GTA: Liberty City Stories

About

In Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, play as Toni Cipriani, a former wise guy for the Leone family, who returns to Liberty City to find it in turmoil due to warring families, political corruption, and organized crime. Toni must navigate through deranged hitmen, morally depraved tycoons, and even his own mother to bring the city under Leone family control. The game features a one-time in-app purchase to play without time limits and offers exclusive, unlockable, and downloadable content.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,649 reviews

story101 positive mentions

stability62 negative mentions

The game brings back nostalgic memories from the PSP days, providing a great experience on mobile.
Graphics and gameplay are impressive for a mobile port, making it enjoyable to play.
The storyline is engaging, and the game offers a fun open-world experience.

The game frequently crashes on startup, making it unplayable for many users.
Controls can be frustrating and unresponsive, especially during driving and shooting.
There are significant performance issues, including lag and graphical glitches, particularly on newer devices.

story
326 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
63%
6%
The story of "GTA: Liberty City Stories" is generally regarded as engaging, with many players appreciating its connection to the broader GTA universe and the character of Toni Cipriani. However, several users have expressed disappointment with the narrative depth compared to other titles in the series, particularly "San Andreas," and noted that some missions can be frustratingly difficult or repetitive. Technical issues, especially crashes during key missions like "Driving Mr. Leone," have also detracted from the overall experience, leading to a mixed reception regarding the story's execution.
- “The story is great, the missions are pleasingly challenging, but not ridiculously difficult.”
- “A preservation of gaming to storyline really grasps the feel of what Liberty City is.”
- “Great storytelling and also there a bug on every boat when it in there water.”
- “The poorly written storyline gives rise to boring missions and cut aways that lack content.”
- “The story is fine but the controls are awful for some missions which makes it seem impossible.”
- “It lacks the depth of story found in San Andreas, 4, and 5.”
graphics
264 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
41%
6%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the improvements over the original PSP and PS2 versions, noting enhanced clarity and detail. However, some users have pointed out issues such as graphical glitches, low render distances, and a desire for more modern visual fidelity. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for a mobile port, there are calls for further enhancements to match newer titles in the series.
- “The graphics are stunning, especially on a sunny day in-game.”
- “The game runs flawlessly on my Motorola One Vision and the graphics are crisp and detailed, in comparison to the old PSP version I used to play 10 years ago.”
- “Graphics are phenomenal!”
- “Graphics are bad in some areas compared to the PSP and PS2 version, but still not an issue for me since being able to play this game portably was my main reason.”
- “The game plays well, but in some parts of the map it starts to lag (FPS nearly 1, any graphics set), although in other places it goes well at any graphics.”
- “If you are driving, the screen does this jump thing; it looks odd. The visuals are horrible. I'm glad I got it when on sale; I would be angry had I paid full price for this product.”
stability
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
1%
70%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant freezing issues, particularly when transitioning to the second island or during specific missions. While some users report smooth performance and good graphics on various devices, others face persistent bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, leading to frustration and requests for refunds. Overall, the game appears to require further patches to address these stability concerns effectively.
- “The game works perfectly fine, graphics are amazing, no glitches whatsoever.”
- “Runs great across all my devices.”
- “Pure awesomeness, bug free, if someone is complaining about it, the fault is not in the game...”
- “Great game, just one issue: I can't get past the loading screen for the second island during the mission driving Mr. Leone. It goes to loading and freezes. I've reinstalled 3 times, same issue every time.”
- “Game was great up until driving Mr. Leone, where as soon as I cross over to Staunton Island, the load screen freezes. I tried everything I could think of but to no avail. Why would you sell a mobile game that is impossible to progress through? Either this gets fixed or I want my money back, one or the other, because now I feel ripped off.”
- “I love the game, I really do, but I wouldn't recommend it because every time I play the mission driving Mr. Leone, right when I jump the bridge, my game freezes. In fact, I want my $6.99 back.”
music
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
76%
5%
The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating the inclusion of a mixtape mode that allows for custom soundtracks via Google Play Music, despite its discontinuation. Many users have encountered issues with getting their playlists to work, leading to frustration, while others enjoy the in-game radio and soundtrack, noting it as a highlight of the experience. Overall, while the ability to play personal music is a welcomed feature, technical difficulties and compatibility issues have marred the experience for some players.
- “The mix tape looks like it requires Google Play Music.”
- “Brings back good memories and can connect a controller, making it easier to control cool music on the in-game radio. Very 90s! You can also connect your own music to the game to play on the radio, which is always cool.”
- “Great soundtrack.”
- “My only complaint is no matter what application I'm on for music, when I title a playlist 'gtalcs' it does not play in the mixtape station, just dead silence.”
- “Every time thing is awesome but develop an update for custom track player as Google Play has converted to YouTube Music & it is not supported in the game.”
- “The music is abysmal which makes the game unbearable to play.”
