Grand Theft Auto Vice City Information - Guide for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Author: Digital Scyther
Game Title: Grand Theft Auto Vice City
Game Platform: Playstation 2
FAQ Title: Grand Theft Auto Vice City Manual 

Welcome to Vice City. Welcome to the 1980s. 

Having just made it back onto the streets of Liberty City after a long stretch in 
maximum security, Tommy Vercetti is sent to Vice City by his old boss, Sonny 
Forelli. They were understandably nervous about his re-appearance in Liberty City, 
so a trip down south seemed like a good idea. But all does not go smoothly upon his 
arrival in the glamorous, hedonistic metropolis of Vice City. He's set up and is 
left with no money and no merchandise. Sonny wants his money back, but the biker 
gangs, Cuban gangsters, and corrupt politicians stand in his way. Most of Vice City 
seems to want Tommy dead. His only answer is to fight back and take over the city 
himself.

From the decade of big hair, excess and pastel suits comes a story of one man's 
rise to the top of the criminal pile as Grand Theft Auto returns to the 
PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system this October. Vice City is a huge urban 
sprawl ranging from the beach to the swamps and the glitz to the ghetto, and is the 
most varied, complete and alive digital city ever created. Combining non-linear 
gameplay with a character driven narrative, you arrive in a town brimming with 
delights and degradation and are given the opportunity to take it over as you 
choose.

As a major gateway to South America and the Caribbean and attracting migrants, Vice 
City is brimming with diverse characters, so there's a friend for everyone. It is a 
sociable place and the new guy in town is sure to meet all manner of friendly 
people in the sunshine capital of America. Athletes, pop stars, real estate 
developers, politicians, trailer trash, everyone is moving to Vice City to find out 
what makes it the number one growth city in America. But, as Tommy quickly finds 
out, trust is still the rarest of commodities.

Vice City offers vehicular pleasures to suit every taste. For the speed enthusiast, 
there's high-performance cars and motorbikes. For the sportsman, a powerboat or a 
golf buggy lets you enjoy the great outdoors. For those that need that sense of 
freedom and escape, why not charter a helicopter and see the beauty of Vice City 
from the air?

As the party capital of America, you would expect your ears to be seduced by a host 
of sultry melodies and pumping beats, but the city is truly rocking. You'll be 
AMAZED as you sweep through Vice City's FM dial. If you are feeling like trouble, 
you can tune into some driving rock, or some crucial electro, or maybe you want to 
slow down with some sweet soul, and there will always be some great romantic 
anthems if you want to really take your mind off things. 

For the action man, or outdoors type, there's tons of fun things to do and 
adventures to be had… guaranteed. For the secretive or creepy type, Vice City is 
full of surprises, a place where you'll constantly be surprised by the vivacious, 
fun-loving types who live there and the things you can discover.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is the most diverse and ambitious piece of interactive 
entertainment yet created. The game is developed by Rockstar North and published by 
Rockstar Games.

May 13 - The glorious, deluxe PC edition of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is now in 
stores.

Skinning, customizable radio station, game replays, fully-optimized graphics and 
audio, and all of the epic gameplay experience that made Vice City a classic on the 
PlayStation®2. Gamespy scores the game a 93 out of 100 in the first review posted 
online, saying "...as we near the halfway point of 2003, Vice City is the most fun 
I've had playing any PC game so far this year..."

Head to www.rockstargames.com/vicecity/pc for retailer options as well as an 
exclusive downloadable player skin and all-new trailer.

April 15 - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City PC Site Launch

The official Grand Theft Auto site has been updated to now include a dedicated PC 
section with screenshots, system specs, preorder and webring links, and more 
details about the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the PC.

Go to www.rockstargames.com/vicecity/pc for more information.

February 14 - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Coming to the PC

Today, Rockstar Games announced that the PC version of the global blockbuster, 
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, is set to hit retail shelves in North America on May 
14th and in Europe on May 16th. The PC version will have enhanced features 
including improved graphics and sound, additional PC controls, as well as several 
options for players to customize the game. Stay tuned for more details and for the 
launch of the PC-version dedicated area of the official Vice City website.

February 4 - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - 2002 Game Of The Year Awards

We are very pleased to report that a number of media institutions have seen fit to 
honor Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in their yearly "Game of the Year" awards. Here 
is a selection:

* Game Informer, January 2003. GAME OF 2002. "[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City] took a 
premise that blew everyone away, and expanded it to ludicrous proportions… a scale 
of game we never thought would be achieved."

