• Mario Kart Wii - 8.94 million
• Wii Fit - 8.31 million
• Grand Theft Auto IV - 7.29 million
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl- 6.32 million
• Call of Duty: World at War- 5.89 million

After facing harsh criticism over the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV's bugginess at launch, Rockstar has put together a second patch that, among other things, offers graphical and crash fixes while correcting errors with the first patch.

You can grab the patch at Rockstar's website or by signing into Games for Windows Live. Follow the link to check out the patch notes.

• Windows XP SP2
• Dual core processor (Intel Pentium D or above)
• 2GB of RAM
• 18GB of hard drive space
• 512MB Direct 3D 10 compatible video card or Direct3D 9 card
• DVD dual-layer drive

• Safety deposit box
• "Special" packaging
• GTAIV art book, "featuring never-before-seen production artwork from GTA IV"
• Selected soundtrack
• Rockstar keychain (for the safety deposit box keys)
• Rockstar duffel bag

The company today registered the trademark for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. It's not too surprising considering there was an expectation for another game already on the PSP. Of course at this time, Rockstar hasn't officially confirmed anything and we'll have to wait for more details as they come about.

The game according to SPOnG is scheduled to hit retailers April 15th. No other details were given on the game, but what is known about Grand Theft Auto PSP is that it will be based in Liberty City and will be a 3D free-roaming third-person action title.

We'll have more details on GTA PSP when Rockstar releases them.

To go along with all of the other screenshots today, Namco Bandai has released six first screenshots of One Piece: Grand Adventure for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube.

]]> Tue, 02 May 2006 13:56:00 -0500 Shiva Stella http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_grandia_iii_ps2 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_grandia_iii_ps2 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_grandia_iii_ps2# This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

Grandia III, the latest installment in the popular Grandia series developed by Game Arts, isn't exactly one of the most polished RPGs expected to come out of Square Enix's gate this year, but it is one of the more unusual offerings the company has made since its merger, and it is highly anticipated amongst fans. The game features a good amount of "spoof" fun, cheesy dialogue, and lots of quirky - yet entertaining - situations, sort of a la Radiata Stories (as well as past Game Arts titles, obviously), but its gameplay (though irritating at times) at least makes a solid attempt at overriding these presentational flaws. In short: Grandia III isn't perfect; it's also not half bad. Which side you gravitate to depends on your acceptance of the battle system in replace of an epic RPG's plot.



Grandia III boasts a traditional cast of heroes with a slight twist. The two starting characters include Yuki, the game's hero and an ambitious pilot who dreams of flying across the ocean to the mainland someday, and his mother, Miranda, who is a strong-willed and clever woman who spends most of her time either lecturing Yuki, planting herbs, cooking dinner, or courageously slaying viscous monsters (I know - the mother everyone wants). The pair lives in a small village called Anfog, where Yuki strives to build an airplane in his friend's garage so he can escape his boring village life (and mother).

During his evening flight he discovers that he's got a parental stowaway, and he and mommy-Miranda end up crashing and saving the life of a fugitive girl named Alfina. The girl is a "communicator" and serves as a liaison between the worlds of god and men, but deeply wants to escape to Arcriff and see her brother, Emilious. The three team up and set off to cross the ocean, and along the way they meet Alonso, the charming, gambling-addicted sailor, and his old shipmate friend Ulf, the foxy-tailed, spirited boy with a pet dragon. As the plot deepens, it's discovered that Alfina's brother is, of course, insanely evil and must be stopped from killing the world's gods (i.e., the "guardians"), enter Yuki and team. For a slight twist, the standard team that you fall into at the game's start isn't the team you end up with for the bulk of the gameplay, which is a plus if you tire of the same four-five people after ten hours of play. As far as storylines go, Grandia III's is functional and entertaining; the inclusion of Miranda is very unique and adds another level of depth (which, I'm afraid, is sorely needed) that you don't often see in any videogames, let alone RPGs (imagine action/adventure titles where strapping young heroes go in search of glory with their mothers). Whether the plot retains a strong focus, however, is debatable.

