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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (released in October 2002) is the fourth video game in the hit Grand Theft Auto series. It is a Rockstar Entertainment production, available for the PlayStation 2 video game console and PC. In November 2003, it also became available for the Xbox. It uses the same game-engine as its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto III, and similarly presents a huge cityscape, fully populated with buildings (from hovels to skyscrapers), vehicles (cars, bikes, boats, and planes) and people. GTA: Vice City was the best selling video game of 2002.
Setting
 View from a plane, PC version Vice City is a loose prequel to the preceding game in the series, Grand Theft Auto 3, which took place in the present day at the time of its 2001 release. Although the main character is not the same as the one in Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City contains a few characters from GTA 3 at an earlier point in their lives. Donald Love, a business tycoon in GTA 3, makes an appearance as an apprentice to real-estate mogul Avery Carrington. Lazlow, the host of the talk radio station in GTA 3, is the DJ for the hard-rock station in Vice City. Toni, the female DJ of the 80's music radio station in GTA 3 also appears as a DJ in Vice City's pop music station. Finally, Fernando, a self-glorifying procurer of women ("not a pimp... a savior" he claims) who appeared on Lazlow's show in GTA III, runs the Emotion radio station.
The player takes the role of Tommy Vercetti, who has recently been released from prison and has to re-associate with mafia elements to earn a living while gaining revenge on those same associates who betrayed him. Much of the action concerns Vercetti's burgeoning criminal empire, spanning drug trafficking, murder for hire, counterfeiting, and protection. The player progresses through the game narrative by performing a series of missions, most of which involve criminal activities. This takes Vercetti from being a small-time hood staying in a cheap hotel to being the city's crime kingpin.
 Washington Beach at night, PC version
Various radio stations can be received on radios in most vehicles in the game; one is an interview and chat station (KCHAT), another (VCPR) consists of the public access debate show Pressing Issues, and the remainder are music stations which cover particular musical genres such as rap music (Wildstyle Pirate Radio), rock (VRock) and (most predominantly) pop music (WAVE, Flash FM). The tracks are for the most part licensed works from various real-life artists such as Blondie, Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Mr. Mister, and other artists that fit the retro 80s theme. The radio stations and the game story also feature a fictional band called Love Fist. The multi-CD soundtrack to the game was an instant best-seller.
In addition to music and interviews, the stations also include fake commercials such as the Degenatron, a fictional video game console (Save the green dots with your fantastic flying red square!). The commercials and the game setting are consistent, so you can see Degenatron advertisement on billboards and there are commercials for stores in Vice City that the player can actually shop in, such as Ammu-nation.
The game features dozens of characters, most appearing only in cut scenes which describe each mission. The voice-talent includes Ray Liotta as Vercetti, Tom Sizemore, Dennis Hopper, Burt Reynolds, Luis Guzmán, Miami Vice star Philip Michael Thomas, Danny Trejo, Gary Busey, Lee Majors, Fairuza Balk, and porn actress Jenna Jameson. The voice of the taxi controller is played by Blondie singer Debbie Harry.
Gameplay
 Police trouble, PC version Players can steal vehicles (cars, planes, boats, motorcycles, and helicopters), become involved in drive-by shootings, and generally create chaos. However, doing so generally attracts unwanted and potentially fatal attention from the police (or, in extreme cases, the FBI and even the U.S. Army).
Unlike previous games in the franchise, the player can also purchase a number of properties distributed around the city. Some of these are additional hideouts (essentially locations where weapons can be collected and the game saved). There are also a variety of businesses which the player can buy. These include a pornographic film studio, a dance club, a taxi company, an ice-cream delivery business, and a printing works. Each commercial property has a number of missions attached to it, such as eliminating the competition or stealing equipment. Once all the missions for a given property are complete the property provides an ongoing income, which the increasingly-prosperous Vercetti must periodically uplift.
 Attacking a gang in Little Havana, PC version One is also able to carry out productive and (mostly) non-violent activities in the game such as pizza deliveries, driving injured people to a hospital with an ambulance, extinguishing fires with a fire truck, and much more, usually with a monetary reward. Although these activities often result in unique rewards, they are not integral to the main thrust of gameplay.
In addition, a wide array of guns and arms become available to the player as he or she completes more and more missions. Guns may be purchased at firearm store Ammu-Nation and other types of weapons (such as baseball bats, hammers and chainsaws) can be bought at various hardware stores.
