What big changes did GTA Vice City bring to the series?

GTA Vice City brought sweeping changes to the entire series, all of which are still felt today.

After GTA 3 became a groundbreaking hit, Rockstar Games needed to prove themselves once again. GTA Vice City was originally meant to have episodic content. However, the team realized it had major potential and eventually became its own game. Rockstar was very ambitious with this project.

GTA 3 was their first attempt at a 3D game in the series. However, it was limited by developmental concerns. Once they figured out the technical issues, GTA Vice City became easy. Rockstar wanted to bring major changes to the GTA series and they had the budget to do it by that point.

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GTA Vice City: What big changes were made to the series?

Rockstar didn't want to be known for only a single game. GTA Vice City was bigger in size and scope. Story and music were more important than ever before. It marked a change in direction for the series. For these reasons alone, GTA Vice City had a major impact.

Licensed music from popular artists

Previous titles mainly relied on in-house music. GTA Vice City saw a shift towards popular songs from mainstream artists. The Houser brothers worked together and used their music connections. Due to the heavy 80's influence, this game needed to be as authentic as possible.

GTA Vice City is highly regarded for its memorable soundtrack. The biggest hits of the 1980s made their way to the game's radio stations. From there on out, the series would license popular commercial artists. Rockstar had the money to make it work.

Rockstar did use in-house music for GTA Vice City, particularly with the fictional band Love Fist. Regardless, they would move away from this method. They would now use a combination of big and small names in the music industry.

A bigger focus on stories and characters

Tommy Vercetti is the first GTA protagonist to be fully voiced. Previous ones lacked much characterization. This was intentional on Rockstar's part. They wanted to focus more on gameplay. However, GTA Vice City changed direction with a more compelling story.

With the exception of GTA Online, all future protagonists would be their own characters. They weren't blank templates. Instead, they had definable personalities and motivations. It all started with Tommy and GTA Vice City.

It also extended to more colorful characters. Previous games had a very serious tone within the story. Most of the humor came from radio stations. GTA Vice City allowed for more humorous situations. The likes of Ken Rosenberg and Lance Vance brought a few chuckles.

Running criminal enterprises

Last but not least, there was the concept of power. Previous games explored it briefly. However, those protagonists were mainly contracted hitmen. They didn't run powerful gangs like the ones they went up against.

Tommy Vercetti showed a new perspective with GTA Vice City. Players were able to purchase different properties. They could now start their own businesses. Most games afterwards would follow suit. This gave players a sense of accomplishment. They made a name for themselves.

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