The bulk of the plot, and nearly every important visual cue, is presented in sometimes lengthy cutscenes that directly parallel Xenosaga's use of excessive, but beautiful, "events". If it's important, or even vaguely sentimental, you can bet you'll spend at least one minute of cutscene time on it, but the majority of these are presented well and serve to draw you deeper into the storyline. There is also a hell of a lot of cheesy dialogue supported by incredibly cliche moments which will either amuse or annoy you, but yet again, the game still manages to draw you in despite (or perhaps because of?) its unique cheesy-ness. It's almost like playing through a really unbelievable anime.

The game's standard graphics - which are anything but - are just as detailed and exquisite as its cutscenes and CG. Grandia III's 3D world sports gorgeous environments complete with fluffy clouds floating overhead in bright blue skies, birds soaring through the air, leaves floating about village towns, and lots of winding roads and fresh greenery. Even Anfog has a cliff from which you can look out and literally see for miles, and the view is breathtaking. From the churning water round Alonso's ship to the unbelievable sunrises and sunsets as you sail to the mainland, Grandia III is a visual treat, though I starkly believe that some of the character design is a little off; why would anyone who isn't colorblind wear an orange blouse with a blue vest and green shorts?

Gamers spend most of their time in Grandia III wandering about the field dodging enemies (opponents are shown on-screen a la Chrono Cross, Kingdom Hearts, etc.) or slicing enemies with Yuki's sword, which stuns them so players can either retreat or run headlong into them to initiate battle and gain the first move. Some objects in the environment are interactive, and you can push rocks to create bridges, swipe at explosives to clear paths, cut down vegetation, and so forth. Environs are dotted with treasure chests, and nearly every field area has a mini-map with full directions and exit/entrance markings. If you get stuck you can always rely on Yuki's special "examine" ability, which briefly highlights the immediate area and surrounds items of interest in a bright blur aura.

When it's time for a battle, those new to the Grandia series will be treated to an entirely different, more realistic active time battle system that is fresh, fast-paced, and feels extremely natural for anyone who's ever wondered why, during RPG battles, the enemies just stand there and let you whack at them. In Grandia III, opponents are constantly moving about the field and either attacking or preparing to attack. The game's main difference from other RPGs is, in fact, this unique battle system which presents the party's - and enemies' - turn meters in a ring. The ring sports three primary colored segments; there's the blue "wait" area, the yellow "command" bar, and the red "act" area during which players are preparing to attack. All characters and opponents are shown on the ring and move clockwise through their turns. A typical battle opens with the full band of allies and foes cycling toward the command marker, entering actions, speeding through the red act area, and then performing an attack before reentering the blue wait field. Though this is essentially the standard ATB meter displayed at the bottom of the screen, placing everyone on a ring gives the system a much faster pace, which is supported by further battle elements.

Another unique aspect of the battle system is the cancel option, which enables you to actually prevent an opponent from taking its turn (and when you have six-eight foes, this is necessary). The idea is that as opponents elect their commands and then enter the red act field to get into position/cast, you can hit them with a critical attack and cancel their move. The system is a requirement against bosses - as most sport a host of devastating spells - but there's always a catch (in this case, two): it takes time to get into position and perform a cancel, so often an opponent will attack when you're one second away from a swipe; your party members can also be cancelled, which is disastrous when you're preparing to heal. Even with the cancel option, the battles are so fast-paced and intense that you'll occasionally lose to even standard mobs. As you can imagine, this drastically increases the game's difficulty and makes for some rather time-consuming fights (and here I'm talking about normal battles, not bosses), but if you're tired of the standard fare this should prove a treat.

To make the battle aspect more interesting, Game Arts also included standard attack combos, critical hits/cancel attacks, item usage, special moves (these cost SP points), and aerial combos, which are combos and/or critical hits strung together on the same opponent. Aerial combos decimate the bad guys and get them to drop more items and money, which is nice if you're in a financial bind. The special moves are merely character specific attacks that you'll almost always use on bosses along with weapon abilities, which are unique to specific weapons.