Vice City is somewhat infamous for its Demolition Man mission, in which Vercetti must pilot a small toy helicopter, pick up explosives, and deposit them at certain points within 7 minutes. The mission is particularly disliked by players of the PC version of Vice City; those who do not own joysticks may find themselves constantly crashing the helicopter into obstacles due to the arguably clumsy keyboard controls, making it difficult to deposit the explosives within the time limit.
There is another mission known as The Driver, as a part of the Bank-Robbery Mission when you buy the Malibu Asset. This involves Vercetti recruiting ace driver Hilary King for the job, but due to abandonment issues, King agrees to help Vercetti only if he can beat King in a street race. King is a skilled driver in a vastly superior car to Tommy's, and since their race is illegal, police swarm Vercetti's car. There is very little margin for error in this mission, and shortcuts can't be taken. The Driver is thought to be the hardest mission in Vice City. One of the greatest strategies used in that mission is to park a "Stretch" which is a limo down the street before starting the mission. Then when you start drive around it while he crashes, then survive the rest
The PC version of this game features improved performance over the PC version of GTA III. However, the police AI is lacking at times in comparison to GTA III.
Controversy
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City has been labeled as violent by many special interest groups, and is considered highly controversial. Some suggest that parental supervision is necessary when young people play this game. The ESRB rated this game "M" for Mature. In Australia, it was heavily modified to comply with current Australian censorship laws. Prostitutes and pimps were removed allowing the game to be given an MA15+ rating. In the UK, where most games are regulated by the BBFC, Vice City received an "18" certificate.
 GTA: Vice City, Ocean Beach in morning, PC version In December, 2003, Cuban and Haitian groups in Florida used the game as a publicity vehicle. They accused the game of inviting people to harm immigrants from those two nations. However, as is obvious to anyone who played the game, the lines such as "These Haitians! We take 'em out!" refer to members of a Haitian drug cartel, not every Haitian person. Interestingly, the line "Kill all the Haitians" often quoted by the media does not appear to be in the script. Nethertheless, the group managed to attract a lot of public attention to this non-issue. Rockstar Entertainment had to issue a press release stating that they understood the concern of Cubans and Haitians, and that they believe those groups are blowing the game's actions out of proportion. Under further pressure, including threats from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to "do everything we possibly can" if Rockstar didn't comply, Interplay (the game's publisher) did agree to remove several lines of dialogue.
Characters
A number of recurring characters appear during the various missions or cutscenes in the game. Prominent characters are listed here in order of appearance.
Tommy Vercetti
Tommy Vercetti is the game's protagonist. He is voiced by Goodfellas star Ray Liotta.
Tommy Vercetti's father worked at a printing shop, but he became a criminal in the employ of the Forelli family of the Liberty City Mafia. Vercetti was jailed in Liberty City for 15 years for multiple counts of murder. He was released in 1986 and was quickly sent by mob boss Sonny Forelli to the beach paradise of Vice City. There, Vercetti met up with various underworld figures and started up his own vast criminal empire dealing in drugs, stolen vehicles, guns, and any other odd jobs (mostly illegal ones) that could provide a little extra cash.
Sonny Forelli
Sonny Forelli is the head of the Forelli Mafia family in Liberty City circa 1986. After 15 years in the slammer, Vercetti agrees to take one last mission on for Sonny; a routine drug deal in Vice City which goes wrong: Vercetti loses the money and gets no drugs. Forelli orders Vercetti to get the money and drugs back. While Vercetti investigates and builds his crime empire, Forelli calls to check on him periodically. After he hears that Vercetti has gone solo, he sends money collectors to (unsuccessfully) rough up Vercetti's men and take his money. It doesn't work. Finally Forelli comes down to Vice City to kill Vercetti himself. He and Lance Vance attempt to assault Vercetti's mansion. Vercetti fights off hordes of Forelli's goons, and kills both Forelli and Vance.
Forelli is noted for his notoriously poor taste in clothes and is voiced by Tom Sizemore.
