GTA: Chinatown Wars On The PSP Is a Total Rip-off, Find Out Why

I'll make this short, if you haven't played the DS game, then please stop reading this post here, because it's worth playing, but if you have, read on.

Fellow GTA fans, I have just played 10 minutes of GTA: Chinatown Wars on the PSP, and I can tell you here and now, it is a total cash-in by Rockstar, shame on them, I'm completely dissapointed, why? Well first off, no voice acting, yup, you read that right, no voice acting at all, it's all text, it's the same game in that department, secondly, the music has been improved quality-wise, but there are no additions to the radio stations, they just dragged and dropped what was on the DS and added it here, same game in that department as well, the cutscenes are the same as well, albeit improved textures and a wider screen make it better to view. The only differences I've seen thus far are the following:

* The touch screen features are now replaced by button inputs, and this was gonna be an obvious omission, in my opinion it took away the most innovative and interesting part of the whole game, so it's a definite minus in my book.

* Music plays during cut-scenes, unlike on the DS where cut-scenes were mostly completely silent.

All in all, if you've played the DS game, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME, don't let the critic scores fool you, they're judging it with the assumption that the DS game doesn't exist, I would have posted this as a game review, but last I checked, I'm unable to for now, but I will post one once the user review section of the game is open.

I didn't really expect R* to add much. I mean, it's only a port after all, and they've never really add that much extra content in previous ports of GTA games.

* Music plays during cut-scenes, unlike on the DS where cut-scenes were mostly completely silent.

Aero5555

Music also played in cutscenes of the DS version.

Music also played in cutscenes of the DS version.

SpinoRaptor24

Yes, but what I what talking about here are the mission breifing cut-scenes specifically, for example, the first mission breifing when he visits his uncle's restaurant. I may be mistaken because I beat the DS game a long while ago, but I don't recall music being played during those scenes.

It seems you did not realize it was going to be a port.

Just in case I'm being misunderstood as someone bashing Rockstar over a game that was meant to be a port, my main point here is to warn people who are (as I were) going back and forth as to whether this game is worth it having played the DS version, and I've played Vice City Stories on the PS2 when it was released and I was happy with it because I hadn't bought the PSP game (I knew it was gonna get ported), so I understand how those who haven't played the DS game feel. But anyway, regarldless of it being a port, it still is a dissapointment, I mean, yeah LCS and VCS were ports on the PS2 same as Chinatown Wars, but the real big difference on those ports is that you could play them on a big screen TV, this was the best thing about those ports, but that feeling is missing in Chinatown Wars.

Bottomline, so much potential gone down the toilet.

You really don't, understand the, proper use of, commas do, you...i_noseworthy

And you really don't, understand that, English is, a second language, to most people, in this world...

Seeing as this is a forum for PSP users and not DS users, why should we care about the difference or similarities to one of the highest-rated games on the DS? I think we as PSP users SHOULD basically assume that the DS version doesn't exsist and so should the critics... why should I care? If I want to play the DS version it's going to cost me a substantial amount more than if I just buy the PSP version (seeing as I'm a PSP user), that's the system I have and not a DS...

... you're stirring a cloud over nothing. If the PSP version rates high and plays well, who cares what the DS version did?

Seeing as this is a forum for PSP users and not DS users, why should we care about the difference or similarities to one of the highest-rated games on the DS? I think we as PSP users SHOULD basically assume that the DS version doesn't exsist and so should the critics... why should I care? If I want to play the DS version it's going to cost me a substantial amount more than if I just buy the PSP version (seeing as I'm a PSP user), that's the system I have and not a DS...

... you're stirring a cloud over nothing. If the PSP version rates high and plays well, who cares what the DS version did?

ston3henge

This x100.

But hey here on GS we're used to people complaining over nothing! Just enjoy the game.

/thread

Seeing as this is a forum for PSP users and not DS users, why should we care about the difference or similarities to one of the highest-rated games on the DS? I think we as PSP users SHOULD basically assume that the DS version doesn't exsist and so should the critics... why should I care? If I want to play the DS version it's going to cost me a substantial amount more than if I just buy the PSP version (seeing as I'm a PSP user), that's the system I have and not a DS...

