No Vice City Stories for PS2? Sure ...
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Jan 31st 2007 at 4:10PM }
You may remember that a few days ago, the ESRB let slip that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories was heading to the PS2. Looks like PlayStation.com also had a listing for the potential port. However, it looks like the ESRB listing has disappeared, as well as the PlayStation.com listing. Was the original posting just a mistake? Rockstar neither confirms nor denies a PS2 version, simply telling IGN: "as a company, Rockstar does not comment on rumors or speculation."While it may be true that Rockstar isn't working on a PS2 version of Vice City Stories, this listing had to have come from some place. For now, we'll say it's not in the works, but we'll be unsurprised if it ever materializes.
[Thanks, Joe! Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
pixelator @ Jan 31st 2007 5:54PM
Yoon man, WHO GIVES A SHIT if the PS2 gets VCS, or any OTHER PSP game..?!
For God's sake - if we're going to get up in arms about every cross-platform title, that's a LOT of games on basically EVERY platform you're going to be pissed off about.
required @ Jan 31st 2007 6:09PM
I agree, it's very odd when folks get all uppity about such things (if memory serves, it's the wildly insecure DSfanboys that do this in hopes of labeling it as a fault of the PSP even though the DS has ports as well).
txa1265 @ Jan 31st 2007 6:19PM
Couple of thoughts:
- When a DS game is a 'true port' (i.e. trying to replicate a console experience) it is a truly horrid game - which is why the DS games occupy many of the worst game slots of the last couple of years.
- PSP games are *universally* direct ports, with the almost universal common theme of lesser controls and less content.
- When a DS game is 'reimagined', it tends to be a different experience.
For example, Eragon. The console game was mediocre, the PC game was mediocre, the PSP game was more mediocre ... but the DS & GBA games were *really pretty good* - because they weren't the same churned out of the movie crap from the other platforms.
My point - Vice City on the PS2 is just another reminder that *every* game on the PSP could easily be turned into a better game on the PS2.
Johnny Lasley @ Jan 31st 2007 6:38PM
#3
I would guess any DS game would be better on the GameCube or Wii for the same reasons, revisioned or not...
And obviously someone has forgotten about MGS:PO...
txa1265 @ Jan 31st 2007 6:51PM
Re #4:
Have you played DS games? Things like Brain Age, Cooking Mama, Age of Empires, Tao's Adventure, Dark Labyrinth, Lost Magic, etc ... are things that really work because of the unique design of the DS.
As for MGS:PO, do a port of it to the PS2 and it would be better - the wonky camera would be gone. Plus, I find it user-hostile because it features non-standard interface controls that are *never* explained (swapping OK & cancel). Poor design (don't care if it is 'MGS standard' - every other US PSP game has X=OK so *that* is correct, and O=OK is *wrong*)
required @ Jan 31st 2007 7:02PM
txa1265, get your facts straight, when games are ported to the PSP they often have a lot more content and are all around much much better (16x9, portable, etc) eventhough.
DS games are simplistic and below par no matter how you look at them, they have extremely simple (often very poor/crude) graphics, simple/limited audio (in contrast to the PSP) and shoddy/gimmicky controls.
Jeff Cossey @ Jan 31st 2007 7:07PM
No Daxter for Commdore 64? Sure ...
No Daxter for the Commodore 64, this really pisses me off, the C64 will never die and now they won't port some games to it.... :)
Of course you could prolly port some of these oh so unique DS games to the C64 with no loss in quality.
Or they could port some c64 games (albeit dummy them down) to the DS and then maybe it's library won't appeal to 90% of it's demographic (10 year olds.)
pixelator @ Jan 31st 2007 7:45PM
txa, you're obviously quite a (typical) Nintendo fanboy. That's OK, but like you lot usually do, you're giving the DS a bit more credit that it's due.
The DS is not a unique design in any sense. Other devices have had dual screens (from Nintendo) and not only have there been plenty of handheld devices with color touchscreens that played some great games, but two in particular that were made FOR playing games.