Ken Rosenberg
Ken Rosenberg is a shady but somewhat timid lawyer who is closely affiliated with Tommy Vercetti. Rosenberg is sent by Forelli to meet Vercetti as he arrives in the city, and remains his ally through his entire game. He is responsible for Tommy being released from prison whenever he is caught by the police, and his voice is sometimes briefly heard in these situations ("Tommy Vercetti is an innocent man!!!"). He has been reported to have problems with narcotics and egomania. He is also suspected of cheating on law school exams and having employed heavies on numerous occasions to intimidate and corrupt juries. Rosenberg's character parallels the lawyer David Kleinfeld (played by Sean Penn) in the movie Carlito's Way - both have the same frizzy hair and bad suits, and both are rendered increasingly paranoid and incoherent by their cocaine addictions.
Rosenberg has a very poor success rate at trial and is referred to as a "bonkers ambulance chaser" by Kent Paul, who goes on to state "that guy could defend an innocent man all the way to the death row". He is voiced by William Fichtner.
Lance Vance
Lance Vance is a drug dealer who soon becomes Tommy Vercetti's partner in crime. Lance is voiced by Miami Vice star Philip Michael Thomas, one of Vice City's many references to Miami Vice.
Lance worked in the narcotics trade with his brother, Victor. Lance would pilot the helicopter and Victor would do the dealing. The Vances had a cocaine deal with Sonny Forelli. Forelli had sent lawyer Rosenberg and three others, including Vercetti, to the deal. But just as the deal was agreed, it turned out they had some unwanted guests, who shot down two of Forelli's men and Victor Vance. Lance, who was still in the helicopter, sped away, unscathed, while Vercetti jumped into the car with Rosenberg and narrowly escaped.
Lance met Vercetti in person shortly after Tommy had murdered a small-time gangster named Leo. Lance helped Vercetti get away; however, Lance came to resent Tommy's attitude and greater share of their money, and eventually betrays Vercetti in the last mission of the game.
Juan Garcia Cortez
Juan Cortez, a retired Colonel, is an acquaintance of Ken Rosenberg. He helped set up the failed exchange that brought Tommy Vercetti to Vice City. He likes to throw huge parties on his extravagant yacht on the bay. Along with his beautiful daughter, Mercedes, he mingles with other crime bosses. He has somehow survived up to 30 coups in his native country and has been sentenced to death nine times. Colonel Cortez likes to eat endangered species—considering this to be fine living. He is also believed to facilitate trade with all areas of criminal activity, including narcotics, firearms, weapons, and military secrets.
One mission in particular that Vercetti has to complete for Cortez was borrowed from the movie Scarface. Because the French military won't let up, Cortez must flee Vice City. Tommy helps the Colonel escape and is given the Colonel's eternal gratitude. He is voiced by Robert Davi.
Mercedes Cortez
Mercedes Cortez is Juan's daughter. She is a possible love interest for Tommy Vercetti, but it is never touched on. She is voiced by Fairuza Balk.
Kent Paul
Kent Paul is believed to be an assumed name—real name unknown. He also goes by "KP", "Paulo" and "Kent". Paul is an English Youth who claims to work in the music business as well as to be a criminal mastermind. He has made contact with biker gangs, but is believed to have fallen out with Biker's gang. He is very "good with rumors" and has contacts with most of the major crime units of Vice City. He is, however, a pathological liar and a suspected drug addict. He seems to have contacts in certain SWAT divisions, and acts as a manager to the rock band Love Fist. He is generally found at the Mailbu, and helps Vercetti throughout the game. He is voiced by Danny Dyer.
Avery Carrington
Avery Carrington is a Texan property magnate and real estate developer. He likes to talk about his father and about the good ol' days. He is an extreme capitalist who is suspected of being willing to do anything to manipulate property prices and land value, including arson, rioting, bribery, intimidation, murder. He always wears a cowboy hat and is believed to be involved in several developments and slum-clearance programs. He is a known guest of Cortez. He uses Ken Rosenberg for legal advice and it's his possible weak link. He has an apprentice, who makes an appearance in Grand Theft Auto 3 as a business tycoon, Donald Love. He is voiced by Burt Reynolds.