... you're stirring a cloud over nothing. If the PSP version rates high and plays well, who cares what the DS version did?

ston3henge

Wow....was this really necessary? There are a lot of people who are both PSP and DS gamers out there. He's just warning the people that have already played it on the DS that it's not worth buying again. No need to bash him for it.

[QUOTE="ston3henge"]

Seeing as this is a forum for PSP users and not DS users, why should we care about the difference or similarities to one of the highest-rated games on the DS? I think we as PSP users SHOULD basically assume that the DS version doesn't exsist and so should the critics... why should I care? If I want to play the DS version it's going to cost me a substantial amount more than if I just buy the PSP version (seeing as I'm a PSP user), that's the system I have and not a DS...

... you're stirring a cloud over nothing. If the PSP version rates high and plays well, who cares what the DS version did?

Luigi12901

Wow....was this really necessary? There are a lot of people who are both PSP and DS gamers out there. He's just warning the people that have already played it on the DS that it's not worth buying again. No need to bash him for it.

There's no bashing there, read it again. I said that this is a PSP forum and that we as PSP users are only interested in the game on THIS platform. The poster isindeed stirring a cloud over nothing here. Nothing. The game is NOT a total rip-off. That is a lie. The game is a PORT, and therefore bound to be derivative of the original game with minor changes. Pointing out that the touch screen stuff is missing is superfluous to the PSP gamer. Lack of voice acting is also something we as PSP gamers are rather used to... but this will hardly make the game a "Rip-Off".

Now, glad that you are a multi-platform gamer with all that extra time and money to support your interest, but most of us aren't. This forum is for PSP, any comparrisons or contrasting views about systems belongs somewhere else but certainly not here. These are all simple facts, not bashing.

The only attitude you hear in my post has been injected by your own mind, not my words. Go with Christ. ;)

[QUOTE="ston3henge"]

Seeing as this is a forum for PSP users and not DS users, why should we care about the difference or similarities to one of the highest-rated games on the DS? I think we as PSP users SHOULD basically assume that the DS version doesn't exsist and so should the critics... why should I care? If I want to play the DS version it's going to cost me a substantial amount more than if I just buy the PSP version (seeing as I'm a PSP user), that's the system I have and not a DS...

... you're stirring a cloud over nothing. If the PSP version rates high and plays well, who cares what the DS version did?

Luigi12901

Wow....was this really necessary? There are a lot of people who are both PSP and DS gamers out there. He's just warning the people that have already played it on the DS that it's not worth buying again. No need to bash him for it.

Which they should already know, seeing how its a port.

Just in case I'm being misunderstood as someone bashing Rockstar over a game that was meant to be a port, my main point here is to warn people who are (as I were) going back and forth as to whether this game is worth it having played the DS version, and I've played Vice City Stories on the PS2 when it was released and I was happy with it because I hadn't bought the PSP game (I knew it was gonna get ported), so I understand how those who haven't played the DS game feel. But anyway, regarldless of it being a port, it still is a dissapointment, I mean, yeah LCS and VCS were ports on the PS2 same as Chinatown Wars, but the real big difference on those ports is that you could play them on a big screen TV, this was the best thing about those ports, but that feeling is missing in Chinatown Wars.

Bottomline, so much potential gone down the toilet.

[QUOTE="i_noseworthy"]You really don't, understand the, proper use of, commas do, you...Aero5555

And you really don't, understand that, English is, a second language, to most people, in this world...

Which is, of course, just unfortunate :lol:

[QUOTE="Luigi12901"]

[QUOTE="ston3henge"]

Seeing as this is a forum for PSP users and not DS users, why should we care about the difference or similarities to one of the highest-rated games on the DS? I think we as PSP users SHOULD basically assume that the DS version doesn't exsist and so should the critics... why should I care? If I want to play the DS version it's going to cost me a substantial amount more than if I just buy the PSP version (seeing as I'm a PSP user), that's the system I have and not a DS...

... you're stirring a cloud over nothing. If the PSP version rates high and plays well, who cares what the DS version did?

ston3henge

Wow....was this really necessary? There are a lot of people who are both PSP and DS gamers out there. He's just warning the people that have already played it on the DS that it's not worth buying again. No need to bash him for it.

