Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City recently celebrated its tenth year of existence with a re-release on iOS and Android platforms. The open world action-adventure video game tells the story of Liberty City Mafia hitman Tommy Vercetti, who heads south to Vice City and begins building a criminal empire while seizing control from other criminal organizations in the city.
The game takes place in the 1980s and is influenced by films, television series and the music of the decade. The game cost $4.99 on the iTunes store and the Google Play marketplace. So is it worth picking up this classic game? Here is our review round up for Vice City:
IGN says, "It's obvious a lot of care and attention went into this 10th anniversary port. The flexible control options, improved visuals and features like custom soundtrack support and cloud saves are all very welcome. Running around Vice City wreaking havoc on your tiny mobile device is impressive and can still be very fun." The reviewer also notes that the game is 10 years old and at times it shows its age. IGN gives the game a 7.7-out-of-10.
CNET says, "Vice City looks way better than it did on the PS2; Rockstar gave the game an impressive visual overhaul (including Retina support). However, it's still pretty tricky to control your guy, especially when he's driving, as you have to work steering, acceleration, brake, and handbrake controls with just two thumbs." The reviewer also says that the game is too good to pass up for its $4.99 price tag.
Game Zone gives the game a 9.5-out-of-10 and says, "If you haven't experienced Vice City yet, you won't find a better opportunity to do so. And even if you have, this walk (or rather, trample) down memory lane is worth revisiting. Now let's see how the forthcoming San Andreas port fares...we'll bet it's the best one of all." The reviewer also noted issue with the touchscreen controls, but said that after a few mission, player will become comfortable with the setup.
The Pocket Gamer UK says, "In the end, I reckon this mobile edition of Vice City is only going to be appreciated by longing nostalgics who fondly remember bad Hawaiian shirts, the Lance Vance dance, and getting in golf caddy chases. It's not that Vice City has aged poorly, by any means. But if you're having to wrestle with antiquated gameplay, choppy PS2-era graphics, and bad controls, it might not be so appreciated by fresh eyes." The reviewer gives the game a Silver Award rating.
Here is a list of compatible devices below.
Apple iOS Devices: iPad, iPad mini, iPhone 4, 4S & 5, iPod touch 4th & 5th Generation
Android Phones: Motorola Razr, Razr Maxx, Razr Maxx HD, Motorola Atrix, Motorola Photon, Motorola Droid Bionic, HTC Rezound, HTC One X, HTC One S, HTC Evo 3D, HTC Sensation, HTC Droid Incredible 2, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Nexus S, Samsung Galaxy Note 1 & 2, Samsung S2, Samsung Galaxy R, Sony Xperia Play, Sony Xperia S, P, T & TL, Sony Walkman Z Series Media Player, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy S3, Google Nexus 4
Android Tablets: Acer Iconia, Asus Eee Pad Transformer, Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, LG Optimus Pad, Medion Lifetab, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 / 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, Sony Tablet S, Sony Tablet P, Toshiba Thrive, HTC Flyer, Google Nexus 7, Google Nexus 10
Have you picked up the Vice City for either iOS or Android devices? What do you think of the touchscreen controls? Comment in the section below and tell us what you think. Watch the trailer below...
