Guide To Playing PS2 Grand Theft Auto (GTA) Vice City Stories
Parental Warning: Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories is not a game for children. The rating is MA which is meant for adults over the age of 18. The review for this game is loaded with language and suggestive words and also not meant for those under age 18. The reality is many children under the age of 18 do in fact play this game and are probably reading this review right now. That is between them and their parents. I cannot supervise children who read this review nor can I be in your living room to stop them. That is your job.
If you are a parent, at least be aware if your children are playing this game and set down boundaries for them. If you choose to let them play, make sure they know the difference between fantasy and reality, most children do understand the difference and would never do these things in real life. A handful of disturbed individuals, regardless of age, may be unduly influenced by this game. If you are responsible for such a person, please make sure they are not playing it.
Grand Theft Auto is a game that glorifies killing and general bad behavior including drugs and illicit sex. It is a game for sick degenerates who think it is funny, myself included. All of the Rockstar series of the Grand Theft Auto Games are rated MA.
This is the guide for Vice City Stories for the Play Station 2, not the PSP. This contains spoilers as well as tips on how to get through the mission.
Brawn of the Dead (3/10 difficulty)
Lance is an idiot. He bragged to Jerry that they stole his coke and he has plans to sell it. Turns out Martinez will not stand for it and to save his own neck he will turn states evidence against everyone.
The buyer Lance has lined up is a B movie director in the middle of filming a horror flick and he is in need of a stunt man who can fill the gore meter. Vic is recruited for the role. You are holed up with a female actress and need to defend yourselves from the zombies with a shotgun. Don't let them get too close or the meter will go down quickly.
In the next scene, you have to defend yourselves with a katana before they enter the store. Keep the meter as high as possible.
At the end, you take Vince back home only to find out good ol' mom has stolen their stolen coke and now you are royally screwed.
Reward: $850 and a pastel suit is ready at your safe house. Spitz and Lance will need you soon.
Blitzkrieg (4/10 difficulty)
The Mendez brothers know you are behind the stolen coke and start to attack your businesses. Hopefully you have taken over all the rest of the empire businesses by now. They will attack five of your empire sites. Just get over there with an M249, armor and PCJ-600. Kill everyone in sight and get to the next location until you have them all. Just be sure Lance stays out of the way because you have to keep him alive and he tends to get caught in the crossfire a lot.
Reward: $500 and a message from the Mendez wanting to talk about your mutual interests.
The Mugshot Longshot (4/10 difficulty)
You finally get a face to face meeting with Armando and Diego Mendez. Armando is the main mouthpiece and Diego is quiet and rude. The rest of the town think they are hero philanthropists, but they are actually big time into the drug trade. They want to know who ripped them off and Lance blurts out it was Jerry Martinez. They don't quite believe him and Lance tries to make it seem as if Jerry is an undercover cop trying to pin the crimes on all of them. The brothers want proof and without being given much of a choice have forced the Vance brothers into a partnership.
Drive to the police station. Take a PCJ-600 to make it easier. Go to the pink marker, get off the bike and zoom the camera to take a picture. Carefully stalk the car without getting too close or too far. Go to the pier and take another photo. Now you will have 4-star wanted and cops coming at you all over the place and so glad you have the PCJ. Get to the Pay N' Spray and then head over to the Print Works.
Reward: Nothing, but you can use up what's left in your camera.
Hostile Takeover (4/10 difficulty)
Remember that one empire site you could not take over because there were no vehicles in front (although you could throw moltov cocktails at the building to hear them scream inside.)? Well, now is your chance to take it over and complete the empire mission collection.
This is a typical empire takeover mission, but afterwards you will hop on a bike and kill the ones fleeing away as they shoot at you.
Reward: $1000 and the empire site is available. If you had all 29 before this point, you will have a major headache out of your way when you buy this last business. None of the gangs are around to attack you anymore. Plus you will have bulletproof cars in front of all the empire sites which will come in handy for a few missions.
Unfriendly Competition (4/10 difficulty)
The Mendez brothers have ordered Vic to kill some competition. He will need armor, an M249, or an AK47 and rocket launcher, grenades can also come in handy and a good feel for the nearest empire site where you will find a bulletproof car.