All you need to replicate the DS 'unique' stylus is a mouse on a PC. What's that, you say? But the DS is a handheld? Well gosh, that's what PSP owners say when people like you attack it for having 'watered down ports' of PS2 titles.
BTW - most of the games you list like Brain Age and Cooking Mama interest me about as much as watching paint dry. The only one you named that I *do* like, Age of Empires, I play with the d-pad because hey, it plays faster and better than fumbling with that tiny annoying plastic pen.
I'll take X and O swapping issues over vapid, cutesy gimmickry passed off as 'unique innovation' any day of the week, thanks.
required @ Jan 31st 2007 7:11PM
One more thing txa1265, titles like Brain Age sold well because they're snake oil level gimmicks. Brain Age is a totally sloppy title, and it should have been sold as a demo rather than as a full title. Seriously, if you think it "really works" then good for you, but in my opinion it was one of the worst titles I have ever bought for my DS. Heck I've gotten more out of playing free flash games via my PSP's browser.
symphony1125 @ Jan 31st 2007 7:16PM
"Have you played DS games? Things like Brain Age, Cooking Mama, Age of Empires, Tao's Adventure, Dark Labyrinth, Lost Magic, etc ... are things that really work because of the unique design of the DS."
Tao's Adventure...? Dark Labyrinth...? Lost magic?!?
Please tell me you're not serious... those games are not very good to say the least.
pomendoza @ Jan 31st 2007 8:45PM
dont forget that lego sw II was a perfect port on the ds, and the psp version was so horrible compaired to it. hah. its actually quite the opposite.
Jeff Cossey @ Jan 31st 2007 10:24PM
There are many great games on the PSP that are not ports, but what is wrong with a great port? Why not your favorite game that is portable DS fans? The term watered down is inaccurate as well, many titles look as good as there console cousins.
Can you say Burnout Legends?
This looked as good as any of the consoles and the next installment is PS2 and PSP ONLY...
I wonder why no DS support for this game? Well it is because the game did not sell that good on the DS and as usual it did not hold a CANDLE to all other flavors especially the PSP.
I keep hearing how unique game designs are on the DS and that is why it does so good. That's nothing but stagnet rhetoric. Again I still believe it is due to a price tag. Lower the price of the PSP and market it better and it will put DS in the grave or force Nintendo to release a hand held that is as powerful and feature rich as the PSP. It's been a year now since the DS lite came out hasn't it?? That must mean they are about to release yet another hand held. If they do then in a year from that they will release the same hand held with a brighter screen and lighter,, if the follow suite as they did with GBA and DS.
Amish_Gramish @ Feb 1st 2007 12:02AM
I think it's actually a good and a bad thing that there are PSP ports. With games like Lumines, GripShift, Tokobot, and more being ported to other consoles, it shows that the PSP is the testing grounds for games to see if they are good enough to make them on the other consoles. That means the PSP is getting these games BEFORE the other console(s).
Well, with some other games like GTA where they are already established, it is a bad thing, because the PSP lost a great "exclusive."
Kade Storm @ Feb 1st 2007 2:18AM
Okay, so PS2 isn't getting the port - PS2 is getting the port - I couldn't give a rat's ass.
PS2 isn't PSP, and PSP isn't just about what you see on screen, because it's also a friggin' portable, and no amounts of ports will make the PS2 portable. End of story.
txa1265 @ Feb 1st 2007 6:47AM
OK, a few reply thoughts:
- pixelator - you and I have had discussions here before, agreeing more often than not. I have professionally reviewed more than 50 PSP games and more than 30 DS games, play my PSP probably 50% more than my DS, and don't feel the need to justify my credentials with each passing discussion.
- The DS *is* unique by the very definition of the word - there is nothing like it that uses the combination of controls in a (potentially) innovative way. The PSP is a scaled down console. Each brings tremendous potential to the handheld space. The incessant need to make the DS seem pedestrian reeks of Sony fanboism.
