Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – The Definitive Edition
Last updated: 2025-09-04
Listen
0:00 / 0:00
- Strong nostalgia and atmosphere, improved graphics
- Engaging story and characters, excellent soundtrack
- Numerous bugs and performance issues persist
- Dated gameplay and poor remaster quality
- Frustrating mission design and checkpoints
- Original version often preferred over remaster
Emotions
Satisfaction30%Disappointment16%Frustration16%Nostalgia16%Excitement4%
- Reviews
(sample size) - 2000
- Helpful reviews
- 58%
- Unhelpful reviews
- 41%
- Protest reviews
- 2%
- 73%Helpful reviews with positive sentiment
- 27%Helpful reviews with negative sentiment
- Positive points
- 3582
- Negative points
- 2153
- Gameplay points
- 790
- Perf. points
- 157
- Rec. points
- 787
- Misc points
- 474
| Point | Description | Importance |
|---|---|---|
Strong Nostalgia and Atmosphere
| The game excels at evoking a powerful sense of nostalgia, especially for players who grew up with the original. The vibrant 80s Miami setting, iconic soundtrack, and overall 'vibe' are consistently praised for their immersive quality, making players feel like they are reliving cherished childhood memories or experiencing a classic era for the first time. | 97% |
Improved Graphics and Visuals
| Players consistently praise the remastered version for its significantly improved graphics, textures, lighting, and reflections. These updates enhance the visual experience, making the game more vibrant and appealing while largely preserving the original's iconic aesthetic and nostalgic charm. The 'classic lighting' update is particularly highlighted for bringing the visuals closer to the original's beloved atmosphere. | 82% |
Engaging Story and Characters
| The game's story is consistently praised as well-written, captivating, and full of memorable characters. Tommy Vercetti, in particular, stands out as a charismatic and iconic protagonist, with his voiced performance and compelling rise to power being a significant improvement over previous installments. | 28% |
Improved Mission Design
| Players appreciate the varied and well-designed missions, noting that they are generally enjoyable and less frustrating than in previous titles. The addition of mission checkpoints and the overall pacing contribute to a more satisfying progression, with side missions also being engaging and not feeling like a chore. | 21% |
Excellent Soundtrack and Radio
| The game's soundtrack and radio stations are frequently cited as major highlights, perfectly capturing the 80s atmosphere. Players find the music to be iconic, addictive, and a significant contributor to the game's overall vibe, often considering it one of the best in gaming history. | 17% |
Definitive Edition Improvements
| The Definitive Edition is seen as a worthwhile update, especially after patches, for bringing a beloved classic to modern platforms with enhanced visuals, quality-of-life features, and improved stability. It is often considered the best way to experience the game in its current state, with many feeling it successfully retains the original's essence. | 16% |
Enjoyable Achievement Hunting
| The addition of Steam achievements is a welcome feature, providing an enjoyable challenge for players. Many found completing the game 100% and earning all achievements to be a satisfying and fun experience, often leading to the discovery of new content. | 10% |
Positive Personal Experiences
| Players frequently share personal anecdotes about their enjoyment of the game, often highlighting it as a childhood favorite or a significant entry in their gaming history. These experiences contribute to a strong emotional connection and overall positive sentiment towards the title. | 10% |
Excellent Russian Voice Acting
| The unofficial Russian voice acting by GamesVoice is highly praised for its quality and ability to enhance immersion. Many players consider it a significant addition that breathes new life into the game, making cutscenes and radio broadcasts more engaging. | 8% |