The first one is at El Casa Swanko. Run up the stairs and chase after them with the gun or stand back and lob grenades at them. Next go to south and pick up a bullet proof car on the way. Next, head to the Standing Vice Point Hotel where you will be ambushed by female bodyguards armed to the teeth. Throw those grenades as quickly away from you as possible and note the location of the health icon. Kill as many lumped in groups as possible and pick off the rest with the gun. As they get away, quickly switch to rocket launcher and blow their car up before they get too far away. If you parked your bulletproof car on the beach before getting to the pink marker, hop in to chase if they got away. Using the rocket launcher is the easiest way to smite them.
Reward: $1,300 and now you can buy a quad.
High Wire (4/10 difficulty)
Diego is really broken up over the police taking their stuff, so Armando suggests strongly that Vic retrieve it. This one is all about your flying skills. You get into a helicopter with a magnetic attachment. Fly over to the first crate near the airport and pick it up then put it in the meeting point. The next one is on the move, so you need to drive carefully to avoid the trees and pick it up then move it to your meeting point. The last bit is really tricky because your partner in crime is being gunned down by Bikers and he needs you to rescue him. Carefully follow behind his car and then level the helicopter and descend over it as he drives and pull him up. Don't slam him against the buildings or his car will blow up.
Reward: $1500.
Turn On, Tune In, Bug Out (4/10 difficulty)
Our hero walks in on his brother who is acting stranger than usual. Turns out the Feds are on to them and the place is bugged. Great idea, why not have Vic go around town and take out all those police antennas so they can no longer gather the evidence. Trouble is if you wait too long, they will have all the proof they need, so you need to hurry. To help, go down to the Ammunation and get a rocket launcher.
The best strategy for this one is to find the fastest vehicle nearby to race to the police station, race up the stairs, kill the cops, take out the two antennas, and hop into the helicopter. Try not to mess it up because you will run out of time fast if you have to get another one. First person view makes it easier to aim the helicopter. Go to the second police station on the other island and take out the cops and the antennas. Then there is one last police station to the north, do the same thing. For the last two stations, it is easier to get them from the roof of a nearby building.
Once you get all the antennas, you will still have serious heat on you. Find the item map and locate the nearest bribes where you can fly and reach. If you can manage to get down to one star, you can wait it out. When you finally eliminate all wanted levels, you pass.
Reward: $300 and a call from Reni.
Accidents Will Happen (2/10 difficulty)
Reni, he/she, meets Vic and is fabulous, darling. Anyway, he knows of many good connections for Vic who would love to buy some blow, but right now he needs a favor. He's doing a shoot and requires a stunt driver, one that can help create a lot of action.
Get into the car and head to the first beam to start the clock. Going as fast as you can, reach each checkpoint. There will be other stunt cars coming at you, make sure you ram into those. Each checkpoint and car ram you get, the more time you get to complete the mission. If you are too slow or miss the cars, it starts to go down.
Reward: $850 and it opens up Crash!
Side Mission
Crash!
After completing Accidents Will Happen for Reni, this side mission will be available. It is exactly like Rush! Go to the Interglobal Films Studio and find the coach. In a limited amount of time create $2000 worth of damage.
Head west and go downtown for the most traffic to destroy. Drive up and down the road where Ammu-Nations is located for the best opportunities of destruction.
The first time you pass you get $1000. Each time you pass after that you get $250.
The Colonel's Coke (3/10 difficulty)
Reni is falling out with an assistant when Vic shows up and tries to make his friend jealous. Reni tells him Gonzales needs his help. He needs protection to deliver some goods to Colonel Cortez. You will assist his men and block off any attacks on his boat while in the helicopter.
This is all about a good flying skills. Fly low, very close to the boat. You do not even have to shoot the other boats because the men on your helicopter will do all the work, just concentrate on staying very close and low near the boat. At one point will be another helicopter shooting at you, use your on board weapon and take it out, then continue to fly low and close to the boat..
Reward: $850
Home's on the Range (1/10 difficulty)
Gonzales wants to test how well you play golf because the type of golfer you will tell him what kind of partner you will be.
