GTA Purchasing advice

[Stravo]

I bought GTA:III in a bargain bin a while ago and started playing it over the holidays. Very fun. Now my questions are two fold. Do I go ahead and get Vice City or graduate on up to San Andreas? Is Vice City as fun as GTA:III and would I be missing out if I just skipped it?

And secondly I bought the PC version of GTA:III, the controls were acting funky throughout the game which I think might be partly because of my wireless mouse - if I purchased the PS2 version of Vice City or San Andreas would there be a noticeable game play or graphic difference from the PC version.

Thanks!

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

My advice is get both. You can find Vice City now for under 20 dollars. But if you're only getting one, get San Andreas, its the better game. There's no gameplay differences between VC on PC or PS2 other than the controls, and graphics will be better on the PC.

[2000AD]

Personally i'd play Vice City before San ANdreas.

Some of the story in VC crosses over to SA, but that's a minor thing, what i consider important is the step up. VC refines GTA3 to the level above, adding a few little things, while SA adds a whole new dimension.

Also i find VC slightly better at getting me hooked. Everything about VC is oozing with the 80's, while SA feels a bit like a mixed bag. The mission play is better for SA IMO but for just letting loose and causing mayhem i favour VC, though SA isn't far behind due to the sheer scope of different things to do.

Overall i definately suggest not skipping VC as it is a very fun game, especially if you liked GTA3.

On the PCvsPS2 i can't really say, as i haven't played the PC versioins. Apart from a few minor aiming issues i've never had any problems with the PS2 version, so if you want to experiment i suggest you get VC for the PS2 and then you can decide which platform you'd prefer to play SA on.

[namdoolb]

The controls make a big difference between PC and PS2. Not so much for driving and shit, (I find the planes and helicopters are actualy slightly easier to fly on PS2 unless you can be bothered to configure a joystick for the game) but the PC version is infinitely better when you're on foot.

You've got mouselook and mouseaim on the PC, which you lose on the PS2.

Oh yeah, don't forget mods and mp3 radio which you don't get on PS2 either.

So you might as well get the PC version, 'cause it is the better game.

And if you're buying 'em on PC, you can play Vice city while you wait for San Andreas to come out.

[Typhonis 1]

/Get the Strategy guide and look up online strategy guides.

[RogueIce]

What teeny little bits of the story you'd miss out on in VC don't really matter much and won't come into effect until your mid-to-late game. And even then it's very minor (a few characters come back, some scenic easter eggs, and a quick throwaway line really).

It all depends on what you want. SA is so much bigger than VC, but the appeal may not be there for you. It depends on whether you want early 90s LA or the 80s feel. Also, it takes quite awhile to open up the whole map and other features, whereas with VC it comes fairly early. Also, flying doesn't come into effect until later on in SA (well, not without cheating the system a bit) as opposed to VC.

Still, I would recommend SA over VC if you only went for one, though getting both is not so bad. But I should warn you: you won't quite like playing VC if you go SA first most likely, because SA is far more mature, in terms of gameplay and such. It's kinda similar to those who started on GTA3, then played the original GTA. They had a negative experience, but only because they were "spoiled" on GTA3.

[Cal Wright]

Get both. Each one is like a game unto itself. They all feel relatively the same, but have so much you can do in each one it's completely insane how much your video game library will benefit from that set. This is akin to having the Mario Bros. or the Sonic collection.

[Stravo]

Thanks for the advice guys. I bought VC on Saturday and have been enjoying it tremendously, especially the music as I drive along evokes my 80's memories so well. Great stuff. For some reason I really enjoy being a bad guy in these games. When I play other games like Baldur's Gate, etc I always play the goody goody, I'm never mean, always do the right thing. In this game I spy a car I like I hop out of the one I'm in, steal it, run over people, have become a regular serial killer with the hookers, its fucking hilarious the shitty things I do to people in this game (The chainsaw is my friend. LOVE the ol' stab downward on the corpse and spray of blood that follows.)

Looking forward to San Andreas when I finish this game (Some of these missions are fucking hard though)

[RogueIce]

Looking forward to San Andreas when I finish this game (Some of these missions are fucking hard though)

There's GTA for you.

Oddly enough, the hardest mission I think I've done in San Andreas was either Cop Wheels (I got lucky as shit my third time through witht eh placement of the truck) or Supply Lines (still haven't beat that motherfucking mission...you know how painful it is to be able to SEE the red marker and THEN run out of fuel when all I'd need to do is GLIDE to the damn thing?! ). Of course I haven't done the final mission yet (damn territory requirement), so who knows?

EDIT: And the whole point of that being the "oddest" bit is that neither of them are required to beat the actual storyline missions of the game. They're both optional.

I think a lot of it is the far better auto-aim system of SA. It makes those shooting missions a lot easier, especially if you take the time to get to Hitman.

However, keep in mind the other ways to make money in SA, as unlike previous GTAs you won't be rolling it from missions alone (at least not until late game). The betting is my personal favorite (break a mil before I leave Los Santos! W00t!).