Miami is apparently a very gritty place. Drug cartels around every corner, police who shoot first, shoot later, and then, if time permits, ask questions. Such is Miami Vice, one of the latest offerings of movie-to-game transitions.

You'll take the role of either Crockett or Tubbs (or, with a friend and Wi-Fi, you each can take control of one and both charge through the levels) in a story that is nothing more than a thin cover, something to tie the missions of shooting things together. Really. I recall something about drugs and some guy named Freddie, but everything else is just hot air. You could skip through all the dialogue and it really makes absolutely no difference. Which is fine, in a way, since the gameplay itself is actually not that bad.

You'll be shooting things from a camera that's just over your character's shoulder. Through most of the game, you'll want to take cover behind the conveniently-placed boxes, signs, and barrels that litter the levels as the enemies do tend to shoot back. You can take a few shots, but invincible you are not, and you'll often find yourself in a heated battle while hiding behind a crate, taking on a host of enemies that range from shirt-wearing drug smugglers to suit-wearing drug smugglers. Not a whole lot of variation in who you're up against, but considering the difficulty that sometimes arises from trying to pick out motionless enemies from the background, that won't make too much of a difference.

The controls themselves, for the most part, feel pretty good. The analog nub is a pain in the neck to control delicate movements with, but after some playing you'll develop a semblance of normality with it. It's easy to duck behind cover and quickly aim from behind it, though from time to time problems arose when it came to corners. I found my character getting stuck on them, forcing me to back up, turn, and try to navigate them once more. While getting shot at by multiple enemies, this is no simple task.

But to each mission there's more to do than just shoot everything that moves. You'll along be able to find hidden stashes of drugs that you can sell later for big bucks. There's also a flashRAM card in every stage that'll let you unlock various things to purchase and various people to purchase from. The biggest problem with the levels themselves is that they feel so linear. Every room has two doors leading out of it: the one you came through, and the one you have to leave through. I can count on one finger the times where this does not happen, and even then, the extra door led to the same room afterwards.

Thankfully, though, the levels were varied enough in appearance as to make them interesting, as opposed to watching the same textures repeat a few dozen times. The detail is excellent, whether you're looking at a nightclub, a sun-drenched pier, or a slum house filled with rubble. The textures are sharp, and the environments vary greatly.

Between levels, you'll have the option to make money and spend it. First, you'll be able to take place in a bit of a bargaining game: you'll be trying to buy drugs low and sell drugs high to the various dealers across the city. Make enough cash, and you'll be able to purchase new weapons, upgrades for said weapons, and suits to outfit your character in. It's not a bad diversion from all the gunning that is the majority of the game, though after you unlock the drug 'barons', there's no real point to trade with the normal dealers. And since there are only two suits, a choice between reputation and body armor, you'll find yourself with a lot of cash and nothing to do with it.

Speaking of reputation, it exists in the game, but its use is extremely limited. It allows you to meet more dealers as well as some higher-ups that'll give you much better prices after you play through a short mini-game to meet with them. The reputation score outlives its usefulness very quickly, though, considering it has a low maximum point after which it can't increase anymore, giving it very little use afterwards. Since most of the challenge in the levels is based on picking weapons and suits that give you a reputation bonus, the game became little more than a cakewalk after I realized that I couldn't gain any more rep on the streets.

There's not a whole lot to Miami Vice, whether we're talking about gameplay or appeal. It's a fun enough game to play through once, but considering its low variety and even shorter length, it's at best a rent, unless you're really into the genre.