- There are many games across many genres that we all either like or dislike. I am no big fan of racing games or fighting games - does that make that segment of games 'bad'? No, because Tekken is *objectively* a really good game - just as Nintendogs, Brain Age, Cooking Mama, Elite Beat Agents and so on are objectively great games with innovative and unique user experiences. Whether or not you happen to like them is immaterial.
- LEGO Star Wars for the DS was one of the worst games I played last year - and for the PSP was one of the best. Were it not for the unacceptable load times I would have rated it higher than the PC version because the use of the analog stick was a thing of beauty.
- Oh, and LEGO Star Wars *was* reduced in content from the PC & PS2 versions, but we got the boss battles as a bonus. There is a *big* difference between 'reduced content' (a term I'd support for most PSP versions of games) and 'watered down' (one I wouldn't support)
- As I mentioned in another post, the assumption that PSP vs. DS is a 'zero sum game' is faulted logic at its' base.
"Tao's Adventure...? Dark Labyrinth...? Lost magic?!?" I chose those three for specific reasons - they show RPG examples of interesting uses of the DS technology.
- Dark Labyrinth is a pretty lousy game, but at least it tried. And it represents the best and worst of using the DS interface - drawing runes ala Arx Fatalis (if you don't know that game, sorry, you don't qualify for 'I know RPG'), but also have to scream to open a door.
- Tao's Adventure is a schizophrenic game - at once really good and really bad ... and ultimately pretty decent if you can get past everything and just see it as a dungeon crawl.
- Lost Magic is better than every PSP RPG without exception - yes, including Tales of Eternia and Valkyrie Profile. It is an example of an excellent use of DS hardware in bringing a gametype (RPG/RTS hybrid) to a prtable, and couldn't be done anywher but PC or DS.
And finally:
"I keep hearing how unique game designs are on the DS and that is why it does so good. That's nothing but stagnet rhetoric."
- I'm sorry, but denying that games like New Super Mario Bros and both Castlevanias and Mario Kart and Elite Beat Agents and Advance Wars and so on are *truly great games* is just avoiding reality for the sake of your fanboyism.
- Look - why is it that GTA:LCS and NSMB can't *both* be great games? I sure think they are!
required @ Feb 1st 2007 11:35AM
"denying that games like New Super Mario Bros and both Castlevanias and Mario Kart...."
Not really, it's more of a case of been there done that on the GBA.
Word of the street @ Feb 6th 2007 11:31AM
Have you played DS games? Things like Brain Age, Cooking Mama, Age of Empires, Tao's Adventure, Dark Labyrinth, Lost Magic, etc ... are things that really work because of the unique design of the DS.
__________________________________________________
Yeah,im one of the poor souls that did,i was just curious and then oh God forgive me.
I trade brain age for Mario march of the minis because it reminds me to Megaman Powered up! and plays like exit.Brain age stop being fun after a month.The only thing to come back is sodoku which im not really a fan.
Dark Labyrinth, Lost Magic.Repetitive describes perfectly.Cooking Mama, Age of Empires, Tao's Adventure
In that order Havent played and dont want to,Field commander is better,Tao's adventure never heard of it.
Man your collection is crap.Let me suggest you cool ds games
Mario march of the minis-Like exit but Chibi.
Castlevania-Aweosme,cant wait for the PSP version.
Elite beat agents-superb
Metroid Hunters.
Megaman ZD.
Add 2 more games and thats my DS collection so far,i have like 17 PSP games and i havent bought the other 6 i want.Vcs is on the list.
txa1265 @ Feb 6th 2007 11:54AM
Re: #17: "Man your collection is crap.Let me suggest you cool ds games"
Those were just a few examples - I've reviewed more than 30 DS games professionally (and over 50 PSP games as I mentioned before), and own many more DS games (like both Castlevanias, Elite Beat, Metroid Hunters & Pinball, and on and on ... )
"Field commander is better"
I disagree - I really *wanted* to love Field Commander, but it really fell short of AdvWars DS is *every* way, except doing what it took to 'look' more 'grown up'. I also think Age of Empires DS is a better strategy game