Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories - PS2 review

Car jacking makes a comeback

27 June 2006 16:23 GMT / By Chris Pickering

GTA can only be described a major cultural phenomenon. Barely anyone even moderately up to date with modern pop culture knows about the stealing cars, murdering prostitutes, and attacking random passers-by with a conveniently placed chainsaw.

But what these people fail to grasp – yes Daily Mail readers, we're talking to you – is that even with the violence, the carjacking and the bad language stripped away, Grand Theft Auto would still be an incredibly popular title. Purely and simply because, it’s a damn fun game.

Liberty City Stories was originally released on the PSP, but following its success, Rockstar have seen fit to port it across to it's bigger bro'. And very welcome it is too.

PSP owners who splashed out £35 for this look away now. This PS2 version is available for £15 less.

This isn’t the true next GTA sequel of course, merely a helpful extra slice of the GTA pie before the next title hits the Xbox360 next year and an exact port of the PSP version.

Of course, Liberty City Stories acts in much the same manner as any other title in the series. You’ve total freedom to go do as you please. Whether you want to follow along with the story, steal random vehicles or terrorise the locals, it’s all up to you.

Fans of Grand Theft Auto III will be delighted to have another opportunity to visit Liberty City. Although the likes of San Andreas and Vice City were much bigger, they lacked the same kind of familiarity that Liberty City held by the truck load.

In comparison with it’s PSP brother, this PS2 version has both it’s plus and minus points. Of course, you’re now sat on your comfy sofa, looking on to the huge LCD TV rather than glancing at a screen mere inches long.

But this extra size only shows up the graphical flaws that the PSP has. In fact, the graphics overall fail to amaze as they're an obvious step below San Andreas.

Verdict

But despite its flaws, this is still GTA and fans are going to love it. But Liberty City isn’t a true sequel and there’s nothing new to see. Yer pays yer money and takes yer choice.

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Score

Review Recap

Made by: Rockstar
Price as reviewed: £20
The good: More GTA action to get your head around
The bad: Exactly the same as the PSP version, some will feel that the maps are too small, graphics aren't up to the same level as San Andreas
Quick verdict: Yer pays yer money and takes yer choice
Score