Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories [PSP]

Every installment in the Grand Theft Auto series is met with as much fanfare and hype as any motion picture or television series premiere. That is, of course, because this is the best-selling action game series of all time. GTA is as much a critical success as it is a monetary one, and for good reason: These games spawn free-roaming gameplay, high production values, and are among the most ambitious titles ever released. With Liberty City Stories on the PSP, the result can once again only be considered a bulls-eye.

Welcome back to Liberty City -- or, as this title is a prequel, welcome back for the first time. This is where the revolution started, as it was the setting for Grand Theft Auto III. You'll recognize all the landmarks -- the Red Light District, Liberty Memorial Colosseum, and the international airport. You'll once again work as a gopher for the Leone crime family. But don't be fooled into thinking this is just a port or mere remix of GTA 3 -- though that alone would be amazing in portable form.

Liberty City Stories has a brand-new storyline. Much like Vice City 's Tommy Vercetti, LCS' Toni Capriani took one for the team, and is being rewarded by the Leones. He's not as welcomed back by the other family members -- both literal and figurative -- so he's got to claw his way back to prominence.

The game's missions don't deviate much from the tried-and-true GTA formula: pick this guy up, whack these gangsters, win this race, etc. However, the developers did alter things slightly, making missions shorter undertakings in order to capture a more portable experience. While the stuff you'll do to further the story and your career isn't all that unique, the stories behind them are.

A shining example of this is your mother, who gives you missions. She is constantly shamed by Toni -- who does everything she asks in a vain (and hilarious) attempt to win her love. GTA 3 fans will recall their struggle, back when Toni was just another NPC. The sexual edge is also turned up a notch, with intense perversity to match the intense violence. It's all done in a funny, tongue-in-cheek matter, mind you.

Following the static story is only a fraction of the full enjoyment of the game. You've got rage missions, hidden packages, and optional side tasks. You'll spend at least as much time exploring, committing random acts of violence, and checking out the sights as you will going through the scripted parts of the game. That sandbox aspect has always been a huge part of Grand Theft Auto, and it's no different on the PlayStation Portable.

The important question is how the game handles away from a console controller. The answer is, it does a surprisingly good job. The analog is ideal for driving, but a tad loose for on-foot control. Both melee and projectile attacks take advantage of a more helpful targeting system. This feels a little wonky compared to console iterations, but it's the best solution. Overall, you'll become acclimated to Liberty City Stories in record time. The difficulty ramping mercifully eases you into things, giving you a chance to get your bearings.

Liberty City Stories implements a few things added to the series post- GTA 3. You can tool around in motorcycles of various types, and the physics are faithful to Vice City and San Andreas. You'll also spend a lot more time indoors, including Toni's apartment and the mill formerly known as the dog food factory.

And let's not forget a little thing called ad-hoc multiplayer, which includes deathmatch, racing, and many other wireless modes for up to six felons. These aren't things Rockstar had to do, but it shows just how dedicated the company is to making Liberty an exceptional game.

Liberty City has never looked so good. Seriously, this game bests GTA III on the visual front, and may own a few victories over Vice City and San Andreas. The resolution is incredible, the detail is stunning, and the animation is even smooth. You'll see ghosting sometimes and the popup that comes with streaming technology, but it's a lot less frequent than you'd expect. Speaking of streaming, load times are less an issue than most PSP games. It takes about 15 seconds to load a pre-mission cutscene and six seconds to go from indoors to out. Compare that to the minute-long test of patience mandatory in Midnight Club 3, and this is great news.

This game breaks the mold for portable game audio. You've got 10 radio stations -- each with a DJ host, a bunch of great tunes, and hilarious commercials. Lazlow steals the show yet again, and aids in writing with Rockstar's Dan Houser. The rap station is especially hit-filled, and it's great to hear a new twist with the Indian station -- Bollywood in the house, yo! You'll find yourself so entranced listening to the "radio" that you may forget about the game. In fact, this review is being written with Liberty City Stories blaring in the headphones. The vocal cast isn't nearly as star-studded as the console games, but still does a great job. In fact, the only real problem with the audio is that the tiny PSP speakers don't do it justice.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories stands out on the PlayStation Portable like an elephant in a henhouse, and puts almost every other PSP game -- especially console ports -- to shame. You may feel a tinge of remorse over the fact that you're playing in the same world as a member of the same mafia family, but that's a mere pixel in the big picture. Liberty City Stories is visually and aurally pleasing, it plays great, and is a GTA title through and through. Now, be a goodfella and go pick it up before something unfortunate happens to you. Capiche?