10 Best Video Game Prequels
8. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto III changed the video game landscape when it arrived, forever altering the look and feel of GTA itself. So it seemed poetic that the first time the franchise went fully 3D on a handheld, it should be a game that takes place within the same location and story.
Liberty City Stories takes us back to Rockstar’s fictional version of NYC in 1998, three years prior to the rise of Claude and the events of GTA 3. The game puts players in the shoes of Toni Ciprani, an important NPC in GTA 3, and explores his past as he returns to the city to rise up the criminal ladder after laying low for four years. This leads directly into Toni’s position in Grand Theft Auto III, where he’s second-in-command of the Leone family.
The game makes very few concessions considering it was originally developed for (and is best played on) the PSP. The entire city is here, which can be explored in a variety of vehicles whilst listening to one of several radio stations. Outside of the missions, Liberty City Stories doesn't skimp on optional content like community missions, street races and hidden packages.
Returning to Liberty City is a joy, allowing a nostalgic look back at the city that first catapulted GTA into the mainstream.