optimization
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
43%
13%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance on high-end devices while others report significant lag and stuttering, particularly on lower-end smartphones. Many users express a desire for further optimization to enhance frame rates and reduce graphical issues, especially during demanding scenarios like rain or dense environments. Overall, while some devices handle the game well, there are notable concerns regarding performance consistency across various Android models.
- “No complaints here; in high settings, it looks very detailed and runs smoothly on my device.”
- “The port is quite good; optimization is good on the S7 but constantly crashes.”
- “It is a great game, as good as the original; it seems very well ported and optimized for cellphone CPUs and GPUs.”
- “It needs more optimization; my frame rate drops (lag screen) when I'm in grass or close to trees. The controls are good (you can edit HUD), but it's hard to move the character. I die every time because I can't aim.”
- “Great game but poorly optimized.”
- “So far the game is great; however, it still suffers from countless lag and stuttering. Even at mid settings, the game lags, which ruins the overall experience for me.”
gameplay
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
38%
6%
The gameplay of this GTA title is generally praised for its smooth mechanics and enjoyable controls, particularly on mobile devices, making it one of the best in the series. While some users noted issues with graphics and occasional lag, the overall experience is described as fun and engaging, with many appreciating the nostalgic elements and improved driving mechanics. However, a few players found the gameplay less immersive and expressed frustration with certain control mechanics.
- “It's a GTA game, so the core gameplay is as fun as ever.”
- “Best 3D GTA stories series: great story, dark atmosphere, great gameplay, perfect game.”
- “The gameplay is super smooth and the graphical improvements are great.”
- “The control is a bit terrible, but I enjoy the gameplay.”
- “One of the early missions took several tries because the game's autolock mechanic is terrible.”
- “Same BS another day, so many slowdowns on just the default settings. Don't even get me started on high settings. I factory reset my phone to see if that was the problem, but nope, it's not. Same BS with San Andreas too; what a rip-off, Rockstar! I wish I could refund my GTA:SA buy as well. That game has texture glitches which makes it impossible to play, and this game has so many slowdowns in gameplay which makes it unplayable. Stop ripping off customers, Rockstar!”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
43%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its funny cutscenes, hilarious dialogue, and the presence of quirky characters that contribute to an entertaining experience. While some critiques mention the graphics and AI, the overall comedic elements, including inappropriate humor and laugh-out-loud moments, enhance the enjoyment of the gameplay. Rockstar's knack for humor in open-world settings continues to resonate with fans, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “In addition to cloud saving, the storyline is streamlined, the action is great, and I do love watching the cutscenes as they can be quite funny.”
- “It's funny, inappropriate, has interesting characters, and the missions are challenging.”
- “One of my favorite GTA games, great voice acting and hilarious dialogue.”
- “The humor in this game falls flat and feels forced, making it more cringeworthy than funny.”
- “I expected a lot of laughs, but the jokes are stale and often miss the mark entirely.”
- “The attempts at humor are so over-the-top that they become annoying rather than entertaining.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively due to the absence of ads and microtransactions, which enhances the user experience. However, frustrations arise from the game's instability and the lack of availability on current platforms, leading to disappointment with the developer's focus on profit from microtransactions in other titles.
- “Love this game when it was on PS2, and love it even more on mobile. Good controls, good graphics, and most importantly, no ads!”
- “Full game, no ads, no microtransactions, just as it should be.”
- “I am a huge fan of this game, but the random crashing made me bitter to recommend it to anyone. This game is unstable, and if you switch to another app while pausing, like a video, you can lose progress. It's even worse when you can't purchase this game for PC or current consoles, and you can only get it on iOS or original PS2 and PSP consoles. Rockstar really dropped the ball here; they just sit on the pile of cash from microtransactions in GTA Online, so they really messed up. Now I want a refund.”
- “The monetization in this game is outrageous. It feels like every corner you turn, there's another paywall or microtransaction. It's frustrating and takes away from the overall experience.”
- “I can't believe how much they are charging for in-game items. It feels like they are more focused on making money than providing a good gaming experience.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the emotional impact of the game's mechanics, particularly how minor interactions, like touching a boardwalk, can lead to significant setbacks, creating a sense of helplessness and annoyance.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a compelling dark tone that enhances the storytelling, complemented by engaging gameplay that contributes to an immersive experience. Overall, it is praised as a standout entry in the 3D GTA series.
- “The game features a captivating dark atmosphere that enhances the storytelling experience.”
- “The 3D graphics create an immersive environment that pulls you into the world.”
- “The combination of great gameplay and a haunting atmosphere makes it a perfect game.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating, noting that bike handling is cumbersome and the requirement to press multiple buttons for actions like drive-bys adds unnecessary complexity to gameplay.
- “Bikes handle like tanks, and the requirement to press two buttons for a drive-by is tedious.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “Leveling up takes far too long, and the grind becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”