There's no bashing there, read it again. I said that this is a PSP forum and that we as PSP users are only interested in the game on THIS platform. The poster isindeed stirring a cloud over nothing here. Nothing. The game is NOT a total rip-off. That is a lie. The game is a PORT, and therefore bound to be derivative of the original game with minor changes. Pointing out that the touch screen stuff is missing is superfluous to the PSP gamer. Lack of voice acting is also something we as PSP gamers are rather used to... but this will hardly make the game a "Rip-Off".

Now, glad that you are a multi-platform gamer with all that extra time and money to support your interest, but most of us aren't. This forum is for PSP, any comparrisons or contrasting views about systems belongs somewhere else but certainly not here. These are all simple facts, not bashing.

The only attitude you hear in my post has been injected by your own mind, not my words. Go with Christ. ;)

Alright, I apologize for what I said earlier. Perhaps 'bashing' wasn't the best word choice. But I'm just saying that not everybody here in the PSP forum is PSP-only. I don't see how he's comparing systems, per-se. Comparing features within the games, possibly. (Maybe this is better suited for General Games discussion?) But it's still true that a lot of people who've already played GTA: CW on DS won't find it worth buying again. It's not a rip-off for those who haven't played it yet, or who thoroughly enjoyed it on DS.

Again, I apologize for putting words (and attitudes?)into your mouth that you didn't intend to say...this was definitely not my intent.

One last note, the fact that voice acting isn't included is unforgivable in my opinion and alot of people mentioned how unforgivable it would be if it happened (which it did), I made a huge mistake, and I hope that nobody faces the regret I faced with this dumb purchase decision, I'll wait for comparison reviews next time. Sorry if this is the wrong section to post the thread, but I figured people who'd wanna read a comparison between the 2 versions would browse this forum first, and the fact that this is a PSP only forum is irrelevant to me, because like I said my main point is to warn people of how worthless the game is if you already own the DS edition, heck, the text looks smaller and you lose most of the conversation interactions during missions because you're attention is drawn to outruning the cops... etc. All this because they didn't include voice-acting, totally unforgivable.

i dont give a .. ok ok i will remain calm, one thing i learned over the years, DONT BET AGAINST ROCKSTAR. I am so happy this game came to PSP. i don't own a DS, nor do I intend to own one due to my personal preference in PSP. I was so jealous when DS got chinatown and we did not. Again, if you under estimate this game because it is not made in 3d, you will miss out on something great. some things in life can be best if kept simple (like breasts!? and cars?!..).

I will be getting this game this weekend. I already know ROCKSTAR never lets me down. just by reading some of the critics and by watching video, I know I won't be proved wrong. In Rockstar I trust!

The title of this thread is misleading. this game is not a total-rip off if you never played it before. and if you already played the DS version, there is very little reason for you to purchase it again for the psp. This game is a port and rockstar never intended to make significant changes to it. Me as a gamer who never tried chinatown before now gets to play a better version of it(IMO). I am glad the touch screen options are left out. I am a hardcore gamer, and the touch screen does not appeal to me one bit.

[QUOTE="Aero5555"]

Just in case I'm being misunderstood as someone bashing Rockstar over a game that was meant to be a port, my main point here is to warn people who are (as I were) going back and forth as to whether this game is worth it having played the DS version, and I've played Vice City Stories on the PS2 when it was released and I was happy with it because I hadn't bought the PSP game (I knew it was gonna get ported), so I understand how those who haven't played the DS game feel. But anyway, regarldless of it being a port, it still is a dissapointment, I mean, yeah LCS and VCS were ports on the PS2 same as Chinatown Wars, but the real big difference on those ports is that you could play them on a big screen TV, this was the best thing about those ports, but that feeling is missing in Chinatown Wars.

Bottomline, so much potential gone down the toilet.

[QUOTE="i_noseworthy"]You really don't, understand the, proper use of, commas do, you...SadPSPAddict

And you really don't, understand that, English is, a second language, to most people, in this world...

