The WhatsNext verdict
Vice City is essential for players who want a brilliantly realized 1980s crime fantasy, an unforgettable radio soundtrack, and open-world freedom with real personality. Expect some rough controls and uneven late-game pacing, but the atmosphere remains genuinely iconic.
What it does best
An era-defining soundtrack
A neon-soaked 1980s fantasy you can inhabit
A playground that lets you make your own trouble
A charismatic crime-movie cast
What might put you off
Abrasive controls and dated mission design
The late-game property grind
The setup
What you are walking into
In the year 1986, Tommy Vercetti is heavily indebted to his mafia superiors after a drug deal gone awry, but his dreams of taking over Vice City (based on Miami) push him down a different path. Featuring a wide variety of vehicles and weapons, radio stations playing hit songs from the era and an intense atmosphere, GTA: Vice City is an open-world sandbox satire of '80's Miami.
Where it lives
Genre
Vibe
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