GTA Vice City Stories for PPSSPP with 60FPS + Cheats

Introduction

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is an open-world action game first released for the PlayStation Portable in 2006 and later adapted to the PlayStation 2. The game sits in the middle of the classic 3-D era of the series and acts as a prequel to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Players control Victor Vance and move through a large version of Vice City set in 1984, two years before the events of the 2002 title. The structure is familiar to anyone who has played earlier entries: free roaming, driving, fighting, and many story missions. At the same time the game adds several new systems such as empire building, improved melee moves, and small quality changes that make play feel fresh.

Story and Setting

The story starts on a military base on the west side of the map. Victor Vance is a low-ranked soldier who wants steady pay to support his family. His commanding officer, Sergeant Jerry Martinez, forces him into shady jobs and later frames him, pushing Vic out of the army and into crime. The early portion sees Vic searching for work, meeting small-time hustlers, and getting pulled into gang fights. The plot moves across both islands of Vice City, with Lance Vance joining halfway and pulling Vic deeper into risky deals that shape their future seen in Vice City. Reviews give different views of the writing. Some say the characters are memorable but the plot copies earlier games. Others feel the story lacks the sharp humor found in past titles and fails to give strong reasons for Vic’s violent rise. Many long-time players value the game anyway because it shows how the Vance family began its criminal path and because Vic is one of the few protagonists who starts with a clean record.

World Design

The city map is almost the same size as Vice City from 2002, but small changes make it feel distinct. New bridges, more traffic on waterways, extra shoreline activity, and building sites show that the city is still growing. Textures and lighting on PSP were upgraded over Liberty City Stories, with double the polygons per block and new neon effects. On PS2 the frame rate is smoother but the art assets stay close to the handheld version. Players can enter many of the interiors seen in the earlier game. The empire sites add a new layer of texture, since each seized business gains a custom model that changes as it is upgraded.

Core Gameplay

Movement mixes driving, flying, boating, and third-person shooting. Vic can swim, unlike Tommy Vercetti in Vice City, which opens more ways to escape the police. Combat aims to be faster. The auto-aim system locks first on armed threats and moves off harmless pedestrians. The melee system now allows throws, ground holds, and a violent neck-snap move that ends fights quickly. Gunplay feels much like earlier games on the same engine, but recoil is a bit lighter to help on the smaller PSP screen.

Empire Building

This is the headline feature that separates Vice City Stories from other 3-D era titles. Players can clear enemy gang properties, buy the lot, choose one of several business types, and then upgrade those businesses for higher income. The concept borrows from asset buying in Vice City and gang territory control in San Andreas, yet the flow is cleaner. Each empire site offers its own quick mission line. Finishing all missions for a type unlocks permanent perks such as free armor pick-ups or weapon discounts. Rival gangs strike back in real time until the player owns every property. On paper these raids can feel repetitive, but the steady income they bring is the main economic engine, since story missions pay low amounts. Forum guides point out that low-level businesses get attacked less, so new players may wish to build wide before upgrading high.

Vehicles and Exploration

Vice City Stories carries over most traffic from Vice City, but it adds jet-skis, new helicopters, and a large list of unique cars that never appear in any other GTA entry. On PSP the load distance is modest, yet flight still feels solid. Control of motorbikes was tweaked to be more stable, making high-speed runs down Ocean Beach less painful. The game keeps radio stations known from the main game, but several new songs and DJ lines appear, including cameos by Philip Michael Thomas and Phil Collins. Many reviews praise the soundtrack for matching mid-1980s Miami pop culture while still feeling fresh.

Mission Design and Difficulty

Story missions follow the standard GTA recipe: fetch runs, escort jobs, chases, and multi-stage shootouts. The PSP layout forces shorter individual objectives, yet several missions remain intense. Community feedback shows that the difficulty curve can spike. Players often cite forklift jobs, helicopter magnet lifts, and the long final island chase as pain points. Guides advise stockpiling rocket launcher ammo and grenades for key missions. Reviewers are split. IGN found the mission variety solid and rated the game 9.0 partly for pure fun despite minor flaws. Eurogamer felt many missions lacked flair and grew into cliché killing sprees without a clear sense of purpose.

Side Content

Standard side jobs return, with upgrades. Beach Patrol replaces standard paramedic jobs in the sand zone. Vigilante, Taxi, Firefighter, and Ambulance runs are still present. Hidden packages are now red balloons that must be popped. Collecting them unlocks free weapons at safe houses. Unique stunt jumps, rampages, and races provide cash and keep police heat low if repeated between story beats. Phil Cassidy returns with two gun-running missions that unlock cheap heavy weapons once cleared.

