Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Vice City doesn't just match the magic of "GTA III"; it bests it in every way possible. [Dec 2002, p.104]

You simply must find a way to play it. [Jan 2003, p.44]

It's one of the best games of the year, no doubt, and anybody who denies the game that much is a tree-smoking psychopath.

Provides just about everything you'd want in a follow-up to an outstanding game. It's bigger, badder, and better in almost every imaginable way.

Contains a lot more of what people loved about GTA3, along with a dream-come-true soundtrack and voice cast, and over twice as many missions.

The seamless amalgamation of all things '80s into the mix lets the creative team go wild with the vocal work and provide an outstanding retro soundtrack.

It's a game worth owning, for most, but it's not so revolutionary that it will make converts out of the skeptical. Perhaps in Grand Theft Auto 4. Time will tell.

Few games capture the spirit of a time and place as perfectly as *Grand Theft Auto: Vice City*. Rockstar didn’t just create another open-world crime game—they built a living, breathing tribute to the neon-soaked excess of the 1980s. From the moment the game begins, it’s clear that *Vice City* isn’t simply a sequel; it’s a defining moment in gaming history. Set in the vibrant coastal city of Vice City, the story follows Tommy Vercetti, a recently released mobster sent south to oversee a drug deal that quickly spirals out of control. What follows is a gripping rise-to-power narrative filled with betrayal, ambition, and unforgettable personalities. Tommy is one of Rockstar’s most iconic protagonists, brought to life through sharp writing and a confident performance that perfectly fits the game’s tone. What makes *Vice City* so remarkable is its atmosphere. The city itself feels alive—bathed in neon lights, lined with palm trees, and pulsing with the unmistakable style of the 1980s. Every street corner, nightclub, and beachfront highway feels carefully crafted to immerse players in the era. The attention to detail was extraordinary for its time and remains impressive even years later. Of course, no discussion of *Vice City* would be complete without mentioning its legendary soundtrack. With radio stations packed with classic hits from artists that defined the decade, driving through the city becomes an experience in itself. Whether cruising down Ocean Drive at sunset or racing through the city during a mission, the music transforms ordinary gameplay into something unforgettable. Gameplay builds on the open-world foundation established by earlier titles but refines it with greater focus and style. Missions are varied and cinematic, businesses can be purchased and expanded, and the world invites exploration at every turn. The freedom players are given—combined with the game’s strong narrative—creates an experience that feels both expansive and tightly crafted. But beyond its mechanics, *Vice City* succeeded because of its identity. It wasn’t just large or ambitious—it had personality. Its satire, its visual style, its music, and its characters all came together to form something truly unique. Few games manage to leave such a lasting cultural impact. Even years after its release, *Grand Theft Auto: Vice City* remains one of the most beloved and influential titles ever made. It captured lightning in a bottle, delivering an unforgettable world that players still return to again and again. **Score: 10/10 — A timeless classic and one of the most stylish, memorable games ever created.**

I think this is much better than GTA 3, a massive step up in sandbox opportunity with motorbikes, planes, helicopters and actual working boats. Tommy seems like the most competent of the GTA protagonists, he enjoys his job and is good at it. Much different to the GTA 4/5 protagonists who (while efficient) constantly seem like they don't want to do any of this and are instead acting out of anger or doing it for someone else. Not a Shakespeare level story but pretty decently written and interesting. My favourite quests were the biker gangs, the cab missions after you buy it as an asset and the "film studio" ones. I love love LOVE how fast you can run in this game, i feel like a jacked psychopath protagonist which is absolutely the vibe. Speaking of, the general vibe, colour pallette, music and fashion do such a really good job of showing the 80's time period. Banger after banger on the radio, i added a bunch to my spotify. so if i like the game so much, why is is the same as my GTA 3 score? well one it would be a 7.4 if i could actually rate this how i want, above gta 3's strict 7. **** metacritics rating system. more importantly two, there are so many controller throwing, unnecessarily hard, punishing, long winded missions and sections that made it an incredibly frustrating playthrough, much more than the first game. the game lies saying there is checkpoints, but it just restarts you at the beginning of the mission. while this was in the previous game this is much more frustrating because Vice City has much longer multi-layered missions compared to GTA 3. The game also is not obvious in progression of missions, certain character quests one after another end without a sense of conclusion. I rarely knew, at the end of all missions with a character, that it was the end. This carries over into requirements to get the ending. I had finished every single mission i possibly could, including all of the gang missions on both sides of the gang war, I even did a telephone and basic cab driving mission which in any other circumstance i would never do. I had no idea what to do from there, or whether i had already finished all the missions unbeknownst to me. WELL turns out i should have been buying property the entire time! the OPTIONAL properties have their own missions which when you complete about 20, after buying EVERY SINGLE CHAIN, then you can play the final two missions and finish the game :3 This comes out of NOWHERE, and hit me like a truck. I had spent all of the money I had got in the game on ammo and guns, oversupplying myself because the game did such a poor job at explaining what else i could do with it. I was then softlocked out of getting the ending because i was broke, and couldn't get more money because i had done all the missions already. This forced me to reload a save from hours ago losing progress and do a glitched mission called "Cone Crazy" which if you do right, gives you millions if you get good at beating your score. Finally after about 40 mins of grinding and an hour or two of doing what i had already done, I could do the missions which took about four hours. there was a whole 1/3 of the game unknown to me because the game never highlighted it was possible. I had to find it online out of disbelief. When I looked at the comment section for the tutorial on how to get the ending, there were dozens of commentors saying they had been stuck as I had for DECADES with no idea what to do or where to go. really bad game design. and this especially **** because Vice Cities ending kicks ass, there is a decent twist and you get a scarface showdown in your mansion against the main antagonist of the game. it's really sad most people won't get to experience it, because they were never directed in the ways to unlock it. despite my gripes with the process to get the last half, i still had quite a blast and enjoyed playing.

This is me being honest i have no interest in this its alright at best please be with me

My high-school roommate's favorite game. Dumb fun, great artstyle. I've started it several times, it didn't really capture my attention.

the controls are so bad and atrocious, mechanics are poor hard to get around, and on top of that too much motion blurr, its blinding to my eyes playing it. gunplay and aiming is horrible The only saving grace is the open world , characters and dialogue. GTAV IS miles better miles better