Introduction
The Grand
Theft Auto franchise is one of the most popular and influential video game
series in history. Since its inception in 1997, it has sold over 250 million
copies worldwide, spawned multiple sequels and spinoffs (including two
remakes), inspired countless other games and been adapted into a feature film
by Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two Interactive.
The first
game in this series was called Grand Theft Auto (GTA). It was released on 17th
October 1997 for Windows PC systems only; its sequels were released on
PlayStation 2 consoles as well as PCs but also included ports for Xbox 360/One
consoles starting with GTA IV: The Lost & Damned DLC pack which came out 6
months after its initial release date due to delays caused by development
issues between Rockstar North & DMA Design Ltd., who later became Rockstar
North Ltd..
Development
Vice City
was a very different game to its predecessors in many ways. It was the first
Grand Theft Auto to be set in an entirely new city, and it introduced a number
of innovations that would go on to become staples of the series.
The
development process for Vice City was challenging for several reasons: firstly,
there were technical limitations which had to be overcome; secondly, it was
Rockstar's first experience working with 3D graphics; thirdly, they were
creating an entire city from scratch rather than building off existing assets
as they had done previously (GTA III).
Gameplay
Gameplay is where Vice City truly shines. The game's unique mechanics and activities are what set it apart from other GTA titles, and they're still enjoyable today.
The most
notable aspect of Vice City's gameplay is its open world structure, which
allows players to explore the city at their own pace without being forced into
any specific mission or activity. This freedom gives you the opportunity to do
what you want when you want; if there's something in particular that interests
or excites you, then by all means go for it! If not... well then maybe take a
break from playing GTA:VC for a while? It's up to each individual player how
much time they spend exploring this vast digital playground before moving onto
another game (or back into real life).
Story
The story of
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is set in the 1980s, and follows a character named
Tommy Vercetti who has just been released from prison. After being betrayed by
his former boss Sonny Forelli, Tommy wants revenge and decides to take over as
kingpin of Vice City by any means necessary.
Reception
Vice City
received critical acclaim upon release. It was praised for its music and sound
design, as well as its open-ended gameplay and strong multiplayer mode. The
game won many awards, including Game of the Year from various publications such
as GameSpot, GameSpy and IGN; it was also nominated for Best Soundtrack at the
2004 Interactive Achievement Awards (IAAs).
Several
years after its initial release, Vice City has been considered one of the best
games ever made by several publications such as IGN,[1] Complex[2] and
GamesRadar.[3] Its success led Rockstar Games to develop an enhanced port for
iOS devices known as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories in 2006; this version
featured updated graphics but otherwise remained unchanged from its
predecessor.[4]
Graphics
You can't
talk about the graphics of Vice City without first talking about its
predecessor, Grand Theft Auto III. The third game in the series was released in
2001 and marked a huge leap forward for open-world games by adding a fully 3D
world that players could explore freely.
Vice City
followed suit with its own impressive visuals, but it wasn't quite as
revolutionary as GTA III had been--the characters were still 2D sprites rather
than 3D models (though they did have more detail), and there were fewer types
of vehicles available to drive around town. Still, this was one of the most
realistic depictions of Miami at that time: You could see palm trees swaying
gently in the breeze as you drove down Ocean Drive or watch waves crash against
shoreline rocks while sitting on South Beach's famous sandbar during low tide!
Soundtrack
The
soundtrack of Vice City is one of its most beloved features. It features a wide
range of musical genres, including pop, rock, punk and Latin music. In addition
to the original score by Tim Neff and Scott Martin (who also worked on GTA
III), there are over 30 songs from popular artists like The Go-Go's and Blondie
that play during missions or as part of the background ambiance.
The game's
impact on popular culture cannot be understated: it was one of the first games
to feature licensed tracks from real bands rather than just generic background
music; its soundtrack helped define how video game soundtracks would be
composed moving forward; and it helped introduce many listeners who were not
gamers themselves - myself included - into new genres of music through their
inclusion here.
Controversy
The game
received a "Mature" rating from the ESRB and was censored in the UK.
The main concerns were that it encouraged players to kill police officers and
prostitutes, which were considered offensive by some groups. The game also
included scenes of drug use and sexual content, although these were toned down
from their original versions (the uncensored version is available on PC).
In response
to these criticisms, Rockstar Games released several patches for GTA: Vice City
that removed or changed some of its more controversial elements such as
removing blood when you shoot someone or removing an animation where a
prostitute performs oral sex on Tommy Vercetti (the protagonist).
Remakes and Ports
The game was
remade for PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2002, with an enhanced graphics engine.
The player could now switch between characters and play as more than one person
at once; for example, you could control Tommy Vercetti while another character
drove his car. This allowed for a greater sense of freedom and interaction
within the world; however, it also meant that there were fewer missions
available overall (because some had been combined).
The PC
version released in 2004 was similar but included some new features such as
high resolution graphics and improved sound quality. A version released on
mobile phones followed shortly after this; it featured only 5 tracks from its
predecessors but still managed to be successful due to its low price point
($5-$10).
Conclusion
Grand Theft
Auto: Vice City is a game that has stood the test of time. It's still as
popular and relevant today as it was when it was released in 2002, and for good
reason. The game's open world design allowed players to explore their own path
through the story and do whatever they wanted in between missions--from
exploring the city or taking over businesses to just driving around listening
to music on their car radio.
The
nostalgia factor also plays into why this game remains so popular today: many
people who played it back then still remember how much fun they had playing it
during their childhoods (or even adulthoods). So when they see clips from Vice
City pop up on YouTube or Twitch, they get excited about revisiting those
memories again!