There are two meters to watch on this one. Each have a green section. When you press X to start, the lever will move towards that section. Press X just as you are about to enter the section and do the same the second time. Vic will then swing his club according to where you landed.
Reward: $1000. This will also open up the Swingers Club missions and you get a call from Lance to warn you Martinez has escaped from Fed custody.
Kill Phil (4/10 difficulty)
Reni has a friend, darling, he wants Vic to meet, Barry. Barry is a manager of famous talent and he is in need of a driver. It turns out he also has a problem owing money to a mob connection that not only wants to rub out him, but also his famous client. That is why he rented out a bulletproof limo. Vic needs to take him to the limo to pick up his client who is none other than Phil Collins. As soon as he steps off the helicopter, there are people with guns out to get him. Vic needs to save the day and wipe them out and drive Phil back to his hotel while avoiding other goons on the road.
Needless to say body armor is a requirement and if you have the M249, it will only make things easier on you. Take cover behind the car and dodge while you shoot, be careful not to shoot Phil or Barry. When they are dead, pull up the map and chart your best way past the goons who will be on the radar. Just drive fast and shortcut as much as possible through fields and alleyways.
Reward: $1000 and Sunshine Autos will now sell bulletproof limos. You get a call from Gonzales.
Say Cheese (2/10 difficulty)
Good ol' flamboyant Reni is off on another tangent and Vic is upset that he was called over for nothing. Reni has a genius idea to make a movie about him that involves a pig, swans, and various things. Anyway, for now he needs Vic to star in an exciting chase scene involving waterskis.
Head in the back of the studio and get on the skis, follow the blips quickly and carefully.
Reward: $850 and Watersports open up as a side mission.
Side Mission
Watersports
After you finish the mission Say Cheese, behind the film studios is where you will find 8 different courses with 3 laps on each of them. The ramps are the tricky bits, so try and avoid them if possible.
- Course 1 - time 2:45 - Prawn Island.
- Course 2 - time 3:30 - Starfish Island
- Course 3 - time 3:20 - Leaf Links Golf Course I
- Course 4 - time 2:45 - Leaf Links Golf Course II
- Course 5 - time 3:45 - Leaf Links Golf Course, Washington Beach, and Vice Point I
- Course 6 - time 6:30 - Leaf Links Golf Course, Washington Beach, and Vice Point II
- Course 7 - time 5:00 - Leaf Links Golf Course, Washington Beach, and Vice Point III
- Course 8 - time 6:30 - Leaf Links Golf Course, Vice Point, and Washington Beach
Reward: $2500 and a wet suit.
Swinger's Club
This one will have to wait a bit because you have to pass Home's on the Range for Gonzalez in order for it to open.
Go to the Leaf Links golf club area where you passed Home's on the Range. Try to beat the score of 500 in 5 rounds.
Purple Haze (4/10 difficulty)
Gonzales has a special favor to ask of Vic. He has taken a cut from the Colonel's coke and made a side deal. He needs Vic to go to the meeting place to close the deal. The guys have been partying a bit too much and knock Vic out. When he comes too, he is as high as a kite and calls Gonzales to let him know things went wrong. Vic needs to catch up with them and return the merchandise and head them over to the lock up. Plus he needs to do all of this in 4:30 minutes and his vision is not too great.
Follow the gang to the party on Starfish Island and kill them all then steal the van. You have a 2 star wanted level and need to dodge the cops, so find the nearest Pay N' Spray or drive very carefully and head for the lock up. You get word that Gonzales no longer trusts you.
Reward: $1000 and Reni has more work for you, darling!
Kill Phil: Part 2 (/10 difficulty)
Phil is rejecting advances from Reni while Barry is trying, unsuccessfully, to convince him he will be safe. Anyway, Vic is needed to make sure the stadium is secure before the sound check in five minutes. There are many groups of armed people you will run into. Bring armor and the M249. Shoot your way through and get to the basement where there are more men hiding.
Reward: $1500 and Reni wants you to meet Diaz, the big coke connection Vic wanted.
Vice City Stories Continues