Top 5 differences between Vice City and Liberty City within the GTA series

Vice City and Liberty City serve as the destinations for some of GTA's most beloved games, so it's interesting to see the differences between the two.

The location of a GTA game often sets the tone for what will happen in that game. It might not be something GTA fans immediately think about when they play these games, but it's something that should always be on the back of their minds. Inevitably, the differences between possible locations in a GTA game play a large role in that.

Unsurprisingly, a location like Vice City plays out very differently compared to a location like Liberty City. They're obviously not the same location, so there is an abundance of differences to choose from for an article like this one. Still, only five reasons will be chosen and these five reasons will be varied to add some spice to these two otherwise great locations.

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Five major differences between GTA's Vice City and Liberty City

#5 - Vice City is a flatter map

Vice City is a flat location in terms of terrain, for the most part (Image via igcompany)

In terms of terrain, Vice City is a largely flat map. There are hardly any bumps or hills for players to see in-game, which is a stark difference from a location like Liberty City.

In the latter location, there are steep streets in both the 3D and HD versions, which makes Liberty City bumpier than Vice City, but less than San Andreas as a major location.

#4 - No subway or train system in Vice City

There is no subway in the 3D Vice City games (Image via GTA Wiki)

No 3D GTA title that has Vice City as its major destination includes subways or a train system anywhere. Part of this is thanks to the previous entry, as the flatter map makes it easy to explore in all of the GTA games that it's present in.

Naturally, as Liberty City is based off of New York, it's only fair that it has a subway and a metro train system. All of the mainline Liberty City-based GTA games have had this feature, and it's something the player could actually use to travel across the map.

Funnily enough, the 2D version of Vice City did have trains, but that's the only time the location had such a feature. It's a minor difference, but it adds a lot to the overall feel between the two locations.

#3 - Completely different atmosphere

Liberty City is often known for its gritty and gloomy atmosphere (particularly because of the starting locations in the GTA titles with Liberty City), which is the complete opposite of Vice City's presentation.

By comparison, Vice City is a colorful coastal location with a general vibrance and an 80s aesthetic. The characters in this game dress like it's the 80s, and the classic 80s songs immediately stand out, giving Vice City that unique nostalgic feel.

It's also worth noting that Liberty City is more diverse in terms of locations, as the different islands feel more different from one another compared to Vice City's similar themes and motifs.

#2 - Vice City has never appeared in the HD Universe

GTA 4 showcased Liberty City in the HD universe (Image via alealienn)

Unfortunately for Vice City fans, this destination has never shown up in any GTA game from the HD Universe onward. While there is a lot of speculation on whether or not it will be the main location in GTA 6, it's worth noting that Vice City has not appeared in the HD universe yet by the time this article was written.

Predictably, Liberty City was the first location found in the HD universe for the GTA series. It was the main location of GTA 4 and all of its related episodes, as well as being the main destination for GTA Chinatown Wars.

GTA Vice City fans often wonder what Vice City would look like if it was in the HD Universe, as the far more technologically advanced games of today would blow the older games' graphics out of the water.

#1 - Vice City focuses on drugs a lot harder

GTA Vice City revolves entirely around a drug trade gone wrong (Image via Rockstar Games)

The GTA Liberty City games focus on a wide assortment of crimes, as the main characters of these games often do whatever they're told to do. By comparison, the GTA Vice City games do something similar, except they always end on something drug-related.

The two protagonists from the Vice City games are Tommy Vercetti and Victor Vance, who both get engulfed by the drug trade at some point within their games. The latter one even dies in the introduction of the former game, and it's all because of a drug trade gone wrong.

The protagonists in the Liberty City games don't have their lives revolve around drugs. Claude Speed is only motivated by revenge, Toni Cipriani is a loyal henchman to Salvatore Leone, and the GTA 4 protagonists have varying motivations that aren't tied to the drug trade.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinion of the writer.