Controls for GTA Liberty City Stories

On the PSP, character movement is controlled using the analog stick and the D-pad being used to cycle through the available weapons. The Select button changes the camera mode. To target an enemy, the player holds the right trigger and can then cycle through targets using left and right on the D-pad. While in a car, the trigger buttons can be used for drive-by shootings. While in the midst of a mission, all enemies (that is, those directly relating to the mission) are indicated on the radar by red dots. In the game's menu, the player can choose to reverse the functions of the analog stick and D-Pad.

The PlayStation 2 version of Liberty City Stories combines various gameplay mechanics from the PS2 versions of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Camera control is similar to that of San Andreas, while on-foot movement and gunplay are closer to III or Vice City. However, third-person free-aiming is available in Liberty City Stories, which draws from the aiming mechanics of San Andreas.