Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)

Age and parenthood has given, what I hope to be, a healthy perspective and structure for media exposure.

Which the brings me to a sudden surprise.

How on earth did my parents give me the green light to play GTA at an impressionable age? They must have not understood what it was at first, as my childish guile made sure to maximize the pitch. Still, they must have been continually ignorant if GTA 3 & Vice City could've been so fervently consumed.

While I believe to be a well adjusted and respectable member of society, with the utmost terror of wrong doing and its repercussions, I am curious how GTA or other early internet material formed any part of my phycological understanding of the world, women and masculinity as a whole. Admittedly, other internet flash games and online content comes to mind, which was exceptionally worse than GTA in comparison. Christ almighty.

Browsing this time capsule brings both pangs of discomfort and crippling nostalgia. I can almost feel the warmth of the CRT monitor and the crackle of late 90's computer speakers.

https://classicgtasites.com/

still had loads of fun with this one, despite its faults and glitches. didn't feel as connected to tommy as I did to victor, but he's still an interesting MC. lance was my favorite VCS character, still can't believe what he did but I'd be lying if I said I'm not gonna miss him and his horrible jokes (this is the lance vance dance, let's pop!).

played the definitive edition on the switch.

Let me just put this out there because I don't feel like it's acknowledged enough; This game has a way better structured characters and story than the absolute mess you find in San Andreas.

This game has got it all rounded up in terms of a fun game! The chaotic nature of gameplay and missions can be approached from many different sides like the previous game is all here. Collectables are FUN to collect, unlike San Andreas where it becomes a chore. Side content is fun and is not overblown. Map is small and simple but is a very fun, memorable playground. Radio. Neon, 80s styles and effects are beautiful (I'm sorry if you're playing the Defective edition)

It's perfect! It's fun! It feels like going from Doom 2016 to Doom Eternal.

Cons are pathetic though, but they don't ruin the experience nor effect the game that much.

• Can't Swim: sharks in the water
• Bad Aiming: 2002 third person shooter that's yet to adapt the Halo controls (you still need a mod on PC to fix it)
• Free Cam while driving: come on!

Tommy Vercetti's story is a satisfying one if we're to talk about Rockstar North's Story telling. The cast sells it way better than It needs to be, and you can definitely see yourself enjoying it more than It should.

The small details like Slide-ish road when it rains, The moon getting bigger or smaller, The wind blowing your clothes when you're riding a Motorbike. It's a great game.

But seriously; USE THE HUNTER TO DO THE VIGILANTE MISSIONS.

After the wild success of Grand Theft Auto III, Rockstar was tasked with making a sequel that could compare to their last big hit, and they didn't fail.

Trading the grey gloomy skies of Liberty City for the bright gleaming sunshine filled skies of Vice City, Rockstar delivers a wonderous 80's inspired world in all the right ways. With one of the greatest soundtracks in gaming, you can't help but be turned into an 80's baby.

With Ray Liotta as our protagonist and a Goodfellas crossed over with an episode of Miami Vice story, gives us one of Rockstar's greatest tales of a good ol fashion back stabbing. Along with the story, Vice City offers some of the most outrageous and memorable characters.

With more weapons, outfits, and cars to choose from, there is nothing but fun to be had in this sequel! Not to mention the side activities such as property management, which really brought something new to the table.

Hopefully our next adventure in Vice City will be just as memorable as this.

After completion, I have to take 2 stars away from Vice City I guess. It's replayability is limited, if you want completion, half of the game is no fun.

Why so? The mission design in the beginning is quite funny and creative, but over the course of the game the missions become absolutely straight forward and annoying as hell. They are not difficult - agains, this has to be stressed, since they require no skill - they are if anything artificially difficult by, for instance, giving you shitty control over your vechicle. Every mission has to be done several time until you understand what to do or which possible mistakes to make because it's not explained enough.

That wouldn't be a problem at all, if I could start the mission right away - but you have to drive back, start again, go there again etc. That's absolutely tedious outdated game design and makes the game overy many hours barely enjoyable. As I stated in other reviews, it's okay to be difficult (Vice City is not skillfull though). But it's not okay to punish the player by wasting his time by having to rewalk the way from before. Even with nice music in the cars.

Occasionally, you would go from one place to the other to do the missions and the game almost gets into a flow, just to annoy you with another absolutely stupid mission. Playing through Vice City never has a flow - and that's a terrible thing to say about such game. There's always obstacles of missions that are only difficult because they are not explained well.

I thought it's one of the best games of all time, but the outdated artificial dificulty of many missions really kills the vibe and makes it not age well.