Supportive to nearly every RPG battle system in the world is the use of magic and skills, which you purchase and equip from shops (the only other place you can set up your magic/skills from is a save sphere). The mana orbs also reappear and you can extract spells from them at more advanced magic shops or even fuse them together; you can also extract skills from skill books. You can also just opt to equip said eggs and skill books for stat bonuses, which are also handy. Quite possibly the best aspect of magic use in Grandia III is how much faster magic is performed, with only minimal "I summon the fire god to unleash mighty flames upon thine foes and swallow the earth" lines. For additional twists, players will also obtain weapons that are element based, and these provide for free spells (great when you're in an MP bind).

Grandia III's soundtrack is orchestral with a touch of very light, very energetic pop (I'd almost swear the theme song was for an anime), and it's very befitting considering the game's genre and character. Spells get some outstanding audio effects, while voiceovers are mostly mediocre but suffice to get the job done.



The biggest problems in Grandia III are mostly presentational ones, but for an RPG, that's a big concern. The game has some incredibly cheesy dialogue that supports an extremely shallow and unlikely plot (how can a person survive 20 plane crashes without a scratch?), and worst of all, the plot that you do get is often full of strange gaps or - more often the case - really irrational logic. The game also has a plethora of utterly cliche repeat offenders - that is, unbelievably typical motifs, like "only love can save the world". Developers, I beg you: if you're going to use a love motif in an RPG, move it a step beyond "love is the answer", because that's the sort of fluff I expect to hear from Jimmy Carter or hippies. "Love will set us free" has been done a million times over in the genre, and the simplification is really, really ridiculous (not to mention repetitive).

If you can accept that the game is far from an "epic" adventure and love the idea of a fast-paced battle system, then be warned: there's a lot more luck involved in Grandia III's fights than in most RPGs, and while that keeps the action "fresh" it also means that you'll occasionally spend way too long on a typical fight. Sometimes the luck is with you and as the battle starts, you're able to get off some decent spells and stroll your way through the body count. At others, the fight opens with six foes performing their most devastating moves in between calling for back-up. In summary: recover and save often. You will die in Grandia III, and if you tire of spending another two hours in the same spot and hope to run through a dungeon to hit the boss, expect to spend two hours leveling just outside the boss area, because you won't be ready for the fight. Grandia III is not a game you skim through at your leisure. It's fun, but it's demanding, too.

The game's biggest drawback is that, as opponents in a particular dungeon tend to share the same elemental base (and hence, oppositional element), a lot of the same spells get used - over and over and over. This can become especially aggravating during long boss (or even standard) fights that are heavy on the magic of just one element, and more so if you die. I actually spent three hours going through the golems in Yoat's dungeon (there are six) because I needed the experience for an even tougher boss fight, and I play RPGs for a living.

Another flaw that isn't unfamiliar to RPGs is the use of backtracking to obtain key items. Yes, the second trip through an area is always 85% quicker, but it still feels cheap and really negates any sense of returning for a key item anyway. Don't waste my time by forcing me to return to an area I've already spent at least an hour in unless there's a great reason (and there never is).

One last fault before I wrap this up: the camera is difficult to position so you can peer around corners in closed dungeons, which means you'll be blindsided by foes and assaulted in a continuous line. Just remember to swing that sword if a foe is too close for you to run away - better a battle with an advantage than a forced surprise attack.



Grandia III is very refreshing for someone who's tired of the traditional RPG's battle system, and serves as an intense, yet fun introduction to the series for newcomers. It's also got the same cliche events and light-hearted dialogue that fans are used to, though most of us may find the game's style a little too cheesy for our taste. The environs are stunning, and while some of the character designs feel slightly off the mark, the whole package has transitioned nicely into the US. If you've got the patience and don't mind the forgettable plot, give Grandia III a try. You might just be hooked.

More intense battle system with a ring meter and flashy magic. Irksome camera.

Nice imagery and graphical flash. Great CG. Some gorgeous environs.

Decent soundtrack. Voicework could use improvement. Good spell effects.

You'll usually enjoy the battle system, but some fights are especially aggravating.

You'll like it enough to play all the way through.

