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GTA Vice City will forever be remembered for its classic features, completely reshaping the series.
Rockstar was riding high when GTA 3 became a massive success overnight. The company needed to prove it wasn’t a fluke, so they rode that wave of momentum. GTA Vice City was met with very high expectations, to which they passed with flying colors.
One of the biggest reasons why it succeeded was its memorable features. GTA Vice City is a significant improvement to GTA 3 in many ways. Most of it has to do with changes to the story and gameplay. Although the game is set in the ’80s, it redefined the millennial experience for gamers.
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Five cool features from GTA Vice City that players appreciated
5) Quality of life improvements
GTA Vice City is a fun game to drive around and listen to music. What makes it even better is the gameplay improvements from GTA 3. Players most certainly welcome this quality of life changes. Here is a brief rundown of just a few of them:
- Players can finally use an in-game map
- Safehouses will heal the player
- Players can bail out of their vehicles
- It's easier to find map icons of various locations
- Players can take taxis after failing a mission
Older players will understand why these changes were necessary. It's the little details that make the game much better.
4) A lighter tone
GTA 3 was a very dark game, even by the series' standards. Rockstar decided to lighten it up with a much different tone.
Vice City is a bright and colorful world inhabited by bizarre characters. Players never really know what's about to happen. One moment Tommy is mind-controlled by a voodoo priestess, the next, he is fighting the French on a yacht.
3) A fully-voiced protagonist
Tommy Vercetti took the first step towards a stronger narrative role. Players no longer have to react to everything passively. Instead, Tommy takes the full initiative in GTA Vice City.
Both Claude and Tommy have entirely different reactions to betrayal. Claude is more subdued, while Tommy can barely control his temper. Nonetheless, players can feel the weight of Tommy's burden. It helps when he can voice his frustrations. It's much easier to invest in fully realized characters than blank slates.
2) Properties and businesses
GTA players can now feel like they control the criminal underworld. In previous games, protagonists had to survive.
Rockstar changed this dynamic by allowing players to buy more properties. This includes more safehouses to sleep in and businesses to run. Players will take everything for themselves in this particular game.
1) Memorable music
This legendary soundtrack is Vice City's enduring legacy. Rockstar had wholly redefined what it means to have music in video games. Many popular artists of that era were featured in this game.
As a result, many players grew up with music from a completely different period. The 80's music also set an atmospheric tone for this game.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
