While not as groundbraking as GTA III it is very enjoyable game and well a purchase.
So, Vice City (a semi-prequal) had a lot to live up to.
Thankfully, it delivers on most levels, improving on everything it's predecessor offered.
This installment of the GTA series takes place during the late 80's, in a fictional Miami. The sun-drenched islands are home to some pretty sights (and even prettier girls) but also some of the most ruthless criminals you wish you had never seen.
You play as Tommy Vecceti (thats right, this time your character has a name (and a voice to boot)), a straight talking guy who like nothing more than to serve is boss, Sonny. Unfortunatley, a mission goes wrong which sees Sonny lose a LOT of cash with nothing to show for it. So Vecciti is in the firing line unless he can retrieve the dosh.
So, this is where the standard GTA gameplay comes in. You can explore the world and basically do whatever you want. Whether that be missions or just cruise, the world is your oyster.
The "exploration" side of the gameplay is what makes GTA.................GTA. You can nick vehicles (hence the name "Grand Theft Auto"), mow down pedestrians, start a vigilante, search for hidden packages (unlocking new weapons), find some stunts, do taxi missions, become a figher fighter etc.
As well as the GTAIII stuff thrown in here there is new stuff. The main bonus are the new vehicles. There are two significant additions. The first being Motorcycles, now you can cruise in and out of traffic and alleyways are your best friend. The second is Helicopters, these allow easy travel between the games two major islands and two minor islands. There is also a plane to unlock later on. These new vehicles are really fun and add a whole new dimension to the gameplay.
Also, there are a few new on foot things to get on with. For example, there are now weapon classes and you can only hold one of each class. So you have to choose between grenades or molotovs etc. While this sounds tactical there is usually one clear "best" weapon in each catagory and it can get frustrating when your weapon of choice is deleted because of what the mission demands of you.
Also, there are now properties to buy. These properties, once bought, offer a few missions and then you gain revenue on a daily basis. Again, the game can be lengthened by exploiting all the properties.
The second factor is the missions. These are basically the same as the ones in GTA. They usually involve a mix of on foot and vehicular combat. Ranging from races to defending a boat from the french. :S On the whole the missions are fun enough and the story helps keep things interesting.
So, on the whole this is everything GTA fans wanted. It isn't as revolutionary as GTAIII and for this reason I don't think it is quite as good. Also the atmosphere is a little bit weaker than the gritty-ness of GTAIII. But still, this is a brilliant game.