]]> Tue, 14 Feb 2006 11:21:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_grand_theft_auto_san_andreas_pc http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_grand_theft_auto_san_andreas_pc http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_grand_theft_auto_san_andreas_pc# This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Chuck Landry.

There really isn’t much I can say about GTA San Andreas that you shouldn’t already know.  It’s the one - the game that started it all.  The game that has been cloned so many times unsuccessfully by other developers hoping to recreate its sandbox, do-anything, go-anywhere style.  It’s the game politicians hate, players love, and of course, the home of the infamous “hot-coffee” mod.  The Grand Theft Auto series is, very truly, a cultural icon of our generation.

Let’s not waste anybody’s time here.  If you’re looking for details about the 4,391 different things you can do in San Andreas, go read Aaron’s review of the PS2 version, or maybe John’s review of the Xbox version, or one of the over 13 million (no kidding) pages that Google returns in a “GTA San Andreas review” search query – because I’m not going to tell you what you should already know.  I’m here to tell you whether or not buying the PC version of GTA: San Andreas is a smart move for those of you who have other options in the form of said consoles.

The biggest thing the PC version of GTA: SA has over both the PS2 and Xbox version is the capability for better graphics.  You can turn the resolution way up, making all of the textures sharper than on the consoles.  You’ll also find a sliding bar in the settings that can control draw distance to lessen those annoying draw-ins the series is kind of known for.  With a 3200+ Athlon, Nvidia 6800 and 1.5 GB of RAM, the game can run pretty smoothly with all of the options turned up, and it certainly is a step up from the original PS2 release.  The game really only stutters when you first get into a new vehicle and that only lasts a few seconds.

Not far behind the graphics on the list of improvements for the PC version are load times.  Assuming your machine is up to the task, load times are definitely fastest on a computer – and noticeably so.  Somehow that makes the annoying need to run into the gym for a quick workout slightly less frustrating.

Of course, combat controls (given the fact that only the PC has a keyboard and mouse standard) are infinitesimally better on a PC rig.  All of the auto-targeting in the world can’t match the precision a mouse gives you when you’re shooting on the run.

This leaves us with the sound.  While San Andreas does support the newest EAX effects, I can’t honestly say that the sound effects themselves sound much different than they do with a nice speaker setup in your average living room.  It is worth noting, however, that like the Xbox version, the PC game does include custom soundtrack support so you can create your own in-game radio station with your mp3 files.

Technically speaking, San Andreas is superior on the PC version in almost every way.  The only major gripe I have on the PC is that, even though shooting is hands down a better experience with a mouse, the driving controls (read: the fun part of GTA games) feels much better with a controller in your hands.  True, you can have a joystick hooked up to your PC, but assuming you do would be like assuming everyone who plays Gran Turismo has an optional PS2 steering wheel – it would be nice, but not everybody does.

How important is that gripe?  I’d say it’s of pretty moderate importance.  The best part of GTA games is causing havoc in a vehicle, doing stunts, causing wrecks, and outrunning the law, only getting out of the vehicles to run and hijack another one.

It’s not like you won’t get used to driving on the keyboard, though, so I can’t say I’d rather play the console versions.  Once you get the graphics and load times on the PC (which still aren’t outstanding in today’s standards but are much better than the consoles) it’s tough to swallow the alternative.  The port of San Andreas to the PC may have been uninspired and straightforward, but since it was such a great game to being with, it’s hard to fault Rockstar for that.  If you already own another version, you’d be silly to purchase it again, but if you don’t have any copy of the game yet, you should only opt for a console version if you want to play in the living room with some friends watching.  Otherwise, grab the PC version for the best experience.

Once you get used to driving with WASD, everything is excellent.

Compared to everything else, they suck. Compared to the other versions, they’re great.

I’d have given Vice City a 10 for its soundtrack alone. The 90’s weren’t bad either though.

I don’t know how anyone gets bored with these games.

Even once you’ve done everything, causing general havoc is great fun.

]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2006 13:13:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/grandia_3_announced http://www.gamebump.com/go/grandia_3_announced http://www.gamebump.com/go/grandia_3_announced# Reports are coming out of Japan that Square Enix is looking at developing Grandia 3.

