- Primary Subject: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Definitive Edition)
- Key Update: Re-exploring the retro world of 2002's GTA: Vice City highlights the artistic DNA, modern locations, and storytelling shifts inspiring the upcoming game.
- Status: Confirmed / Opinion
- Last Verified: July 9, 2026
- Quick Answer: This hands-on retrospective reveals how the 2002 classic’s iconic 80s atmosphere, music, and locations laid the foundational blueprint for a darker emotional story in GTA 6.
With GTA 6 fast approaching, many are busy locking in their pre-orders, obsessing over trailers, and dissecting every minute detail that’s out in the wild. But as the gaming world prepares for the future, I found myself revisiting the past. To understand the true heart and soul of Rockstar’s next destination, I decided to boot up the Definitive Edition of 2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the very first time, immersing myself in the neon-soaked paradise that started it all.
As soon as the intro kicked in and the loading screens appeared, I was able to draw so many similarities to what we’ve seen of GTA 6 so far. From the classic 80s pop/rock music and the bright neon colors to palm trees lining the pavements and boats cruising along Miami Beach, it quickly became clear that Rockstar is taking a lot of inspiration from the original game - further emphasized by the Vintage Vice City Pre-Order Bonus.
Stepping into Tommy Vercetti’s shoes today is a massive culture shock. The physics are wild, the gunplay feels awkward, and the graphics are, well, nostalgic to say the least. Yet, the moment Kids In America, Get Down Saturday Night, or Died In Your Arms blasts out of the car radio, the game’s old age becomes a second thought.
Before you know it, you’re sinking into your chair and enjoying it for what it is - a sandbox filled with fun. Those sub missions that activate side quests when you drive a police car and ambulance, by the way, are fantastic! Rockstar, please include something similar in VI!
Passing the likes of Ocean View Hotel and Viceport felt quite strange, as if I had already seen them in another life. Obviously I hadn’t, and it was just footage stuck in my head from the GTA 6 trailers, but still, it was cool to see some of the locations that are set to inspire the next installment.
When I delved deeper into the game, that’s when my brain started to wonder: why did all of it just feel right? Why did everything just click together so well, even today, nearly 24 years on since its release?
The sunshine and tropical storms establish the atmosphere, which then perfectly illuminates the neon signs of the Malibu Club and the Art Deco hotels along Ocean Drive. Then there are the NPCs, with roller skaters in bikinis and mobsters in pastel suits giving the city a chaotic, slightly dangerous edge. The flawless 80s soundtrack ties it all together, matching the tempo of the city and making every high-speed chase or casual drive feel like a scene from a movie.
Ultimately, these elements collide to produce the magic of Vice City. It works so well because it doesn't try to be a realistic simulation that we often see today; it commits entirely to the music, the looks, and the vibrant energy of an era, and I absolutely loved witnessing that during my time with the game.
I mentioned some of the songs that feature in Vice City above, and it really is no exaggeration to say that the soundtrack alone makes it such an iconic experience. Self Control by Laura Branigan, Never Too Much by Luther Vandross, Africa by TOTO, Broken Wings by Mr. Mister, and so on. It’s just perfection and works so well with the environment and the accompanying aesthetic.
I had heard a lot of good things about the music of Vice City, with many saying that it’s a defining element and as important as anything else in the game. Well, I’ve got to say, it’s hard to disagree. The soundtrack and the game’s backdrop are a match made in heaven. I don’t know what it is, but music from the 80s just hits different.
Although GTA 6 will be set in the modern day, the Vice City playlist has me looking forward to seeing what songs we’ll get to hear throughout Leonida. Rockstar rarely misses when it comes to in-game music, and I have a sneaky feeling we’ll look back at it as one of the greats in the years ahead, just as we still do with Vice City.
The caricature-looking characters in Vice City feel like they stepped straight out of an 80s crime parody, and honestly, they're incredibly fun to watch and play alongside. Voiced by the late Ray Liotta, Tommy Vercetti is the perfect protagonist and the definition of a 1980s mobster who slots into the world so seamlessly, just like the rest of the memorable cast that join him on his rise to the top. William Fichtner as Ken Rosenberg and Danny Dyer as Kent Paul... outstanding. Could we see them return in GTA 6? I certainly wouldn't be against it!
Playing this before GTA 6 arrives also made me realize just how much the storytelling for protagonists has and continues to change. Tommy is a lone wolf who uses people, builds his empire, and doesn’t really care about anyone but himself. With Jason and Lucia, on the other hand, it’s completely different. They have a close relationship, look out for each other, and actually seem to have something to lose, making the whole criminal empire thing feel a lot more personal this time around.
This got me thinking. I get the sense that we could be in for one of the most serious, emotional Grand Theft Auto stories yet, distancing itself from the many lighthearted and satirical moments on show throughout Vice City and replacing it with a plot filled deep with heartbreak, betrayal, and consequences.
Jumping into Vice City didn't just allow me to familiarize myself with the setting, atmosphere, and characters; it made me even more hyped to see it through a completely different perspective in GTA 6. The graphics and mechanics might belong to a different time, but come this November, when we finally get to cruise down a modern, current-gen version of the same neon streets, I’ll be looking at it with a whole new level of appreciation.
READ MORE: GTA 6 Pre-Launch Guide Hub: Official News, Updates, and Reveals
There’s still a lot we don’t know about GTA 6, but having finally played Vice City, I’m confident the next entry will be a true love letter to the game that paved its way.
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