Vice City immerses in a sunny, criminal 1980s Miami of exceptional cultural and musical richness. The neon atmosphere, iconic soundtrack and cinematic storytelling come together perfectly. An open world masterpiece, among PS2's finest achievements.
Your verdict
Category
Open-World4 players18+
Description
A decisive 2002 Rockstar North sequel that transposes the GTA III formula to the pastel Vice City of the 1980s. Tommy Vercetti climbs the criminal pyramid of synthwave Florida, in a Scarface- and Miami-Vice-soaked atmosphere. The soundtrack and the writing alone make it a generational peak.
Grand Theft Auto - Vice City review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Pink neon, palm trees and setting sun: Vice City resurrects the imaginary of the 80s with a vibrant pastel nostalgia. The care for atmosphere and the stylistic coherence turn the city into a character in its own right. This visual identity, colourful and iconic, remains one of the most striking in video games.
A nostalgic dive into the 1980s, the game spins on its radios an avalanche of synthpop, new wave and disco hits of irresistibly period-perfect accuracy. Each station becomes a film soundtrack, elevating the neon driving. This licensed selection, perfectly in tune with the Miami atmosphere, remains an unforgettable sonic madeleine.
Set loose in a neon-soaked 1980s Miami, an ambitious crook builds his empire through betrayals and bold strokes. An unabashed homage to gangster cinema, the tale overflows with colourful characters and cult lines. Its retro flair and biting irony have lost none of their flavour.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
A dive into a fantasy 1980s Miami, bathed in neon, pastels and a cult soundtrack: the atmosphere alone delivers an immediate pleasure. Cruising the city in a convertible, climbing the criminal ladder and blowing it all up keeps you hooked without let-up. Stylish, funny and terribly endearing, an open world whose atmosphere remains unmatched.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Roaming a neon 1980s city while building your criminal empire mission after mission weaves an ascent whose soundtrack and atmosphere grip you immediately. Buying businesses, unlocking weapons and safehouses keeps reviving the urge to push on. The driving and the gunplay have aged, but this stylish setting and this freedom of play keep a stubborn power to draw you in.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Building a criminal empire in a neon-soaked 1980s city unfolds an open world teeming with missions, hideouts and secrets. Expanding your turf, hunting bonuses and cruising the city extends the adventure well beyond the story. That density, bathed in a cult atmosphere, founds a longevity fans still keep alive.
A Rockstar criminal sandbox steeped in the neon and music of the 1980s in a Miami-inspired city, praised for its mood and soundtrack. Still very widespread in the West, its interest lies in this strong identity and its status as a console classic rather than scarcity. A prime piece for open-world fans wanting the saga's most retro entry.
Better with friends
An 80s criminal postcard also savored together, the pad going around while the crew comments on the shootouts, the chases and the cult radio stations. The common fun comes from the dares you invent in this sun-soaked sandbox and the fits of laughter at the slightest disaster. With no direct clash, it's the total freedom of the playground that binds the evening around the screen.
A cult cover
Electric pink and neon blue stream across the checkerboard of vignettes: Vice City instantly resurrects the gaudy Miami of the 1980s. Palm trees, pistols and a pastel sunset saturate the image with unabashed pop nostalgia. This chromatic explosion, instantly identifiable, remains one of the series' most stylish and imitated designs.
A questionable morality
Climbing the criminal ladder here means borrowing every vehicle without asking, running shady errands and sowing cheerful chaos across an entire city left at your mercy. The game wraps it all in a sharp satire, which never stops the player from stringing together crimes with a delighted grin, perfectly at home in the role of the thug.