The RPG game will be made by Game Arts, the same creator of the Grandia series. Their should be some new changes for the series, but little else is known about the prospective game at this time.

We'll have more if any when Square Enix officially announces the title.

Grandia III is the latest installment in the popular Grandia series developed by Game Arts, and has a devoted following but has never quite reached the high status of its chief competitor, the Final Fantasy series; however, the Grandia series is now being promoted by the Final Fantasy makers themselves, and Grandia III has received top-dollar treatment in its development.

Grandia III boasts a traditional cast of heroes with a slight twist. The two starting characters include Yuki, the game’s hero and an ambitious pilot who dreams of flying across the ocean to the mainland someday, and his mother, Miranda, who is a strong-willed and clever woman who spends most of her time either lecturing Yuki, planting herbs, cooking dinner, or courageously slaying viscous monsters (I know – the mother everyone wants). The pair lives in a small village called Anfog, where Yuki strives to build an airplane in his friend’s garage so he can escape his boring village life (and mother).

During his evening flight he discovers that he’s got a parental stowaway, and he and mommy-Miranda end up crashing and saving the life of a fugitive girl named Alfina. The girl is a “communicator” and serves as a liaison between the worlds of god and men, but deeply wants to escape to Arcriff and see her brother, Emilious. The three team up and set off to cross the ocean, and along the way they meet Alonso, the charming, gambling-addicted sailor, and his old shipmate friend Ulf, the foxy-tailed, spirited boy with a pet dragon. As the plot deepens, it’s discovered that Alfina’s brother is, of course, insanely evil and must be stopped from doing all the things that evil people do, enter Yuki and team. As far as storylines go, Grandia III’s is functional and entertaining; the inclusion of Miranda is very unique and adds another level of depth (which, I’m afraid, is sorely needed) that you don’t often see in any videogames, let alone RPGs (imagine action/adventure titles where strapping young heroes go in search of glory with their mothers).

The bulk of the plot, and nearly every important visual cue, is presented in sometimes lengthy cutscenes that directly parallel Xenosaga’s use of excessive, but beautiful, “events”. If it’s important, or even vaguely sentimental, you can bet you’ll spend at least one minute of cutscene time on it, but the majority of these are presented well and serve to draw you deeper into the storyline. There is also a hell of a lot of cheesy dialogue supported by incredibly cliché moments which will either amuse or annoy you, but yet again, the game still manages to draw you in despite (or perhaps because of?) it’s unique cheesy-ness. It’s almost like playing through an unusual anime.

The game’s standard graphics – which are anything but – are just as detailed and exquisite as its cutscenes and CG. Grandia III’s 3D world sports gorgeous environments complete with fluffy clouds floating overhead in bright blue skies, birds soaring through the air, leaves floating about village towns, and lots of winding roads and fresh greenery. Even Anfog has a cliff from which you can look out and literally see for miles, and the view is breathtaking. From the churning water round Alonso’s ship to the unbelievable sunrises and sunsets as you sail to the mainland, Grandia III is a visual treat, though I starkly believe that some of the character design is a little off; why would anyone who isn’t colorblind wear an orange blouse with a blue vest and green shorts?

Gamers spend most of their time in Grandia III wandering about the field dodging enemies (opponents are shown on-screen a la Chrono Cross, Kingdom Hearts, etc.) or slicing enemies with Yuki’s sword, which stuns them so players can either retreat or run headlong into them to initiate battle and gain the first move. Some objects in the environment are interactive, and you can push rocks to create bridges, swipe at explosives to clear paths, cut down vegetation, and so forth. Environs are dotted with treasure chests, and nearly every field area has a mini-map with full directions and exit/entrance markings. If you get stuck you can always rely on Yuki’s special “examine” ability, which briefly highlights the immediate area and surrounds items of interest in a bright blur aura.

