History VideoGame / GrandTheftAutoLibertyCityStories

* DarkerAndEdgier: Somewhat. Mainly [[VideogameCrueltyPotential because the level of cruelty in the game is quite high]], even more than its predecessor. Several missions includes doing atrocious acts: bomb the area of a city (Fort Staunton), stealing corpses, dismember a man with an ax and then carrying his remains to a butchery, etc.

* TheNineties: The game is set in 1998, and while the late 90's atmosphere isn't as blatant as Vice City's take on the 80's, there's a lot of shout outs to the late 90's such as CD's, Y2K, and the early days of the Internet.

* InsurmountableWaistHeightFence: Toni can't climb, and often needs a car to give him a boost. Considering that [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas the last GTA game averted this]], it's rather annoying. Especially since many of the hidden packages are in high places, requiring you to get creative with vehicles to get them. [[spoiler:One of them requires blowing up an entire section of the city.]]

* RefugeInVulgarity: The other games did this, but it was most apparent in this game.

* SuperDrowningSkills: Toni can't swim - this is especially annoying, after [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas CJ could.]]
** I don't think it's a manner of Toni not being able to swim. Rockstar claims, to get around why Claude couldn't swim in GTA3, that Liberty City's water is polluted to the point of being a swimming hazard. Hence why Claude or Toni cannot swim in it (and probably why Tommy can't swim in Vice City, since he's grown up being used to Liberty City's waters, and probably can't swim anyway). CJ (San Andreas) and Victor (Vice City) can though.

* EvilVersusEvil: In case you have doubts, ALL the characters (protagonists, antagonists or minors) are villains or [[JerkAss jerks]], all. Toni is a ruthless and somewhat insane mobster who does not hesitate to commit atrocities for their own benefit or to satisfy their bosses, Salvatore is extremely vindictive and shows traits of paranoia and narcissism, and Donald is cannibal and corrupt.

* EvilVersusEvil: In case you have doubts, ALL the characters (protagonists, antagonists or minors) are villains or [[JerkAss jerkasses]], all. Toni is a ruthless and somewhat insane mobster who does not hesitate to commit atrocities for their own benefit or to satisfy their bosses, Salvatore is extremely vindictive and shows traits of paranoia and narcissism, and Donald is cannibal and corrupt.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: The Leone's were portrayed in a fairly villainous light in GrandTheftAutoIII, [[spoiler: what with Salvatore becoming a tertiary antagonist and eventual hit-and-run target, with the Leone gang consequently becoming hostile enemies to Claude (the protagonist)]]. Here, the guys we thought were typical mafia dicks, are actually pretty honourable and sympathetic compared to the Forellis and the Sindaccos, who are all portrayed as much more disrespectful and dislikable, forcing us to actually side with the better of two evils. Toni isn't really a bad guy, he's just loyal to Salvatore, who happens to just be paranoid (probably for [[GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas good reason]]. But the other mafia families just seem to be dicks for the sake of it.

* {{Jerkass}}: Toni's mother (until its redemption), Vincenzo Cilli and Paulie Sindacco.

* VillainProtagonist: Toni and Salvatore. See BlackAndGrayMorality.