* PSM, February 2003. GAME OF THE YEAR. "The depth and gameplay variety is through 
the roof… Vice City is a gaming experience that will have us playing well into 
2003."

* Entertainment Weekly, December 4 2002. BEST VIDEOGAME OF 2002. "The reason 'Vice 
City' blows every other game away isn't that it's a driving, shooting, action, or 
simulation game, but that it's all four combined into a criminally stylish 
package... a visit to Vice City is sure to keep you out all night."

* IGN.com, January 21, 2003. BEST PS2 GAME OF THE YEAR (Editor's Choice and 
Reader's Choice). "…more mini-games, a greater, more in-depth story featuring a 
perfectly voice acted character… an invigorating, impressively selected soundtrack… 
Perhaps the addition of motorcycles is the icing on the cake, or maybe it was the 
way players can buy property, investing themselves in further in the story. 
However, you look at it, it's the most impressive game on PS2 in 2002."

* GameSpot.com, December 26, 2002. GAME OF THE YEAR ON PLAYSTATION 2. "…everything 
in Vice City seems to come together in a way that almost feels impossible, like 
games simply shouldn't be this good."

We thank them and all the fans who have already helped Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 
become the top-selling game of 2002 by a landslide.

February 3 - Vice City Soundtrack Reviews And Greatest Hits Disc

Turns out the critics seem to have enjoyed the Vice City Official Soundtracks CDs 
practically as much as the game itself. Read on for some selections of praise.

New Musical Express, December 7 2002. Review score: 10/10. "If this amazing music 
from the first half of the 80's is a foreign country to you, or a country you 
visited but can't really remember, then, dude, this totally awesome box set is your 
one-way ticket to paradise."

Rolling Stone, December 12 2002. "Extravagant enough to reflect the excesses of the 
1980s… Each volume (also sold separately) comes with DJ patter, commercials and 
parody music that totally evoke the decadent decade in which the game is set."

Entertainment Weekly, November 22 2002. Review score: A. "…this collection of music 
has more hits than a Mob boss. V-Rock thrashes out with Iron Maiden's '2 Minutes to 
Midnight.' Legendary radio pirate Mr. Magic drops scratchtastic tunes from Kurtis 
Blow and Whodini. And Radio Espantoso manages to mambo mucho with Mongo Santamaria 
and Tito Puente. Also, every disc includes a Vice City cheat code -- which makes 
this life of Vice sound pretty darn good"

PSM, January 2003. BEST SOUNDTRACK 2002. "Vice City's soundtrack must have been a 
daunting effort to assemble. The work was worth it, though - it fit the game's… 
setting perfectly, and surprisingly featured a lot of hits from the period that 
other game makers might not have found cliché enough."

Game Informer, January 2003. BEST VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK OF 2002. "This soundtrack 
not only serves to immerse you into the eighties, but more importantly to bring 
video games some credibility as an entertainment medium equal to that of TV and 
motion pictures."

Gamespy.com, December 26, 2002. BEST MUSIC 2002. "Rockstar Games continues to push 
the bounds of what a game can be with Grand Theft Auto. The game's soundtrack 
similarly raises the bar for video game soundtracks."

IGN.com, December 20 2002. "… the quintessential seven CD soundtrack… has burned a 
comet-like trail into the gaming consciousness… The result, a cross-media 
blockbuster box set… is a wide-ranging swath of musical one-hit wonders and real 
gems from the 1980s that hits on all cylinders." 

Also available in stores now, the Greatest Hits single OST CD disc containing what 
we've reckoned to be the very best tracks across all of Vice City's airwaves. Visit 
the Sony Music Store or the music retailer of your choice.

January 7 - Official Vice City Desktops Update: Winamp Skin & Screensavers

As a special holiday treat from your friends at Rockstar, we have added some new 
items for download at the official Vice City site 
www.rockstargames.com/vicecity/desktops.

First and foremost is the appearance of the Official Vice City Winamp skin. Modeled 
after the experience of cruising picturesque Ocean Drive behind the wheel of an '86 
Banshee, the Vice City Winamp skin is really the only dignified way of enjoying 
your favorite music.

Also available are three brand new screensavers, dedicated to Vice City's 
slicksters, temptresses, and good ol' boys.

www.rockstargames.com/vicecity/desktops

January 7 - Vicecityradio.com ConnecteD Area Updated

The ConnecteD areas of the www.vicecityradio.com website have been updated with 
some exclusive new content as well as an incredible new cheat code for owners of 
all 7 soundtrack CDs. Use any or all of your soundtrack CDs to access brand new 
QuickTime movie clips of some insane stunt bonuses you probably haven't seen before 
and more. Cheaters, enjoy a new grand finale cheat code - accessible in the BOX 
SET / CONNECTED section of the Vice City Radio website. Follow the instructions and 
unlock what may be the coolest cheat in the entire Vice City code repertoire.

