While the missions are nothing more than filler between points A and B, that doesn't mean that they aren't entertaining, because just as Mario stomping on a goomba hasn't gotten old after 20 years, the same can be said of mowing down some ass head with an automatic rifle. And I'm certainly not above dragging people from their cars and then using those vehicles to smash into things. I mean, this is Grand Theft Auto and there aren't any significant gameplay innovations. Therefore, and whether you realize it or not, you already know what to expect, so you either like this style of game or you don't.

Aside from the story, the other reason why I still enjoy Liberty City Stories is because of its wealth of content. In addition to the 30 plus hour main quest there are side missions as well as numerous multiplayer modes that can be played via ad hoc. They're far from being sophisticated (death match, team death match, death race, survive in a tank for as long as you possibly can), but I'll be damned if they aren't fun to play. And it all works, which is the most important thing. It would have been a lot better if there was online play, but as a glimpse into the future of what console GTA's will likely offer, it's a good start.

Unfortunately, and just like in some of the other GTA titles, Liberty City Stories' missions are difficult for two reasons: they can be quite hard, and the game's problems make them more stressful than they should be. But what's particularly frustrating is the PSP itself, which only magnifies these nagging issues because of its design. The camera, for example, can only be controlled by pressing and holding L and then using the analog nub to move around, which is fine for when I'm taking a relaxing stroll down the street, but not when several police cars are converging on my hairy ass. It's also not cool that the vehicles can only be controlled using the analog stick. Unlike in some of the other PSP racers, such control isn't precise, making it very difficult running from the law.

What you first need to realize when playing this game is the targeting system is your friend, because without it it's nearly impossible to effectively kill anyone. Going to punch someone without it results in numerous missed jabs, so learn to always press and hold the right analog stick and then just go to town. The camera will still obscure your vision when characters get to close to the screen (and the actual targeting system isn't perfect because it defaults to whichever target it damn well pleases), but it's still a decent system.

Even with the targeting system, I think Liberty City Stories is a lot more troublesome than it should be. Again, everything works well when I'm just screwing around, but the game becomes quite irritating during the more intense moments. It's then when the controls really screw me, especially during the driving segments. The cars just slide across the road, and this isn't helpful when police are ramming into me or I'm smacking into things. It's a 60-40 system where the AI has the advantage, because it only takes a few brief moments before flames erupt from underneath the hood and I explode, thus failing the mission. And don't even think about making any high speed getaways in a boat, because you're one lucky son-of-gun if you do.

I'm actually conflicted with this game, because the more and more the controls piss me off the less I want to play. When this happened in previous GTA's I would blow off some steam by murdering random pedestrians and pissing off the law, but since this no longer appeals to me I just become angry and shut off the PSP and that's bad, because if I lose interest in the story, the game has almost no appeal to me other than for its multiplayer kicks.

True to form, this is a typical GTA from Rockstar, a game that is visually unimpressive and that's gameplay is about as polished as a dusty spoon, but the product is rich in character, overall presentation, and its addictive quality winds up being the epitome of the term guilty pleasure. I originally wanted to slap it with a seemingly deserved three out of five, but every time that I'd come close I would blaze through the city on a bike, run over someone with a fire truck, or laugh at one of the excellent radio commercials or talk show sequences. Unlike the rabid fans I'm not sleeping with Liberty City Stories but I am enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would, and for that reason alone, I'm awarding it with a four.