Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

There's no multiplayer, and other GTA games are bigger or have more famous voice actors and more well-known soundtracks. But $20 for a fairly fresh GTA game on PS2 seems amazingly fair to us.

Liberty City Stories is a summer time treat for PS2 owners who haven't played the PSP version. Even though it's an almost direct port, the control system is vastly improved on the PS2 and the budget price just seals the deal for this full length GTA adventure.

The slightly improved control of the bigger version just about cancels out the fact that it hasn't got the portable version's multiplayer, and you can't argue with the fact that it's only a bargain-tastic 20 quid. Nice. [Aug 2006, p.62]

Spectacularly good value, despite some of the same old problems. [Aug 2006, p.74]

A damn fine game on the PS2, just as it was on PSP. [Issue 142, p.76]

Taking the PSP completely out of the equation, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is definitely a smaller, less involving game than San Andreas was, and for many, regardless of price, it won't be a worthy purchase.

Basically if you've not played Liberty City Stories and love the series, proceed directly to your store and pick up a copy. [Aug 2006, p.85]

LCS is probably as long as most other GTA games, and even without the multiplayer mode that was present on the PSP, this one is well worth the single Andrew Jackson.

A Grand Theft Auto III Remix. A bit pointless on PS2, then. [Aug 2006, p.32]

Although a little something gets lost in translation from the small to big screen, LCS is nearly as good as it was on the PSP, and is undoubtedly a solid entry in the GTA timeline.

Despite the loss of its multiplayer mode and the not-so-pleasing visuals, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories for the PS2 is still a satisfying and appealing game GTA fans will certainly enjoy.

Liberty City Stories has a number of mishaps and annoyances, some of them which are borderline frustration. On the PlayStation Portable this was forgiven because GTA: LCS brought a console-like Grand Theft Auto experience to the handheld. These problems are less excusable on the PS2.

Though LCS is photocopied from PSP, there's more here than most PS2 games. [Aug 2006, p.50]

Although it introduces nothing new to the series, LCS stands well as a sequel to a game that started a video game revolution. Those interested in finding out where the continuation of the story takes Tony will find themselves caught up in another mess to clean up, and more people to run over.

With nothing added and multiplayer stripped completely, there’s no reason to buy this game if you’ve already played the original. Still, it nevertheless provides a unique, satisfying experience.

A lack of flourish and invention, along with a tired set of on-foot mechanics, rob it of a higher mark - but too much stands in its favour not to recommend it.

Discerning GTA fans will notice that Rockstar's latest isn't quite up to the hugely high standard that the first three PlayStation 2 games have set, but Liberty City Stories is still a GTA game, and ticks most of the boxes.

So the game looks a mess; it runs with the clunkiness of hastily-assembled quick-and-dirty port. It's still Liberty City Stories at heart, which means you get to rip around on a crotch rocket, you get to see some buildings before they were built in GTA III (or, blow some others up as the case may be), explore more of Shoreside Vale, and experience the formation of what would later be the world of Grand Theft Auto III from an entirely new perspective.

It's a fun little romp that returns to some of the classic elements of the GTA series after the stylistic bump in the road that was San Andreas.

For the many fanatics out there having GTA: Liberty City Stories in the collection is essential just for completions sake, so in this regard the PS2 adaptation certainly serves a purpose and at a price that fits; however, it makes no claims about pushing the series forwards and does feel slightly aged on the PS2, leaving the storyline and characters as the major pull through the game.

Don't expect Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories to be as good as San Andreas and you'll be happy, that's the bottom line.

Its quality bar is way lower than you might be used to. It’s the best $20 worth of GTA you could ask for, and it will serve as a nice stop-gap title before GTAIV sees the light of day.

If you go in not expecting a brand new GTA you will find a nice cheap filler full of action and storyline to keep you going for a little while at least – easily a bargain for its AU$50 price tag.

At $20, Liberty City Stories is an offer that's very difficult to refuse. [Sep 2006, p.82]

It's still endlessly amusing to just run amok causing bizarre traffic accidents. [Aug 2006, p.86]

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories remains as one of the best PSP games available on that system, and while the PS2 version sneaks in a few technical improvements, it fails miserably in overall visuals, and the removal of the multiplayer modes is unforgivable.

In the grand scheme of things, we’d probably rate GTA: Liberty City stories as being somewhere between GTA III and GTA: Vice City. That should give you some level of guidance when considering whether or not the £20 asking price is worth it.

Don’t think of it as a sequel to San Andreas; think of it as an inexpensive way to pass the time while waiting for GTA to appear on the PlayStation 3.

A worthwhile extension to modern classic that deserves play.

Even though it takes place in Liberty City and bridges together many of the events in the other titles, you can't help but feel that there's something missing. Amidst all those drive-bys, crazy women, prostitutes and shady business, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories has somehow lost it's soul.

While the game isn’t as robust as, say, Vice City or San Andreas, there is still plenty to keep one’s self busy, and the $20US price tag certainly doesn’t hurt either.

Both "Vice City" and "San Andreas" are better games, and GTA3, if you can find it, will provide almost identical play for a good $5 to $10 less.

If this is going to be your first GTA game you may want to skip this outing and start at the beginning of the GTA revolution, that being the Grand Theft Auto III.

This is an enjoyable game, to be sure, but if you’re trying to choose a GTA title where you had none, this definitely isn’t the one to start with.

On the PS2, where you can compare it directly to the three Grand Theft Auto games that have appeared there, the whole package is significantly less interesting, even considering the PS2 port's budget price.

By no means a terrible game. It's just a very slapped-together title that shows that direct ports of handheld games to PS2 probably aren't a great idea.

Liberty City Stories sticks to the roots of the GTA series -- albeit to a fault. Seasoned GTA players won't find much new, but those who don't already own the game on PSP won't kick themselves for throwing down a 20-spot on this.

Liberty City Stories is by no means a terrible game, as it still manages to deliver most of the goods we remember from the PSP effort we went through last year in console form. But it could've used a little bit of touching-up to go along with its terrific price, so that the game could've gotten the same kind of respect and recognition that its previous chapters received.

It really boils down to what you want from your Grand Theft Auto games; fans of San Andreas will likely despise this game for its simplistic style, while others will appreciate this game for what it offers. Don’t buy this game expecting it to be something revolutionary or amazing.

A rather pointless port but still an enjoyable game available at a budget price point.

Key elements of the franchise's presentation that made past installments in the series so memorable don’t show up here. Heads should roll at Rockstar for the lame soundtrack.

Liberty City Stories is unequivocally the lamest GTA to appear on the PS2, the first real blemish on its hitherto clean record, but that doesn’t make it a bad game.

There is nothing new here in gameplay, but you’ll probably enjoy the new missions.

Liberty City Stories is a great PSP game that didn't need to be ported to the PlayStation 2. If you're in the market for a Grand Theft Auto game on Sony's current generation console it's better you stick with Vice City or San Andreas.

Seems like a quick money grab from Rockstar.

I hate to say it, but even though Rockstar have released Liberty City Stories at an absolute steal of a price, this feels like a desperate cash-in. The PSP’s biggest selling game to date has been ported over quickly, and without a great deal of care. It shows.

Except for die-hard GTA fans who don't own a PSP, I wouldn't recommend 'Liberty Cities' to anyone, even those who have never given the GTA a series a shot.