User Score
7.1 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 80 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 80
  2. Negative: 19 out of 80

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  1. StephenS.
    Oct 22, 2009
    10
    At first I was a little skeptical about whether or not i shuld get this game. I couldn't imagine gta with a top down view and there was so much that could go wrong. I am happy to say that all of my fears were unfounded and am thoroughly enjoying this game. I like this game so much that i think that this is the way to go with the portable series of gta from now on. This game really gave the series the fresh breath it needed. Great game and I recommend this to anyone looking for another great psp game to add to their library. Expand
  2. SteveP
    Dec 13, 2009
    10
    My actual vote would be closer to 6, but I guess I need to offset Federico, who clearly didn't actually play the game but gets to give it a score anyway. Chinatown Wars is a graphically huge step back to GTA2, with very little of the humor prevalent in the past several GTA games. As someone else mentioned, this GTA probably pushes the DS to its limits, but I expect more than a straight port for the PSP. Expand
  3. CruzU
    Oct 20, 2009
    10
    Great game..! And also very, very fun... Once you see Grand Theft Auto on any title, you will know it will be a very fun experience. No GTA title disappoints, well, maybe GTA IV, because it was such a downgrade with the limited space they had to work with... But it was still a very good experience. Clearly one of the best games on the PSP to date.
  4. NathanE.
    Jan 15, 2010
    9
    Chinatown Wars is without a doubt one of the best PSP games I've ever played. Anyone saying the gameplay isn't as immersive as other GTA games didn't give this one enough time. At first I wasn't a fan of going back to the top down look, even though this time around the cars and cities are rendered in 3D. It took me a while to get used to, but once I did, I was hooked. It has some of the funnest missions I've played in any GTA game. It's obvious the game was designed with handhelds in mind. This time around in the GTA universe, you don't have to show up at a contact point at a specific in game time, meaning if there's a mission available on your radar, you won't have any down time before you decide to tackle it. A huge improvement on the whole series, even though I only expect it to stick around for the handheld games. The story isn't anything astounding. It offers plenty of plot twists, but only a few of them actually caught me off guard. The ending is also incredibly weak. It's a great thing the gameplay can make up for this. Alongside the story missions available, there are plenty of things to do in this slightly scaled down Liberty City. You can do all of the normal GTA side missions, such as taxi fares and taking down criminals in your stolen cop car, but this time around you can be a tattoo artist, sell and buy drugs with a very well implemented trade system, or opt to destroy all of the hidden cameras located on top of buildings or other structures scattered around the city. Chinatown Wars may not be the best GTA around, but it's certainly the best handheld. Collapse
  5. PimpieB
    Oct 23, 2009
    10
    Finally, another GTA for the PSP and it doesn't disappoint. For all the GTA - PSP fans, this one is a must have.
  6. tahsins
    Dec 3, 2009
    10
    If you didn't play it on ds, then this is a must buy. but I've played and finished the ds version, and when playing this one I got bored, since there isn't much change in gameplay. but psp version is the one to go since graphics and animations are way better than ds plus the bigger screen.
  7. DrDrew
    Jan 12, 2010
    9
    I like the return to top down while retaining lots of modern GTA features. Looks great on PSP. Also to Federico Aa, despite your moral objections, the game is fun. Go play "Hello Kitty Island Adventure"
  8. TonyW
    Nov 27, 2009
    9
    An outstanding, long lasting game that actually beats the DS version that I loved. The top down view works to the games favour and does not detract at all from the experience... possible enhances it. Every PSP owner need to try this well worth your cash.
  9. MatthewC.
    Oct 23, 2009
    10
    gta chinatown wars is the greatest gta game to be on a nintendo console and portable one too. the ds version was awesome along with the psp much is good with extras too. the game is very cool.
  10. Mar 9, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the kind of game that you really have to play to get into it's atmosphere. Apart from the perspective, it has as much content as any other modern GTA, and even more than the other two PSP titles. I guess people that complain about the viewing perspective of the game and the toned down, cartoonish graphics have no idea where GTA is coming from. Expand
  11. Jan 1, 2013
    10
    Chinatown really packs a punch and makes GTA III look Old fashioned. The cutscenes are Retro style and the story is excellent. A worthy game indeed and really should have an award for best agme on PSP.
  12. May 7, 2013
    9
    Absolutely the best portable GTA i have ever played. I myself have LCS and VCS, but this one is off the charts. The one thing that i definetely enjoyed was the humor; it was dirty, in the best way that you can put it. Addicting mini-games, great story. The only downside was the detail of the characters; it should be a little better. 9/10.
Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 77 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 74 out of 77
  2. Negative: 0 out of 77
  1. 91
    As a PSP game, it's still a well-done portable GTA; not necessarily a better one than before. But that's fine; it's still worth playing Chinatown Wars for those bite-size bits of the GTA formula, and if you're still warm to it, then definitely give it a go.
  2. 90
    An absolute blast from start to finish with plenty of trademark Liberty City locales ripe for exploration, not to mention a cast of incredibly memory characters (Chan Jaoming, I hardly knew ya.) If you're looking for a good action adventure experience that harkens back to the more cartoony Grand Theft Auto days, then Chinatown Wars is certainly worth the investment.
  3. Chinatown Wars on PSP was always going to be a port job, and though it soils some of DS original's intuitive mini-games it maintains the inventive, thoroughly entertaining and built-for-handheld mission structure of the original - and that's what we loved most in the first place.