you pass by. They even gather around run over pedestrians and accident sights, which I found to be a kick. In the end, I have no complaints on the graphics of GTA: Vice City. While perhaps not the best, they do what they are intended to do and have been chosen out well, achieving a feel for an environment that many other games would not be able to achieve with even highly superior graphics.

I really feel this is one of the features of GTA: Vice City that really make it such an awesome game. Though it might be looked at as a minor detail by some, the choice of key 80's music in several genres is such a nice touch to this style of game. There's nothing better than cruising down the streets of Vice City, singing along and bobbing to music from your childhood. There's even a crazy talk show station in case you need some laughs. And there is 7 hours worth of soundtrack to keep you going for a long time. You can even make your own radio station on the PC version.

The sounds and voices are very well done as well. Voices are extremely well acted, and even the scripts are well written, fitting in with the slang of the time and criminal circles. Vice City even features Jenna Jameson and Miss Cleo (a famous xxx star and a phone psychic for those of you who don't recognize the names) as voices, among others. Sound effects are realistic and well placed, and the environmental sounds make it feel like a living city.

The interface of GTA: Vice City is basic and easy to grasp, making for very intuitive controls. You move with your direction keys, pan with your mouse, enter vehicles with the enter key, and shoot with your left mouse button. You can change weapons by scrolling with the mouse wheel, and change music while driving the same way. All controls are very smooth, and combat is much improved from the previous GTA's. The special events keys are explained to you as you go by text at the top of your screen, a very handy feature. To your top right you find your health, money, and "wanted status" - what level of law enforcement is after you- as well as your current weapon. You can fill up your health with items randomly placed on the map. On the bottom half of the screen you have your map, with a full version available through the main menu. The mini map is very easy to understand, with mission points displayed by colored squares or arrows, depending on how far away you are from the target. Shops and save points are also clearly marked on the map. And if you need to recap on your missions, you can find them off the main menu. All in all, the interface does what it should, and well.

In all honesty, this has been one of the most fun games I have played in a long time, and I am picky. It is probably one of the best "atmospheric" games out there, and that's not even its only value. There is something for just about every kind of player in GTA: Vice City; it is just that fun. With a nicely done, large map and new varied missions, Vice City promises many hours of play time and even replay time. And who can forget the awesome sound track, full of 80's fun. Even without the best graphics, the game manages to keep its players playing, and that attests to the well written story and missions. Whether you are an old fan or a new player, you should definitely pick this one up. Just remember it's rated R (18+), and rightly so.