The once PS2 exclusive is now available on Xbox. Originally penciled in for release soon after the launch of Xbox it never surfaced. Well now Xbox owners can enjoy all of the delights of Liberty City and Vice City in what is a definitive moment in the history of the machine. Maybe one day we will see a Resident Evil on Xbox as well, who knows?

If you have had your head buried in the sand for the last few years and are not sure what the GTA series is about then let me explain. What started out as a top down mission based driving game on the Psone( released in 1997). The player got involved in all manner of dodgy dealings and vehicle antics such as running over and killing Hari Krishna supporting folks or delivering suspect packages to even more suspect characters. Many politicians jumped on the video game violence bandwagon following the uproar that this game created. The media went into overdrive. However DMA’s title remained on the shelves yet possibly became a victim of it’s own hype. Not everyone could give a dam regarding its blocky graphics and slightly off key game play. This being even more apparent when DMA released part 2 and the add on disk GTA London which featured more of the same but in different settings. Maybe just being enough to satisfy the die hards.

With the demise of the Psone and the birth of its successor the PS2 GTA3 looked more like what gamers were after. Its fully 3D interactive city wowing gamers when the first screens and news articles appeared. The game had obviously had a complete overhaul and would actually appeal to the masses. With its release on the PS2 in October 2001 gamers were finally able to live out their criminal fantasies in a mature game that received praise across the board. Around the globe armchair gangsters were fighting police and hijacking vehicles to their hearts content.

Then a year later GTA Vice City was released with its old school slant. The 80’s soundtrack the homage to all things Miami Vice, Burt Reynolds and at last the ability to pilot aircraft. However it received a mixed response as yet again it was more of the same but with some marginal extras.

It is now November 2003 and Xbox has been granted a look in on this series with the release of GTA double pack. This pack features the two games GTA3 and GTA: Vice City together on two disks. How does it measure up and ultimately is it worth it especially if you have played the PS2 versions before?

Gameplay:
Having played GTA3 and Vice City to death on the PS2 getting to grips with the all new Xbox version was going to be a breeze. After a few minutes getting used to the awkward control method I once again got into my stride. Driving around the fully 3D city and running over the odd pedestrian became second nature once more. Hijacking cars was also easy and with a single tap of a button I was up there again, the city was mine, all mine.

Both games offer a story based mission structure that can be tackled at any time.These are presented in the form of cut scenes which are well acted and very tongue in cheek yet remain mature all the same. Complete various tasks for the crime lords of the city and open up more opportunities for work and ultimately power. The missions themselves range from insane hit man type jobs to crazy car chases and much more variety to not get stale. Vice City’s story is also a lot more developed and engaging than GTA3 especially as your character has a big personality as opposed to the silent nameless one of GTA3. As a player you have a whole host of other non story related activities to take part in. Become a Taxi, ambulance, fire truck driver and complete their respective missions or even become a vigilante cop by hijacking a cop car and making the criminals of the city pay. Whatever you do there is never a dull moment as the player can tackle these at their own pace. As day turns to night gradually and the music is pumping from your in car sound system it is often nice to cruise the city itself in one of the numerous vehicles. There is no time limit here and exploration is encouraged as both games feature many secrets.

Vice City introduces some other elements into the game play, such as purchasing properties which in turn will yield valuable cash rewards. There are also some moments to be had inside certain buildings and some rail type shooting sequences. However both games play exactly the same, so become good at GTA 3 then you will be ready to tackle Vice City with ease and vice versa.

Graphics:
The graphics are a mixed bag. Improving on the PS2 version is plain to see from the offset. Cars now have reflective surfaces and are generally more detailed. The overall look of the city is also sharper with posters being readable and draw distances slightly improved. The weather effects have also been upgraded from the PS2 version so that when it rains you really feel like its raining hard with splashes of water littering the screen, a nice touch. The charcter models in the cut scenes look a little more detailed yet the pedestrians still look like animated zombies. Personally I feel that although the graphics are an improvement over the PS2, by Xbox standards they are not up to scratch. I guess most players will be too engrossed in the actual game play to be worrying about such issues.

Sound:
The inclusion of custom soundtracks has been one of the major selling points of the game being converted to Xbox. Thankfully this feature works perfectly and is well suited to the style of game. The music that is shipped with the game is also varied and pure comedy in GTA3. While driving the player can switch to one of the numurous radio stations that provide tracks ranging from Drum and Bass to Classical and talk radio shows. Vice City also boasts an impressive 80's soundtrack to compliment the theme of the game. Artists such as a young Michael Jackson are on offer.

The sound effects themselves are also effective and functional. Pedestrians will pass comments as you walk by(Vice City) and scream if you plough into them with your vehicle. The general ambience of the city is recreated well.

Longevity:
One cant really argue about Longevity here. Although there is no multiplayer the sheer number of things to do in both cities will keep players occupied for vast periods of time. However some players may get a little bored if playing for extended periods of time.As I mentioned earlier there is not really much difference between the two games to make any one of the two stand out from the other. Either way the games could be considered endless as one could never tire of driving around either city with the sounds from the custom sountracks playing.

Round Up:
Rockstar have provided Xbox owners an excellent title for players to sink their teeth into.The whole concept behind the release reeks of value for money. For those of you who have already played both versions on PS2 then the feeling of deja vu will become apparent quite quickly. This will result in perhaps not being as excited as those players who have never played either game before. Either way if you are fond of using your own custom soundtracks while playing then this will add to the enjoyment factor of this 2 year old and year old game. I would say that for newcomers to the series that this is an essential purchase. For everyone else I would say rent first and see if the new features warrant a proper purchase.

Pros:

• Pure value for money
  
• Custom soundtracks
  
• Freeform gameplay
  
• Quick loading
  

  Cons:
  

  • Repetiton
    
  • Some glitches
    
  • No real Xbox extras