* {{Futureshadowing}}: This game runs on it. Perhaps most significantly, Salvatore's uncle mutters under his breath, "Every dog has day...", suggesting that the Leones' days are numbered. This indeed happens when Salvatore is defeated by Carl Johnson and Claude Speed in succession.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: The Leone's were portrayed in a fairly villainous light in GTA3, [[spoiler: what with Salvatore becoming a tertiary antagonist and eventual hit-and-run target, with the Leone gang consequently becoming hostile enemies to Claude (the protagonist)]]. Here, the guys we thought were typical mafia dicks, are actually pretty honourable and sympathetic compared to the Forellis, Sindaccos, and Sicilian Mob, who are all portrayed as much more disrespectful and dislikable, forcing us to actually side with the better of two evils. Toni isn't really a bad guy, he's just loyal to Salvatore, who happens to just be paranoid (probably for [[GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas good reason]]. But the other mafia families just seem to be dicks for the sake of it.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: The Leone's were portrayed in a fairly villainous light in GTA3, [[spoiler: what with Salvatore becoming a tertiary antagonist and eventual hit-and-run target, with the Leone gang consequently becoming hostile enemies to Claude (the protagonist)]]. Here, the guys we thought were typical mafia dicks, are actually pretty honourable and sympathetic compared to the Forellis, Sindaccos, and Sicilian Mob, who are all portrayed as much more disrespectful and dislikable, forcing us to actually side with the better of two evils. Toni isn't really a bad guy, he's just loyal to Salvatore, who happens to just be paranoid (probably for [[GrandTheftAutoSanAndrease good reason]]. But the other mafia families just seem to be dicks for the sake of it.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: The Leone's were portrayed in a fairly villainous light in GTA3, [[spoiler: what with Salvatore becoming a tertiary antagonist and eventual hit-and-run target, with the Leone gang consequently becoming hostile enemies to Claude (the protagonist)]]. Here, the guys we thought were typical mafia dicks, are actually pretty honourable and sympathetic compared to the Forellis, Sindaccos, and Sicilian Mob, who are all portrayed as much more disrespectful and dislikable, forcing us to actually side with the better of two evils.

** I don't think it's a manner of Toni not being able to swim. Rockstar claims, to get around why Claude couldn't swim in GTA3, that Liberty City's water is polluted to the point of being a swimming hazard. Hence why Claude or Toni cannot swim in it (and probably why Tommy can't swim in Vice City, since he's grown up being used to Liberty City's waters, and probably can't swim anyway).

* VillainProtagonist: Toni and Salvatore.

* DarkerAndEdgier: More or less. Mainly [[VideogameCrueltyPotential because the level of cruelty in the game is quite high]], even more than its predecessor. Several missions includes doing pretty atrocious acts: bomb the area of a city (Fort Staunton), stealing corpses, etc..

* DarkerAndEdgier: More or less. Mainly [[Videogame Cruelty Potential because the level of cruelty in the game is quite high]], even more than its predecessor. Several missions includes doing pretty atrocious acts: bomb the area of a city (Fort Staunton), stealing corpses, etc..

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* ThatOneLevel: The game ramps up the difficulty for obtaining some of the hidden packages to an almost insane level. A hidden package located on top of a gas station roof in Portland is considered particularly difficult to reach, and even GuideDangIt assistance if unhelpful.

* AffablyEvil: Massimo Torini and Salvatore's uncle.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII Tons]].

The first of the two [[GaidenGame "Stories" games]] in the ''GrandTheftAuto'' series, which were both made for the PlayStationPortable and later ported to {{PlayStation 2}}. The story takes place in 1998, a few years before the events of ''III'', and follows a younger, slimmer Toni Cipriani's rise to power in the Salvatore crime family. And it's not easy. Things get messy, with uncooperative mayors and families from the Old Country wanting in on the action.

* AllElectionsAreSeriousBusiness: The Mafia-rigged mayoral race.

** [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that the [[GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas last person]] he trusted [[spoiler:betrayed him and robbed his casino.]]

** Donald Love is effectively a completely different character from ''III''.

* InsurmountableWaistHeightFence: Toni can't climb, and often needs a car to give him a boost. Considering that [[GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas the last GTA game averted this]], it's rather annoying. Especially since many of the hidden packages are in high places, requiring you to get creative with vehicles to get them. [[spoiler:One of them requires blowing up an entire section of the city.]]

* MidlifeCrisisCar: At one point, Salvatore Leone shows off a "fully loaded, top of the line" sports car to Toni. Maria, riding shotgun, humorously responds by claiming to "smell" Salvatore's mid-life crisis. The car is later found wrecked not far from where Salvatore showed it off.

* NothingPersonal: Massimo Torini's last line. Salvatore [[ItsPersonal disagrees]].

* SuperDrowningSkills: Toni can't swim - this is especially annoying, after [[GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas CJ could.]]

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* [=~I'm A Humanitarian~=]: Clarification is given of what goes on at Donald Love's 'morgue parties'. See what we mean by weird?

* BlatantLies: Mayor Donovan promises the ferries will continue running in [[GrandTheftAutoIII the future]].

* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[GrandTheftAutoIII Tons]].

* {{Prequel}}: To ''GrandTheftAutoIII''.