Remembering GTA: Vice City
It wasn’t the first title in the Grand Theft Auto Series – it wasn’t even the first 3-D offering, with GTA III claiming that particular crown – but GTA: Vice City is still fondly remembered as a masterpiece in the world of video games. This gaming legend introduced a range of features that are commonplace these days, and it brought controversy that only helped boost Rockstar’s notoriety and profit base.
Setting GTA III in a fictionalized New York City had proved to be a huge success but the developers wanted something different from this next incarnation. Not only would the setting be recognizably based on a real-life place, there would be a shift in time to introduce more characters, music, and general vibe to the game. Vice City was born and it was immediately obvious that it was supposed to be 1980s Miami Beach.
It feels like an obviously genius move looking back. This Miami-ish setting could provide stunning backdrops, great lighting, beaches, a grimy criminal underworld – and would have probably also included a story based on a Florida sports betting app if that had been a thing back in the 1980s. GTA: Vice City was a real game-changer and we thought we would get a little nostalgic about this great title from back in the day.
Star Quality
We are well used to hearing the voices of our favorite actors in games these days but that wasn’t quite the case back in the early 2000s. There had been some big names before but Vice City had the cast of an Oscar-winning movie. And that stellar list of credits started right from the main character.
In Vice City, gamers control the life of Tommy Vercetti, a mobster who is released from prison and goes on to build his own criminal empire. Voicing Tommy is the star of one of the best mafia movies of all time, the late, great Ray Liotta. But there’s also Burt Reynolds, Luiz Guzman, and Dennis Hopper. That’s real Hollywood royalty.
Miami Heritage
The developers at Rockstar really got the setting right for this one. Miami Beach just looks so good – but with a dark side – and Vice City captured all of that perfectly. Part of the reason for the success is the research carried out on the ground in Florida. But there was also some innate Miami inspiration as well.
Rockstar has stated that TV show Miami Vice was on heavy rotation when the game was being planned and produced. The mixture of glamor and grime is plain to see in the game and it could be argued that Vice City is basically a feature-length episode of the classic show. It even had Philip Michael Thomas – Tubbs in Miami Vice – as one of the main characters.
1980s Style
Escaping the modern day was also a masterstroke on the part of Rockstar. As was shown in the next installment of the Grand Theft Auto series, San Andreas – where the action takes place in a version of early of 1990s Los Angeles – there is so much scope for innovation and characters when a particular time period is used.
We have already mentioned that Miami Vice was a major inspiration for this title and what better time to set a mobster crime game in Miami than the 1980s? Neon lighting, pastel colors, and excess are what this South Florida haven is all about. Even the crime seems somehow less threatening (although it could get quite brutal in the game).
Open World
There have been other open world games that have changed the way we play these days. But Grand Theft Auto has always been pushing the boundaries and Vice City upped the stakes even from Rockstar’s incredible effort in GTA III. The missions were great but gamers came back for the exploration.
Being able to ride around Vice City and discover the setting for yourself away from the missions was a big attraction. This freedom within a game was still something of a novelty at the time of Vice City’s release in 2002 and it is fair to say that other production companies have been chasing the same success ever since.
Critical Acclaim
Obviously, Vice City had millions of fans around the world – and some that still play the game and its offshoots to this day. But it is not as though the title was slept on in its prime. Critics instantly raved about the playability and story, as well as the long list of stars used in the production.
The open world aspect was particularly well-received, with the missions also considered an improvement from the previous GTA installment. The details of the city and the storylines was frequently commented on, with Vice City setting the standard for this kind of game.
Legacy
Over 20 years on from its original release, fans still look back fondly on Vice City. It is not always the number one title in the series for many but it signaled a shift in the way that GTA was going and heralded a new dimension to what could be produced. Even just the extended soundtrack and in-game radio station selection provides gamers with some welcome memories.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City could be seen as the one that really kicked off the entire series in earnest. The 3-D modeling was a huge success and something that was only improved over time. Everything about the setting and plot lines excited gamers and left them wanting more. Vice City changed the way we think about gaming and will always be regarded as one of the very best.