When it’s time for a battle, those new to the Grandia series will be treated to an entirely different, more realistic active time battle system that is fresh, fast-paced, and feels extremely natural for anyone who’s ever wondered why, during RPG battles, the enemies just stand there and let you whack at them. In Grandia III, opponents are constantly moving about the field and either attacking or preparing to attack. The game’s main difference from other RPGs is, in fact, this unique battle system which presents the party’s – and enemies’ – turn meters in a ring. The ring sports three primary colored segments; there’s the blue “wait” area, the yellow “command” bar, and the red “act” area during which players are preparing to attack. All characters and opponents are shown on the ring and move clockwise through their turns.

Another unique aspect of the battle system is the cancel option, which enables you to actually prevent an opponent from taking its turn (and when you have six-eight foes, this is very convenient). The idea is that as opponents elect their commands and then enter the red “act” field to get into position/cast, you can hit them with a critical attack and cancel their move. The system is very handy against bosses, but there’s always a catch (in this case, two): it takes time to get into position and perform a cancel, so often an opponent will attack when you’re one second away from a swipe; your party members can also be cancelled, which is devastating when you’re preparing to heal. Even with the cancel option, the battles are so fast-paced and intense that you’ll occasionally lose to even standard mobs.

To make the battle aspect more interesting, Game Arts also included standard attack combos, critical hits/cancel attacks, item usage, special moves (these cost SP points), and aerial combos, which are combos and/or critical hits strung together on the same opponent. Aerial combos decimate the bad guys and get them to drop more items and money, which is nice if you’re in a financial bind. The special moves are merely character specific attacks that you’ll almost always use on bosses along with weapon abilities, which are unique to specific weapons.

Supportive to nearly every RPG battle system in the world is the use of magic and skills, which you purchase and equip from shops (the only other place you can set up your magic/skills from is a save sphere). The mana orbs also reappear and you can extract spells from them at more advanced magic shops; the same goes for skill books, which you can extract skills from. You can also just opt to equip said eggs and skill books for stat bonuses, which are also handy. Quite possibly the best aspect of magic use in Grandia III is how much faster magic is performed, with only minimal “I summon the fire god to unleash mighty flames upon thine foes and swallow the earth” lines.

After spending close to ten hours with Grandia III, I can dutifully admit that I’m hooked. The ring battle system is very refreshing for someone who only spent five minutes with Grandia II, and will serve as an intense, yet fun introduction to the series for newcomers. It’s also got the same cliché events and light-hearted dialogue that fans are used to, complete with new characters, a new threat, and several gameplay tweaks to keep things fresh. The environs are stunning, and while some of the character designs feel slightly off the mark (I think Ulf is the only exception), the whole package has transitioned nicely into the US. All gamers – even those fearful of RPGs – should give this at least a rental upon its release next month.]]> Sat, 21 Jan 2006 16:29:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_grand_raid_offroad_images http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_grand_raid_offroad_images http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_grand_raid_offroad_images# Tue, 20 Dec 2005 13:02:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_grand_theft_auto_liberty_city_stories_psp http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_grand_theft_auto_liberty_city_stories_psp http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_grand_theft_auto_liberty_city_stories_psp# This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Brian Mohr.

Grand Theft Auto has been one of the most successful videogame franchises in history and finally Rockstar is bringing the open-ended gameplay, extreme violence and everything else you’d expect from the series to the streets, literally, with the release of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. The PlayStation Portable exclusive title takes you on a trip back to the haunts of Grand Theft Auto III.

In this story, players assume the role of Toni Cipriani a few years before the events of GTA III. In this version, you again start out at the bottom after being out of town a few years and must kill your way to the top of the mafia underworld.

The entire presentation for Liberty City Stories is amazing. The cutscenes are long, intricate and very well done as it looks like you’re watching a movie. If that’s not enough the game features a full-fledged city with buildings you can go into; a nice variety of vehicles including playable motorcycles, cars and boats; full weather effects; and even some new and interesting characters. Rockstar didn’t just port over GTA III, but instead rebuilt Liberty City from the ground up with a completely new storyline.

The actual in-game graphics are gorgeous too and look even better than our first time to Liberty City on the PlayStation 2. The graphics are smooth, running at a solid 30 frames per second and extremely detailed. An example of this that you wouldn’t expect in the PSP version is completely destructible vehicles. You can literally tear cars apart.

