5 reasons why GTA Vice City is overrated

Modified Mar 12, 2025 09:18 GMT

There is no doubt that GTA Vice City is one of the most beloved games among Grand Theft Auto fans. However, the title is not free of flaws. It was the second installment in the 3D Universe of the series, and there are a handful of things that are difficult to digest. Most fans tend to ignore these flaws, which makes the game considerably overrated.

With that being said, this article lists five solid reasons why the GTA Vice City gameplay is overrated.

Note: Aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions.

5 things that make GTA Vice City overrated

1) Empty map

A major part of Grand Theft Auto Vice City’s map is empty (Image via Rockstar Games)

Even though GTA Vice City has a bigger map compared to Grand Theft Auto 3, a major portion of the open world is occupied by sandy beaches. Since the title was developed with an old game engine, the beach areas remain mostly empty for better optimization.

This limits interactive area, making worthwhile exploration smaller than what it looks like from above. It is also worth noting that except for the Vice City Beach island, other areas feel lackluster.

2) No checkpoints

The missions in GTA Vice City are notorious for having no checkpoints in between. This is particularly a headache during long and hard missions. If you fail your progress for any reason, even at the last moment, you will have to start from the very beginning.

Rockstar even forces you to travel back to the mission marker to restart the progress.

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3) Terrible driving

The driving mechanics in GTA Vice City are quite choppy. While driving in a straight line is fun, the issue is noticeable when taking turns. Cars and bikes in the game look as if they are snapping from one line to another when you take turns.

Moreover, the vehicles tend to spin and damage easily, making it difficult to keep your favorite car or motorcycle driving for long.

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4) Tommy lacks some basic abilities

Even though Thomas “Tommy” Vercetti is one of the most celebrated protagonists in the Grand Theft Auto series, him lacking some basic abilities is beyond comprehension. The GTA Vice City character cannot swim, jump out of moving vehicles, and the list goes on.

Moreover, his immune system also feels weak as he takes health damage very quikcly.

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5) Aggressive cops

Cops in Grand Theft Auto Vice City can keep you on the run for a while (Image via Rockstar Games)

The wanted level system in GTA Vice City is very aggressive. You can easily attract cops, and the situation can escalate very quickly. Moreover, evading them is considerably difficult as the wanted stars won’t disappear for a long time even if you hide in a discreet location. The cherry on top is the six-star system that spawns SWAT and many other police units.

While the feature may make GTA Vice City iconic for hardcore and veteran gamers, new and casual players may not enjoy such aggressive cops.

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Edited by Ripunjay Gaba