Vice City Stories: The Possibilities
Date Posted: 21 May 2006
Its 9PM on a cool breezy night and life is booming everywhere. The thriving nightlife activities of Ocean and Washington Beach is starting pick up as people from all walks of the area pull up in their fancy vehicles preparing for a fiesta at the famous Malibu Club. Over in Leaf Links, a group of local currupt politians tee up for a round of golf to discuss "financial issues" and "foriegn relations". On the westside of the city, conflict between the Cubans of Little Havana and Haitians of Little Hati kicks off to a full scale street war while in the center of the city, the residents of Starfish Island experiences the best tranquility money can buy. This is Vice City, one of the most dangerous places to live but yet one of the more desirable. Money is God in this city and there is a lot of it to be made in the tropical oasis. Many dreams come true while many dreams fade to dust. There is a lot of stories to be told in the city of Vice.
October will be the month that gives PSP owners a chance to re-live the thrill of Vice City but in what way will Vice City be presented? PS3Portal has no definative information about Vice City Stories other than what everyone else already knows, but we do have a speculative opinion of what it could be like. Let us show you how Vice City Stories could be presented come October.
A Prequel to Vice City
1986 was an interesting year for the city of vice. A member of the Liberty City based Forelli crime family, Tommy Vercetti, was sent to Vice City right after serving a seven year prison sentence. His role was simple, goto Vice City to make sure a major deal between the Forelli Family and the Cubans go right. The deal went sour and Tommy was left without Sonny Forelli's money so while trying to regain the money, Tommy was lured into the jewels of the city and eventually took it over. Vice City, now belongs to Tommy Vercetti. This was 1986 however and Vice City was already booming with prosperous avenues so what was Vice City like prior to '86?
We all know how Rockstar loves to have characters from other GTA games appear in other GTA games. Donald Love first appeared in GTA3 but made an appearance in Vice City. Ken Rosenberg was first seen in GTA Vice City but later served an important role in San Andreas. Salvatore Leon even made appereances in GTA3, San Andreas, and Liberty City Stories. So let us not throw out the possibility of Vice City Stories actually serving as a prequel to Vice City because even though the game will feature an entirely new story and missions, Rockstar said nothing about the characters. When we were thrown into the story of Vice City, the city was already in turmoil and had its own problems going on and Tommy just squeezed his way into it all and eventually became the man of it all. Do not forget that Liberty City Stories was also somewhat of a prequel to GTA3. It had its own storyline that had nothing to do with GTA3's storyline, but many characters and aspects of GTA3 was represented well in LCS and what happened in LCS sort of setted the stage for what will later happen in GTA3. So VCS as a prequel to Vice City isn't such a left field idea, not a direct prequel, but a prequel indeed.
If Vice City Stories does take place before Vice City, who could be the point of focus? In LCS it was Tony Cipriani the fat dude that you did missions for in GTA3. Who would have ever thought that you would be playing as a younger more slimmer Tony Cipriani but in Liberty City Stories there you were, taking the role of the momma's boy Tony Cipriani. If Rockstar North decides to take the same route as LCS, then VCS will take place sometime before Vice City and will feature a character that played a role in VC. Let us take a look at some of the few people that we could be playing as in Vice City Stories.
Lance Vance: For those 12 people out there who hasn't played and finished Vice City, I won't ruin the plot development of Lance Vance in Vice City but just know that he was a major character in Vice City and it could be possible that Lance Vance makes a return in Vice City Stories as the playable character. I know the idea seems far fetched but knowing Rockstar, anything is possible. At the age of 32, Lance throughout the whole story of Vice City did have a lot of mystery and background to him that was never really revealed because he was just a character thrown in at the very beginning who looked as if he has seen a lot and knows a lot. This is something that could be explored in Vice City Stories.