Multiplayer

The PSP edition supports ad-hoc local multiplayer for up to six players. Modes include deathmatch, racing, and capture the flag, all placed across bespoke parts of the map. These modes did not make the jump to PS2. Players today may need two handhelds to try them, since there are no official servers.

Audio

The radio lineup holds nine music stations plus two talk channels. Flash FM, V-Rock, and Wave 103 return with new 1984 era tracks. Fresh air personalities comment on current events, adding small hints about later GTA games. Licensed tracks feature Phil Collins, who also appears in a short mission string that lets gamers protect him during a live concert. Sound effects reuse many assets from Vice City. Gunfire is punchy but not as varied as in San Andreas. Voice acting for the Vance brothers is strong, though some secondary characters drift into broad caricature. Critics note that dialogue is sometimes less witty than the series standard.

Graphics and Performance

On PSP the game pushes the hardware with dense geometry and long draw distances for the time. Frame rate holds near thirty in open streets but can dip during heavy explosions. The PS2 port runs smoother and allows progressive scan, yet the textures stay low resolution compared with San Andreas. Lighting is warm and sells the tropical tone. Water reflection looks flat on PSP, though weather cycles such as dawn haze and late evening storms still enhance mood. Character models gain extra joints, so melee grapples animate without breaking limbs.

User Interface and Controls

The heads-up display is the same radial radar circle, message scroll, and wanted star row seen since GTA III. On the PSP the lack of a second analog stick can make manual aiming slow. The game solves this by heavy lock-on auto aim and a soft snap when moving to the next target. On PS2 the right stick re-enables classic free aim. Button mapping on both versions supports quick reload, but some players remap look-behind to ease chase missions. Text prompts stay large and clear for small screens.

Strengths

• Large open world with few loading cuts.
• Empire system gives steady money and sense of ownership.
• Swim, jet-ski, and throw moves add small but real freedom.
• Soundtrack captures mid-1980s style and offers rare Phil Collins cameo.
• On PSP it feels close to a full console game, which impressed reviewers in 2006.

Weaknesses

• Certain missions spike difficulty, causing frustration for new players.
• Story humor and writing quality are uneven compared with earlier GTA games.
• Empire raids can repeat and pull you away from goals if left unchecked.
• PSP aiming lacks precision, so firefights can feel loose without lock-on.
• PS2 port keeps handheld textures so does not look as sharp as San Andreas.

Useful Tips for New Players

• Seize a few small-time businesses early and sleep-save at safe houses to roll the in-game clock forward and collect payouts repeatedly. This builds cash fast without cheats.
• Complete the Firefighter side job first. It grants flame immunity. This helps when you burn enemy fronts with Molotovs.
• When gangs attack your empire, start any R3 vehicle mission like Vigilante for one second. The raid will stop and you avoid damage fees.
• Use the rocket launcher and grenades on missions with rooftop guards. You skip long stair fights and reduce risk.
• Low adventure businesses attract fewer raids. Capture those first before climbing to high profit tiers, then upgrade later after you own most of the map.
• For helicopter chase stages, land on a higher roof beside the goal to avoid enemy choppers while you complete objectives.
• On light early missions, bring a fast bike. It is easier to dodge than a car and lets you climb stairs for shortcuts.
• Pop red balloons during quiet hours. The weapon rewards save money and help with later hard fights.
• Save armor pickups near mission triggers. Leave them untouched until a tough finale, grab them, and start the mission at full protection.
• Before the final act buy full rifle ammo, a rocket launcher, and extra grenades. Add at least three empire gun shops to restock quickly.

Replay Value

Vice City Stories remains the last 3-D era entry that uses the classic control system before GTA IV moved to the Euphoria engine. Collecting 99 red balloons, mastering all side jobs, and fully upgrading every empire site can take over fifty hours. Trophy support is absent on PS2, but completionists often set self-imposed goals such as perfect accuracy rates or zero arrests. Mod fans use cheat devices on PSP to spawn beta vehicles like the FBI Rancher or unused police helicopter, adding novelty on repeat runs.

Overall Verdict

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories stands as a solid bridge between the earlier GTA games and the later HD generation. The story may not reach the humor and depth of Vice City, but the empire system, new combat moves, and strong soundtrack create a game worth playing today, especially on handheld. Reviewers in 2006 praised the scale and fun of the world, while some noted the dip in mission creativity. Modern fans see it as an underrated gem that refines many ideas from past titles and delivers one of the hardest single-player campaigns in the series. If you want to spend time in a bright yet gritty 1980s world while building a criminal network site by site, Vice City Stories can still satisfy.