GTA San Andreas vs Vice City: Which game’s story is better?

GTA San Andreas is often compared to Vice City, given their legendary reputation as classic Grand Theft Auto titles. They weren't as primitive as the 2D Universe games and have a legion of fans who still love these two games. They each do something better than the other, so it's not as if one game is 100% better.

However, this article will focus solely on the two games' storylines and compare them. The two titles' completely different settings and characters inevitably lead to GTA San Andreas and Vice City having thoroughly unique stories worth analyzing.

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Why GTA San Andreas arguably has a better story than Vice City

The two main protagonists talking to their main antagonists (Image via Rockstar Games)

It's worth prefacing that both games have memorable stories that one will likely enjoy if they play through everything. Here is a very basic synopsis of GTA Vice City's story:

• Tommy Vercetti gets out of prison after 15 long years
• He's set up in a drug deal in Vice City and is tasked with finding out who stole Sonny's goods
• He builds connections in Vice City and eventually finds out Diaz was behind the ambush
• Tommy and Lance Vance eliminate Diaz
• Tommy eventually builds a respectable empire and draws Sonny's attention, who wants a cut of the profits
• Lance Vance betrays Tommy, leading the latter character to get in a shootout against Lance and Sonny

Here is a short summary of GTA San Andreas's story:

• CJ returns from Liberty City to attend his mother's funeral in Los Santos
• Officer Tenpenny blackmails CJ to start working for him
• Big Smoke and Ryder betray the Grove Street Families, and Sweet is in prison
• CJ starts to build connections in San Fierro and fights against the Rifas who work with Big Smoke
• He eventually goes to Las Venturas, where he begins to work for Mike Toreno so Sweet can get out of prison
• CJ returns to Los Santos and gets the Grove Street Families back on track
• He has a showdown with Big Smoke and chases Officer Tenpenny, who eventually dies in a collision

The two games' stories are noticeably different and touch upon distinct themes, which are worth comparing down below.

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Comparing GTA San Andreas's story with Vice City's main plot

Vice City has a good story with a main antagonist who isn't there often (Image via Rockstar Games)

The most apparent difference between the two games is the main protagonists' views on hard drugs. CJ is clearly not happy with how the Grove Street Families have been getting hooked on these drugs and is not the type of person who would sell them. By comparison, Tommy Vercetti clearly has no qualms about selling them for the sake of power.

Both perspectives are interesting in how they juxtapose with one another. Hence, the question of which story is better than the other can't be decided by something that simple. Instead, it's worth looking at what one game does better than the other.

Here are a few reasons why a person might prefer Vice City's storyline:

• It features a more vicious protagonist
• The ending is less unrealistically happy compared to San Andreas's conclusion
• They might really like Scarface, which heavily influences the game's plot

Some players might have been disappointed by Big Smoke's betrayal in GTA San Andreas (Image via Devil_Slayer Productions)

Likewise, here are a few reasons why gamers might prefer the overall plot from GTA San Andreas:

• It's more personal since CJ is a more likable character to root for
• Although there are homages to movies like Menace II Society, the overall plot is more original compared to Vice City
• 100 missions give players a lot more content to remember
• The general themes of family and betrayal here are arguably better written
• The characters are generally more interesting

The last point is especially important since better characters will inevitably lead gamers to be more invested in the main story. This point extends to both the main protagonist and antagonists. Both CJ and Tommy Vercetti are great. Sonny isn't a bad villain, but Officer Tenpenny shows up more frequently, making his animosity against CJ a more apparent storyline element.

If players want to be invested in a good plot full of great characters and fewer obvious homages, then GTA San Andreas will likely be better for them than Vice City.

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Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.