Miami Vice stands out from other movie tie-in games. As a huge fan of Mann's 2006 digital remake of the tv series, the video game tie-in is a really solid addition to the film's world. It's similarly stylish and its Resident Evil 4 style combat can prove to be fun.
What makes it stick out, however, is the reputation system. Dealing drugs with other dealers and barons, hacking flashrams you find to unlock upgrades, avoiding to use health packs, and even wearing certain outfits and using certain weapons helps raise Sonny and Rico's reputation in the criminal underworld, and thus make more money for upgrades.
Unfortunately, it's really easy to make money in Miami Vice: The Game. Around halfway through the game, I had more than enough money left over. I upgraded both the armor suit and reputation suit to the max, as well as the pistol, shotgun, and assault rifle, and I still had plenty of money and reputation left by the last few levels. It's not a very challenging game, even by the final level on the cargo ship.
After finishing the story, the levels can be replayed, and there's a "cheat suit" that can be unlocked, which makes your weapons and melee move more powerful (I forgot melee was in the game :P ), it makes gun clips infinite, and of course it grants invulnerability. It's a fun little unlockable after beating the game, although it was incredibly easy to get it. I beat the game on normal mode within a few sittings in a day, and it was way too easy. Still, it was a cute little unlockable I guess.
This isn't a game that'll amaze anyone, especially if you have no real appreciation for the film of the same name, but Miami Vice: The Game still has some cool ideas in it and is nevertheless ambitious! I just wish it went further with its ideas. Perhaps if there were a console port that upgraded the sound, visuals, combat, and levels, it could have been fleshed out more. As it stands however, it's a fascinating little game that I enjoyed.
What makes it stick out, however, is the reputation system. Dealing drugs with other dealers and barons, hacking flashrams you find to unlock upgrades, avoiding to use health packs, and even wearing certain outfits and using certain weapons helps raise Sonny and Rico's reputation in the criminal underworld, and thus make more money for upgrades.
Unfortunately, it's really easy to make money in Miami Vice: The Game. Around halfway through the game, I had more than enough money left over. I upgraded both the armor suit and reputation suit to the max, as well as the pistol, shotgun, and assault rifle, and I still had plenty of money and reputation left by the last few levels. It's not a very challenging game, even by the final level on the cargo ship.
After finishing the story, the levels can be replayed, and there's a "cheat suit" that can be unlocked, which makes your weapons and melee move more powerful (I forgot melee was in the game :P ), it makes gun clips infinite, and of course it grants invulnerability. It's a fun little unlockable after beating the game, although it was incredibly easy to get it. I beat the game on normal mode within a few sittings in a day, and it was way too easy. Still, it was a cute little unlockable I guess.
This isn't a game that'll amaze anyone, especially if you have no real appreciation for the film of the same name, but Miami Vice: The Game still has some cool ideas in it and is nevertheless ambitious! I just wish it went further with its ideas. Perhaps if there were a console port that upgraded the sound, visuals, combat, and levels, it could have been fleshed out more. As it stands however, it's a fascinating little game that I enjoyed.