Ricardo Diaz: This individual also known as "Mr. Coke" was a major role player in Vice City and a vital individual in the drug industry. Ricardo is the rich short fat guy that lives out in Starfish Island that you did a few missions for in Vice City. It is believed that in 1978 Ricardo bribed the INS for a Green Card and it is this where Vice City Stories could focus if Ricardo were to be the player character in VCS. Perhaps the game could start off with you, Ricardo Diaz coming in illegally from Cuba to Vice City in the late 1970s and the rest picks up from there.
Umberto Robina: This character in particular in Vice City was very much similar to what Tony Cipriani was in GTA3. Like Tony had a fued with the Triads, Umberto has a long going rivarly with the Hatians. Just as Tony's manhood and bravery was questioned in GTA3, Umberto's bravery is questioned in Vice City. With all this being known, Vice City Stories could center around a younger Umberto Robina trying to make his way in Little Havana, Vice City.
The New Guy: With all this talk of characters already being established in Vice City, VCS could take a different approach and introduce an entirely new character. This character could do his own rounds through Vice City trying to create his own name while possibly coming in contact with a younger Lance Vance, Ricardo Diaz, Umberto Robina, or other characters from Vice City.
An Integrated Plot to GTAIV
So what if Vice City Stories doesn't present itself as a prequel to Vice City? What if Vice City Stories is actually 20 years after the events of Vice City which would set it in modern day 2006. If this happens then it is really hard to tie VCS into VC because of the huge 20 year gap and we all know how Rockstar loves to re-use characters for later games so how about the aspect of Vice City Stories plot and characters actually running along with the plot and characters of upcoming PS3/Xbox 360 title Grand Theft Auto IV? Idea seems like a fanboy dream doesn't it? However if you come in with an open mind, it could be a possibility. Grand Theft Auto IV is supposenly going to start from scratch again meaning that all new cities and characters will be in the game. So no cameo apperances of characters from previous GTA games, GTA4 will start on a new and clean slate. However, Vice City Stories could be the first to start out on a clean slate and lead the way for what GTAIV will present in 2007.
This means that VCS will not have any characters from previous GTA games, but will have a few characters and plot points that will again surface in 2007 for GTAIV. Don't get me wrong now, I'm not saying that VCS will be a prequel to GTAIV, I'm saying that VCS could possibly in many ways be intergrated into GTAIV. For example let us look at it this way. Say there is one mission in VCS in which you must stop a powerful crime syndicate set out in "Tribeca City" (Lets pretend Tribeca City is the main city in GTAIV). You're supposed to stop these fools from trashing your drug operation in Vice City, this is your mission in VCS. Then later on in October 2007 when you play GTAIV, you're an up and coming guy in "Tribeca City" that is working for that same crime syndicate that was sent to Vice City to destroy a rival drug operation. So the scenerio would run like this, you walk into your bosses office to get another mission from him but you walk in on him while he is extremely upset because the boys he sent down to Vice City 3 days ago to destroy a drug operation was a failure and he explains to you what happened but later changes the subject and eventually gives you your next task. Interesting isn't it? So in other words Vice City Stories could play simultaneously next to GTAIV. The VCS story isn't the GTAIV story, but what happens in VCS effects GTAIV. This is a left field idea but Rockstar is known to play out in the left field at times, just think Table Tennis.
Here Comes the Boom
No matter how Vice City Stories plays out it will be a great game and something that will be enjoyed even 5 years from now. Have high expectations for VCS because when you compare Vice City to GTA3, the leap in progression was huge so just imagine what VCS could be to LCS. This October will be a great time for PSP owners because we will be taken back to a city that almost all of the GTA fanbase fell in love with, Vice City. San Andreas was a huge improvement over Vice City but Los Santos, Las Venturas, and San Fierro cannot compare to the atomosphere of Vice City. That is why Vice City will remain an enjoyable city for GTA fans for years to come and this October we are taken back to this wonderful place. So for all of you anxious readers out there, stay tuned to PS3Portal as we'll be back to provide you with an in-depth preview of the game!
Author: Tyrell Jackson