Which is, of course, just unfortunate :lol:

One last note, the fact that voice acting isn't included is unforgivable in my opinion and alot of people mentioned how unforgivable it would be if it happened (which it did), I made a huge mistake, and I hope that nobody faces the regret I faced with this dumb purchase decision, I'll wait for comparison reviews next time. Sorry if this is the wrong section to post the thread, but I figured people who'd wanna read a comparison between the 2 versions would browse this forum first, and the fact that this is a PSP only forum is irrelevant to me, because like I said my main point is to warn people of how worthless the game is if you already own the DS edition, heck, the text looks smaller and you lose most of the conversation interactions during missions because you're attention is drawn to outruning the cops... etc. All this because they didn't include voice-acting, totally unforgivable.

Aero5555

The game is a little expensive unfortunately. I think $29.99 (USD) would have been more like it. Otherwise, this game really is all it set out to be on the PSP. I got everything I expected because I knew what to expect.

Obviously the poster didnt read ANY of the previews of the game that stated there would NOT be voice acting...but the same txt, same mini games, more missions and graphical updates.

I will say this, if you OWN a DS and have the game, dont bother buying it for PSP...but many PSP owners dont own a DS, so go and buy it!

its not a TOTAL rip-off unless it's a LOWER quality game than the DS version. If the graphics are WORSE and the music is cut out all together or something, then I could see your point. But if the game is = to the HIGHLY scored DS game, then it is not a ripoff. It's a half-hearted port. Which we know Rockstar does at times. I played Liberty City Stories on the ps2, and found out that when Rockstar ports a game they DO NOT improve the game at all. So now i know if u want the best GTA experience, buy the game on the platform it was released on first.

and really saying you shouldnt get this game if you already have it on DS.... thats just stating the obvious. VERY few people that own the game on the DS are expecting the game to be different on the PSP. They know its the SAME GAME with minor changes (good and bad). thats the definition of a port.

Seeing as this is a forum for PSP users and not DS users, why should we care about the difference or similarities to one of the highest-rated games on the DS? I think we as PSP users SHOULD basically assume that the DS version doesn't exsist and so should the critics... why should I care? If I want to play the DS version it's going to cost me a substantial amount more than if I just buy the PSP version (seeing as I'm a PSP user), that's the system I have and not a DS...

... you're stirring a cloud over nothing. If the PSP version rates high and plays well, who cares what the DS version did?

ston3henge

[QUOTE="SadPSPAddict"]

[QUOTE="Aero5555"]

And you really don't, understand that, English is, a second language, to most people, in this world...

jasontdoto

Which is, of course, just unfortunate :lol:

Irony my friend irony 8)however you are of coursecorrect

those that will be purchasing this game-- from what i can tell from the reviews is that the PSN version saves a lot faster than if you have umd. GTA UMD in your psp takes 17 seconds to save!! "on the UMD version of the game -- the autosave takes a hair-raising 17 seconds"(IGN review) Saving manually takes 9 seconds!! can disable auto save atleast.

"If you're running the digital version, the autosave is five seconds and the manual save is about one second" (IGN review). So there is good benefit that you do get by downloading a digital copy from psn store.

I guess in game voice acting would have been the icing on the cake, but hey, i am happy reading the subtitles as long as the story is engaging.

I'll make this short, if you haven't played the DS game, then please stop reading this post here, because it's worth playing, but if you have, read on.

Fellow GTA fans, I have just played 10 minutes of GTA: Chinatown Wars on the PSP, and I can tell you here and now, it is a total cash-in by Rockstar, shame on them, I'm completely dissapointed, why? Well first off, no voice acting, yup, you read that right, no voice acting at all, it's all text, it's the same game in that department, secondly, the music has been improved quality-wise, but there are no additions to the radio stations, they just dragged and dropped what was on the DS and added it here, same game in that department as well, the cutscenes are the same as well, albeit improved textures and a wider screen make it better to view. The only differences I've seen thus far are the following:

* The touch screen features are now replaced by button inputs, and this was gonna be an obvious omission, in my opinion it took away the most innovative and interesting part of the whole game, so it's a definite minus in my book.

* Music plays during cut-scenes, unlike on the DS where cut-scenes were mostly completely silent.

