5 notable differences between Tommy Vercetti and CJ in the GTA series

CJ and Tommy Vercetti are the two most iconic GTA protagonists of the 3D Universe.

The 3D Universe came and went, serving its purpose as millions of players' introduction into the GTA series. Modern games take place in the HD Universe, which neither features CJ nor Tommy Vercetti. Naturally, that leads to various comparisons between the games and their protagonists.

GTA Vice City was GTA San Andreas's predecessor. Many of the latter's features are improvements over the former, which inspires some of the differences that players associate with the two games' protagonists. However, not every difference is tied to gameplay.

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Five significant differences between GTA's Tommy Vercetti and CJ

5) Romance

CJ's girlfriends in the GTA Trilogy (Image via Rockstar Games)

Tommy Vercetti is an old-school GTA protagonist. Romance was non-existent in those days, meaning that Tommy had no meaningful romantic relationships of any kind. For instance, Mercedes Cortez is introduced as a love interest early in the storyline, only for that plot point to be dropped.

CJ can date up to six women, two of whom are briefly involved in missions. He also has a toxic relationship with Catalina, showing that CJ goes through more highs and lows compared to Tommy Vercetti when it comes to love.

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4) Tommy Vercetti can't swim

Tommy Vercetti can't swim in any game (Image via Rockstar Games)

Tommy's inability to swim in GTA Vice City has been the subject of mockery in various online forums for well over a decade. Vice City is a beautiful coastal location with most of its eastern island dedicating some space to a beach. Despite that, nobody in the game can swim, and attempting to do so will result in them drowning, even in the GTA Trilogy.

GTA San Andreas's CJ doesn't suffer that limitation. In fact, he's the first 3D protagonist who can swim in the GTA series. This changes several aspects of how his game plays compared to its predecessors while also ensuring that CJ doesn't get ridiculed for drowning instantly.

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3) Customization

CJ can look wildly different in various playthroughs (Image via Rockstar Games)

One of the most significant changes to GTA San Andreas was its detailed customization. This substantial change gave CJ thousands of possible outfit combinations in conjunction with hairstyles, accessories, and body weight.

Tommy Vercetti has 12 outfits to choose from in GTA Vice City. These are premade outfits, some of which share similar themes. It's a massive gameplay difference between the two GTA protagonists.

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2) Empathy

CJ's relationships are more complex (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA protagonists aren't known for their love towards other people, but CJ is a less brutal character than Tommy Vercetti. He still has his moments (like burying the Construction Foreman in cement), but he feels more relatable to the player when it comes to his emotions.

Tommy Vercetti is the more ruthless protagonist of the two, which is especially notable when one looks at how he's willing to be a drug kingpin for the sake of power.

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1) Stance on hard drugs

Tommy can personally sell drugs in the Distribution side mission (Image via Rockstar Games)

These two GTA protagonists are worlds apart regarding their stance on hard drugs. CJ witnesses the Grove Street Families falling victim to the ongoing drug epidemic, with characters like Big Bear becoming unrecognizable to him. The Grove Street Families have no official part in this ongoing hard drug trade, which is something that CJ is also aligned with in the game.

Tommy Vercetti isn't against hard drugs. He even gets into the business to sell them. By the end of GTA Vice City, he's the kingpin and has no rivals. Like CJ, he fights other drug dealers, but that's primarily to remain at the top.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.