Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Redefines 1980s Action on PlayStation 2
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City dominates the PlayStation 2 library, delivering the most exciting open‑world experience of the year, according to Kotaku’s Warp Week 2002 series. Tommy Vercetti roams a 1980s Miami replica, killing, stealing, dealing drugs and partying with a porn star, proving the game’s daring edge.
The sequel to 2001’s Grand Theft Auto 3 shifts the series from top‑down 2D to full 3D realism. Rockstar’s artists render a city that looks alive, with six pedestrians strolling the beach simultaneously and detailed polygons that give the beachgoers a distinct presence.
A killer soundtrack drives the experience, featuring Ozzy Osbourne’s “Bark at the Moon,” Lionel Richie’s “Running with the Night,” two Michael Jackson tracks and the iconic “Billie Jean” that opens the game, setting a tone no chiptune can match. These tracks immerse players in the era and elevate the action beyond generic background music.
The map spans nearly six square miles, offering cars, boats, helicopters and motorcycles that let players soar above the landscape, a leap beyond the limited vehicle set in GTA 3. Exploring the expansive terrain showcases the technical leap the PS2 has achieved since GTA 3.
Controls remain locked onto targets and rely on rapid fire, which feels imprecise compared to Halo or Turok, and the inability to swim frustrates players in a beach‑centric world. These shortcomings detract from an otherwise polished experience.
Multiplayer is absent, forcing solo play, but the single‑player campaign delivers more content, cooler music and more characters than any predecessor, making Vice City the benchmark for open‑world design and setting the stage for GTA San Andreas. Critics consider it the definitive entry of the early 2000s era.