All in all, if you've played the DS game, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME, don't let the critic scores fool you, they're judging it with the assumption that the DS game doesn't exist, I would have posted this as a game review, but last I checked, I'm unable to for now, but I will post one once the user review section of the game is open.

Aero5555

There was very little/no voice acting in the DS version, I hated the fact that I was always fumbling with my stylus, I never did any of the touch screen mini games, and I think using a nub to drive is going to be better than the DS's crappy D pad. I'm buying this. Period.

Wait, so they gave a similar score to a game that was pretty much a direct port with some fancier graphics and a few extra perk features?

Say it isn't so! I mean, the audacity to bring a game to TWO different systems...and give it similar scores...why, it's like what if they made a game for both360 and PS3! They deserve the same score? BALDERDASH I CRY! BALDERDASH!

Shame on Gamespot and shame on Rockstar! Clearly bringing the game to a wider audience is monumental mistake! THIS GAME DESERVES A 3!

Maybe a 3.5...

Maybe. If that much...

i can SAY WOW because sum of you are bashing the GTACTW only true and i mean TRUE fans would know GTA from the PSX days, and not jumping on the game from ps2 days.Anyway its GTA its better then nothing and i still give it a 10

Wait, so they gave a similar score to a game that was pretty much a direct port with some fancier graphics and a few extra perk features?Gambitcrawfish

Seeing as this is a forum for PSP users and not DS users, why should we care about the difference or similarities to one of the highest-rated games on the DS? I think we as PSP users SHOULD basically assume that the DS version doesn't exsist and so should the critics... why should I care? If I want to play the DS version it's going to cost me a substantial amount more than if I just buy the PSP version (seeing as I'm a PSP user), that's the system I have and not a DS...

... you're stirring a cloud over nothing. If the PSP version rates high and plays well, who cares what the DS version did?

It's just a port. Don't expect it to be have features that remakes have.

It's not a ripoff to people who haven't played the ds version. Fool

[QUOTE="ston3henge"]

Seeing as this is a forum for PSP users and not DS users, why should we care about the difference or similarities to one of the highest-rated games on the DS? I think we as PSP users SHOULD basically assume that the DS version doesn't exsist and so should the critics... why should I care? If I want to play the DS version it's going to cost me a substantial amount more than if I just buy the PSP version (seeing as I'm a PSP user), that's the system I have and not a DS...

... you're stirring a cloud over nothing. If the PSP version rates high and plays well, who cares what the DS version did?

darkPSPfan

Thank ya, Dark/Fan!!! :D

I try, I try...

i dont give a .. ok ok i will remain calm, one thing i learned over the years, DONT BET AGAINST ROCKSTAR. I am so happy this game came to PSP. i don't own a DS, nor do I intend to own one due to my personal preference in PSP. I was so jealous when DS got chinatown and we did not. Again, if you under estimate this game because it is not made in 3d, you will miss out on something great. some things in life can be best if kept simple (like breasts!? and cars?!..).

I will be getting this game this weekend. I already know ROCKSTAR never lets me down. just by reading some of the critics and by watching video, I know I won't be proved wrong. In Rockstar I trust!

The title of this thread is misleading. this game is not a total-rip off if you never played it before. and if you already played the DS version, there is very little reason for you to purchase it again for the psp. This game is a port and rockstar never intended to make significant changes to it. Me as a gamer who never tried chinatown before now gets to play a better version of it(IMO). I am glad the touch screen options are left out. I am a hardcore gamer, and the touch screen does not appeal to me one bit.

jasontdoto

well im getting it off psn tomorrow. and as i dont own a ds the psp version will be great as far as i know

HMMM i thought it is suppose to be the same game ??? was there a time when Rockstar release a statement claiming that they would be 2 different games ??? This IS NOT A SONY EXCLUSIVE NOR WAS THERE TRICKY ADVERTISEMENT HINTING TO IT BEING A EXCLUSIVE.

I have the DS version, but after playing the PSP version I cant go back to the DS version. I don't want to sound like a graphics whore, but Jesus Christ graphics do make a difference :P Its like night and day between the 2 games.II_Seraphim_II

I am a GRAPHIC WHORE AND PROUD OF IT.