Besides stunning graphics, the game’s audio is wonderful too. The voiceacting is solid, but it doesn’t have the celebrity talent of previous versions. Liberty City Stories also includes radio stations while you drive; there are approximately 10 stations included and each one has about seven songs, a personal DJ and of course the wonderfully comedic commercials that GTA is known for. The radio music spans genres including opera, rock, rap, hip-hop and even boy-bands, all of which are very engaging and keep the game moving. If that isn’t enough already, Liberty City Stories also gives players the option to play their own custom tracks in the game.

A major problem with many PSP games is the awkward controls especially in relation to the analog stick. Thankfully Grand Theft Auto doesn’t suffer at all from these as you can either use the analog or D-pad and both are very reactive. Controls can also be modified slightly if you feel the need. The lock-on targeting system isn’t the best, as it can be difficult to switch between enemies, but works very well on the limited PSP controls. Overall the controls are intuitive and if you’ve played any Grand Theft Auto before you’ll be able to pick this up in no time.

Finally, the actual game is wonderful in every respect as the load times are short; there are plenty of missions and even a multiplayer option. The load times in Stories are approximately 15 seconds long for cutscenes and less than 10 seconds when entering buildings.

As for the missions they are a little shorter as Rockstar wanted to appease those on the go. Missions take approximately five-ten minutes, but there’s plenty to do as the game offers at least 50 hours of gameplay spanning Portland, Staunton Island and Shoreside Vale. Of course like every GTA game, there is plenty to do just by driving around and causing havoc on your own.

Finally, the multiplayer ad hoc mode is a wonderful feature added to Liberty City Stories. This allows you to play six people in seven games including race, deathmatch, tanks-for-the-memories, hit list and more. Tanks-a-lot has players battling for a tank in the level while hit list has everyone attempting to knockoff one of the players. Surprisingly Rockstar made the multiplayer mode a very deep experience and it certainly gets you excited for what may be offered in the future.

Though Grand Theft Auto certainly is the highest rated game for the PlayStation Portable to date it doesn’t come without a few drawbacks. Probably the most serious problem with Liberty City Stories is the camera. While on foot, the camera can get a bit out of place and to realign it you must press the left trigger. This isn’t as much of a problem if you’re just walking around, but if you’re in a firefight good luck.

Occasional slowdown was another issue present in the game. This happens randomly throughout the game and is only a minor distraction, but is worth mentioning. It seemed to be worst when you would have too much happening on-screen with cars and pedestrians. The battery life also wanes a lot faster for Liberty City Stories. For a fully charged battery you can expect approximately four hours of play.

Finally, one other issue in the game isn’t a problem, but rather a disappointment. As mentioned above Stories features multiplayer ad hoc, but we really wish Rockstar would have included infrastructure mode as well for the multiplayer experience. It’s pretty rare for six players to come together in person, but an online game would have instantly been a hit.

Overall it’s hard to imagine that any game in the next year for the PSP that could get much better than this. We are just over six months after launch and to have a game that looks, sounds and feels as impressive as Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is amazing. I was stunned by how well made this game was. Stories certainly is a wonderful achievement for the PSP, but it does have a few drawbacks with the slowdown, camera issues, battery and a lack of online play, but you still can’t be that disappointed as this is the best game on the PSP.

The controls and game in general are wonderful.

Liberty City Stories looks nearly as good as any version on the consoles.

The soundtrack, voiceacting and sound effects are very impressive.

GTA is just as fun as previous titles in the series.

The game has a good amount of missions. Plenty of unlockables and hidden items.

]]> Sun, 30 Oct 2005 20:24:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_grandia_iii_ps22 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_grandia_iii_ps22 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_grandia_iii_ps22# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Eric Dayday.

It's everything you expect times a bazillion or so. San Andreas takes GTA and makes it better.

On the Xbox it's merely decent, but has some nice lighting effects; not a huge jump in quality.

Great voiceacting, fantastic line-up of 90's tunes spanning many genres, and the classic DJs.

Once you boot up the game and play your first mission chances are you'll be enthralled.

I can't even begin to fathom what it would take to get 100% completion; now add two-player.

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