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GTA Vice City is one of the most memorable games in the Grand Theft Auto series. So it makes sense that its successor would do well, too. Unfortunately, this isn't the case with Vice City Stories. Although its plot is a prequel to the main game's adventures, it didn't sell much and is highly underrated.
Historically, games released later in the series perform better than the previous ones mainly because the developers can refine gameplay and enhance graphics and other complex features. This article lists five reasons why Vice City Stories failed to get the recognition it deserves.
Top 5 reasons why GTA Vice City Stories is the most underrated game in the series
1) Release time
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Releasing a video at the right time is incredibly important for its success. Unfortunately, Rockstar fumbled with the release date of Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories, leading to low sales.
Vice City Stories' release got sandwiched between those of San Andreas and GTA 4, so players were hoping for better graphics and more gameplay mechanics than its predecessor, which it unfortunately didn't. This major disappointment led the game to obscurity.
Furthermore, Rockstar released GTA 4 shortly afterward, which took away any remaining chances for Vice City Stories to leave its mark on the fandom.
2) Lack of complex gameplay mechanics
Vice City was considered a revolution when it came out. It had better graphics and gameplay mechanics than GTA III, which boosted its popularity. GTA San Andreas was similar and even better in terms of story, map size, and features.
While Vice City Stories has a great plot that keeps the players engaged till the end, it lacks several gameplay features that Rockstar should have added. Thus, the title seemed bland and outdated, especially after playing San Andreas.
Rockstar missed the opportunity to boost sales and turn Vice City Stories into another iconic title in the Grand Theft Auto series.
3) Not everybody can play the game
Another misstep on Rockstar's part was only releasing Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories on the PSP, PS2, and PS3. This disparity severely reduced the player base of the title that the other games enjoyed.
On the other hand, Vice City and other titles are available on all the major platforms, including, but limited to, PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Android. So, the developers missed out on a huge market that would have otherwise boosted sales.
Rockstar Games is now more careful about avoiding such mishaps. But these past mistakes are one of the biggest reasons why Vice City Stories is so underrated in the GTA community.
4) Vice City Stories is not canon
Vice City is an important title that set the Grand Theft Auto franchise toward success, mainly because Vice City is the main game in the series, and Vice City Stories isn't.
This major reason also answered why many fans avoided the release and focused more on San Andreas and GTA 4. There are only seven titles in the series that are considered canon.
- Grand Theft Auto I
- Grand Theft Auto II
- Grand Theft Auto III
- Grand Theft Auto Vice City
- Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
- Grand Theft Auto 4
- Grand Theft Auto V (and GTA Online)
While Vice City Stories has a great story that has the potential to be one of the best in the series, fans generally disregard it due to not being canon. However, this is not true with Grand Theft Auto Online, which has canon events.
5) Vice City Stories didn't get enough love from Rockstar
As of writing the article, Rockstar has released the GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition, which includes Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas. These remasters gained a lot of traction.
While the remaster did not perform as well as the company had hoped, it was still better than nothing. Unfortunately, Rockstar doesn't seem to be in a hurry to give Vice City Stories similar treatment. Fans who have played the game on the PSP or PS2 have access to it on Xbox now.
But a good remaster will be the perfect way to get this underrated game out in the light so that it can receive the same love and support other titles in the series got. If Rockstar decides to do so, it should be before revealing the GTA 6 release date.
