The story characters are one of the main reasons why the 3D Universe GTA games have become so popular. Despite being graphically inferior to many of their contemporaries, these games won the hearts of many players with their vibrant characters and great storylines.
GTA Vice City, the second installment in the 3D Universe trilogy, introduced some of the franchise's most memorable characters. This article compiles a list of some of the best ones seen in the game and ranks them based on the impact they had.
Note: This article reflects the writer's opinions.
5 of the best characters from GTA Vice City
5) Ricardo Diaz
Ricardo Diaz is a stereotypical antagonist in Vice City. He is psychotic, paranoid, and has a short fuse. He is also extremely power-hungry and a shrewd manipulator.
While he is disposed off quite early on in the game, Ricardo plays a greater role in Vice City Stories, where he is the main antagonist.
4) Phil Cassidy
Phil Cassidy is a crazed redneck who is almost always drunk and engaged in crazy shenanigans. One of these misdeeds results in him losing an arm, but he retains his psychotic streak even after that.
3) Umberto Robina
Umberto Robina is undoubtedly one of the most entertaining characters in GTA Vice City. He is voiced by Danny Trejo, and his face somewhat resembles the popular actor. Umberto is the head of the Cuban gang in Vice City, and he is depicted as an all talk and no action character.
2) Ken Rosenberg
Rosenberg's look and personality is modeled after Sean Penn's character Dave Kleinfeld from Carlito's Way. He provides comic relief and is the only major character in the game who sticks by Tommy's side throughout the story's events.
He reappears in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, where his cocaine addiction appears to have ruined his life. Tommy is also said to have abandoned him because of his incorrigibility. He is voiced by popular actor William Fichtner.
1) Lance Vance
Lance Vance was partly based on Ricardo Tubbs from Miami Vice. He was also voiced by the same actor who played Ricardo's role, Philip Michael Thomas. Lance also serves as comic relief throughout the story, but turns out to be a backstabber near the end of the game.
He makes a reappearance in the PSP-exclusive prequel Vice City Stories, where his psychotic and unpredictable side is explored in greater detail.