November 22 - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Reviews

The reviews are in and we are pleased to announce that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 
has gotten a host of perfect scores from the most reputable of outlets. Without 
more trumpeting, here are the details.

GAME INFORMER, December 2002 Game of the Month
10 / 10 (perfect score)

ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY, December 2002 - Platinum Editor's Choice Award
10 / 10 / 10 (perfect score)

OPM, December 2002
***** (perfect score)

USA TODAY, November 8, 2002
**** (perfect score)

November 22 - Vice City Desktops

The first set of official Vice City desktops are now available at 
www.rockstargames.com/vicecity/desktops. Finally something to adorn your desktop 
during many idle hours spent away from your computer and very close to your TV set. 
Featuring desktops in honor of such beloved local characters as Lance Vance, Ken 
Rosenberg, Phil Cassidy, Auntie Poulet, Love Fist and many others.

Available in 800x600, 1024x768 and 1280x1024 sizes.

Pick them up at: www.rockstargames.com/vicecity/desktops.

November 8 - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Available Throughout Europe

Welcome, Willkommen, Bienvenidos, Bonjour to the 1980s.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City hit shelves and many PlayStation 2’s today throughout 
Europe. Experience the 1980s all over again in the sunny American metropolis aptly 
named Vice City. The town is brimming with delights and degradation, and most 
importantly, the opportunity to take it over. Enjoy!

November 5, 2002

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City hit North American shelves last week and has since been 
turning heads of gamers and critics everywhere. Here's a small selection of 
critical response.

"Grand Theft Auto III is a national obsession. Vice City borders on something more: 
art." - Time Magazine 

"Two minutes after walking into the room, our jaws hit the floor and stayed 
there." - PlayStation Magazine 

"It's everything you've been waiting for, and everything you don't expect." - 
Official PlayStation Magazine 

Platinum Editor’s Choice award: "peerless, one-of-a-kind gaming experience... an 
instant classic." - Electronic Gaming Monthly 

"The most sought-after game of the year." - Entertainment Weekly

October 29, 2002

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is in stores now!

October 22, 2002

Only one week left until Grand Theft Auto: Vice City hits shelves. In the meantime, 
check out ongoing coverage on IGN.com, including in-depth features on vehicles, 
soundtrack, interior design, insane stunt bonuses and much more. And Gamespot.com 
for detailed behind-the-scenes interviews, features on Vice City's talk radio 
stations and more...

October 11, 2002

The Grand Theft Auto Vice City OST collection can now be preordered at 
www.vicecityradio.com. Order any or all of the 7 soundtrack discs or order the 
limited-edition Box Set collectors' edition to get them all at once. Each CD 
contains a special access code to the ConnecteD area of www.vicecityradio.com, 
enabling you to download unique cheat codes, as well as other exclusive Vice City 
content.

September 17, 2002

Lazlow, Toni and Fernando confirmed to appear on Vice City's radio dial. Was 
revealed on IGN yesterday that Lazlow will host Vice City's rock station, V-Rock; 
Toni will host pop station, Flash FM; and Fernando will host emotive anthems 
station, Emotion 98.3.

September 9, 2002

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Soundtrack

Rockstar Games and Sony Music Entertainment proudly announce a landmark 
collaboration to release the soundtrack for the highly anticipated Grand Theft 
Auto: Vice City. Rockstar Games and Sony Music have joined forces to release seven 
simultaneous soundtrack albums on October 29th concurrent with the launch of Grand 
Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system in the 
United States. The soundtracks will be released on the Epic Records label.

The Grand Theft Auto: Vice City soundtrack albums will be the definitive 80's music 
collection, with each album containing musical tracks from one of the numerous 
radio stations featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Each album will replicate a 
station from the in-game 1980's radio FM dial, ranging from Heavy Metal and Soul to 
Hip-Hop and Pop Ballads. Players will once again have the ability to tune the radio 
station in every car that they carjack to one of many stations of their choice. The 
radio stations in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City will feature the largest selection of 
music ever assembled for a video game with over eighty staggering tracks from 
artists such as Judas Priest, Blondie, Flock of Seagulls, Kool and the Gang, Hall 
and Oates, Grandmaster Flash, Cutting Crew and many, many more that span the entire 
musical spectrum of the period.