Review: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (PSP)

Gamestyle liked GTA: CW on the DS. We liked it a lot. To cram such a detailed, comprehensive, and entertaining game onto the little handheld was an impressive feat of technology. The PSP is no stranger to the GTA series, with both Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories being released on the console. It seems a strange move to port across the simplistic, top-down DS version, when its predecessors have been fully fledged 3D ventures. As the saying goes,  "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", and having receive critical acclaim for the job done on the DS version, Rockstar have wisely decided not to change it.

That's not to say they haven't tinkered, however, and the game receives a makeover. The comic strip cut-scenes remain untouched, but the action is displayed in glorious widescreen, with improved lighting and 3D effects. For those who have played the DS version, driving around the improved Liberty City almost feels fresh and new. It certainly took Gamestyle time to re-orientate themselves to the roads and routes to get to the various missions. Driving around the city is still a joy, and the improved effects offer pleasant distractions whilst on the move - just be careful you don't veer off the road while the trains passing overhead catch your eye. Liberty City came alive in the DS version, with the time, weather, and inhabitants making wandering the streets an absorbing pastime. The feeling is still present in the PSP version, and you can easily lose hours exploring the suburbs, and locating the side missions. It's a beautiful game, and this is most apparent at night, when the street lights and headlamps illuminate the city.

The mixture of old and improved doesn't always work, however, and the 2D cut-scenes look somewhat out of place with the 3D sections. It gives the game an almost unfinished feel, with the comic strips being story boards of how the cut-scenes would play out. This, of course, is not the case, but where the cut-scenes were present in the DS version due to technological restraints, these are not there in the PSP. Gamestyle feels that the choice to stick with simple approach was correct, however, as the loading times are minimal, and the action flows quickly and smoothly.

The story remains almost exactly the same as the first; you play as Huang Lee who arrives in Liberty City to avenge his father's death. In order to discover the man responsible, he has to work his way into the triad, carrying out a variety of missions. If you have already played the DS version, you will be pleased to hear that there are some new missions and story lines to add variety this time around. Gamestyle fears that it's not enough to warrant another purchase, however, and doubt whether anyone will be overly eager to complete the game to the 100% target, if they've managed to achieve this on the DS version. The ironically addictive drug dealing game is present, and certainly makes the rise to the top of the criminal underworld more entertaining, as well as being an excellent way to make your fortune and buy those important safe houses.

One aspect of the DS game that cannot be ported is the touchscreen interaction. Whilst the mini-games (if they can be called that) of searching through trash cans, hot-wiring cars, defusing bombs etc. are present, they are controlled by button presses alone. This makes them a little redundant, and they feel more of a chore, rather than involving you in the action. Lifting the bags out the bins or building a sniper rifle with the stylus in the DS version, felt satisfying, and although they did get rather repetitive, at least they felt interactive. It may sound like a small point, but rapidly tapping the L and R buttons just doesn't feel the same, and it's taken some of the charm away from the game.

Charm seems a strange word to use to describe a Grand Theft Auto game, but the DS version of GTA: CW oozed it. The fact that they managed to squeeze a living, breathing city into the tiny handheld, and managed to successfully utilise the touchscreen in a manner that was subtle and unobtrusive contributed to this.  The graphics were simple, yet it was one of the better looking games on the console. Maybe its because Gamestyle has already experienced this Liberty City before, but the initial feelings of awe just weren't present when playing the PSP version. Yes, it's a lovely looking game, but you can't help thinking that the console can do more. The Liberty City in the DS version, for example, is only a fraction of the area covered in GTA IV. You would think the PSP version could easily cater for the additional suburbs, which would bring extra content to this version. This would have easily made the prospect of purchasing both a little more attractive. This is also the case for the multi-player, and Gamestyle would have loved to have seen a fully-fledged online multi-player option, rather than the return of the DS's local wi-fi only mode.

This is possibly a little unfair on GTA: CW for the PSP, and Gamestlye is probably looking to find fault in what is a near faultless game. It's still the same game that we loved from the DS, and the improved looks and graphics make up for the fiddly touchscreen substitutes. The targetting issues from the DS version are still present, and if anything are made worse by the PSP's analogue stick. This is also true about the driving aspects, and using the stick to control vehicles takes a bit of time to get used to. Gamestyle certainly found themselves crashing into police cars and scenery more frequently than they remember from the DS game.

There is no doubt that Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is a must-buy for any PSP owner, and is a very welcome port. There may be slight disappointments over the controls and missed opportunities, but the engaging and humorous story, varied missions, and absorbing city make GTA: CW one of the best games on the console. There's not enough new material and changes in this version to warrant purchase if you've already played the game on the DS, and if pushed, Gamestyle would recommend the dual-screen version over this one. That's not to say, however, that GTA: CW on the PSP is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Rating: 9 / 10

Words by Chris Thornton