Ricardo Diaz
Ricardo Diaz is an extremely dangerous individual who busted Vercetti's drug deal. He later recruited Vercetti to run errands for him, but eventually Vercetti figured it out and took out Diaz, taking over his estate in the process. Diaz bribed the INS for a green card in 1978, after entering the country from Colombia. His contacts there believe he is a major player in the illegal drug industry and anti-government activity. Diaz is an extremely popular philanthropist who gives money to foundations across Vice City and Central and South America, but all are believed to be fronts. He is short in stature and is thought to suffer from a Napoleon complex. His medical records show he has over-active glands and sweats more than is socially acceptable. He is a noted gun collector and is always armed; he has a private militia and is heavily guarded at all times. He has been involved in long running battle for control of the drug business in Vice City and has possibly bribed most police and officials within the town. He is feared due to a reputation of unpredictable behavior and is thought to be responsible for 18 murders. He is voiced by Luis Guzman.
Love Fist
The fictional rock band Love Fist is represented by Kent Paul.
Big Mitch Baker
"Big" Mitch Baker is a Vietnam Veteran, turned motorbike enthusiast. A tendancy to mistreat veterans has lead Baker into many clashes with the cops. He runs the local bike gang at the Greasy Chopper bar and is extremely loyal to them. Tommy Vercetti has to earn Baker's respect before he can get the gang to provide security for a Love Fist concert. The voice of Baker is played by Lee Majors.
Steve Scott
Steve Scott, voiced by Speed villain Dennis Hopper, is a porn film director at Interglobal Films. He has an uncanny resemblance to Steven Spielberg. Tommy Vercetti buys his studio and brings him stars, while funding a new film which stars Candy Suxxx. Steve is obsessed with making a movie about a giant shark; a movie poster for the Candy Suxxx movie Bite appears later in the game and is clearly an homage to Steven Spielberg's movie Jaws.
Candy Suxxx
Candy Suxxx was originally a prostitute residing in the Downtown area; Congressman Alex Shrub was a regular of hers until she was hired by Tommy Vercetti to work at the Interglobal Films porn studio. She is voiced by real-life porn star Jenna Jameson.
Umberto Robina
Umberto Robina is a Cuban warlord who has been involved in a long term feud with Haitian criminals over the control of Vice City turf. He is an extremely macho man who wants to wage full scale war with the Haitian gang, however he has never personally implicated in a crime and his bravery has been questioned within Cuban circles. He is good friends with Tommy Vercetti and treats him as an equal. He is voiced by Danny Trejo.
Auntie Poulet
Auntie Poulet is a leader of the Haitian gang. She gives Tommy Vercetti mind-altering voodoo potions to get him to cooperate in the missions she wants him to undertake. This includes acting against the Cubans, with whom he also works and has friendly relations. Ultimately, she cuts her ties with him, giving Tommy the opportunity to destroy the Haitians' main drug plant and make permanent enemies of them. She is voiced by Youree Cleomili Harris, who is better known as the infamous "psychic hotline" operator Miss Cleo.
Hilary King
Hilary King is a talented, neurotic, and highly dependant driver who is involved in two missions with Vercetti. In "The Driver", he agrees to help Tommy if he can beat Hilary in a street race. This is generally agreed to be one of the hardest missions in the game if not the hardest, and few players complete it without cheating or breaking the rules of the race (by, for example, switching vehicles or getting extra wanted stars so that the police might run Hilary off the road). In "The Job", he participates in a bank robbery and is cut down in a hail of gunfire.
Congressman Alex Shrub
Loosely based on George W. Bush, Alex Shrub became the youngest state congressman in Vice City history, according to Maurice Chavez, "because he has great hair and says things that make you nod your head."
During his congressional campaign, Shrub called his opponent
"a buffalo butt and a fat, hen-pecked wimp that couldn't fight
his way out of a wet, paper bag."
His wife's name is Laura.
Cam Jones
Cam Jones is a specialist for breaking into bank safes which he does for Tommy Vercetti
in "The Job". He is a rather minor character since his death or survival has no bearance on the further game. (Tommy Vercetti: "Too bad Cam didn't make it though" Phil Cassidy: "But then again more for us")
Phil Cassidy
Phil Cassidy is a gun expert and dealer who first appeared in GTA3, where he claimed to have lost an arm in Vietnam. In Vice City he appears with both arms intact and participates in "The Job". In Tommy's final mission for him, Phil loses an arm when his "boomshine", a homemade explosive alcoholic beverage, explodes directly in front of him. After that point he continues to sell Tommy rare and powerful weapons.
Weapons
Radio Stations
See also Grand Theft Auto:Vice City soundtrack
External links
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