Better GTA: Vice City or San Andreas

Brother Numsi

Red Belt
@red
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
8,211
Reaction score
7,225
These two games are always brought up when I'm talking to GTA fans and the vote is almost always split. Most people think it was Vice City that really kicked the franchise into gear making it what it is today. While some believe San Andreas was the REAL show starter given how they upped the ante on just about all the things an open world game can give you.

So, which do you prefer? Which had the better soundtrack? Which game had the better lead character? Better storyline? Better gameplay?
 
My kids prefer San Andreas. They love Vice City's soundtrack though. I thank that game for introducing them to 80s music.
 
My kids prefer San Andreas. They love Vice City's soundtrack though. I thank that game for introducing them to 80s music.

The Vice City Soundtrack might be the highlight of the game. That's what really gave it the 80's feel
 
GTA San Andreas takes it for me. That was a sick game. Hard to believe that it came out 14 years ago. Best parts for me - You could take over sections of the city with Grove Street. Make your guy fat and slow. Or hit the gym and get ripped.
 
GTA San Andreas takes it for me. That was a sick game. Hard to believe that it came out 14 years ago. Best parts for me - You could take over sections of the city with Grove Street. Make your guy fat and slow. Or hit the gym and get ripped.

I know man. When I first played GTA 5 and we were back on Grove Street with Franklin and Lamar, I damn near cried.
 
I hated the gang war stuff. Italian Mafia is always number 1.
 
Vice city seemed like more quality of life improvements over GTA 3, where as San Andreas expanded upon the entire series.

You could fly big planes, you could swim, boat, you had a character that felt more true to life than ever before as well. You could go to the gym, you could get fat, you could dress your character up how you wanted etc.

Vice City was a great game no doubt, but San Andreas helped the series really evolve into what it is today. (Minus microtransactions)
 
nothing was worse than fucking Russian niko guy and the horrible driving all over the place. Think a couple gay guy missions for sure also.
 
Tough call.

I think by any objective metric, if any can be defined, San Andreas is the better game. That being said Vice City is an amazing game and I wouldn't fault someone for picking one over the other.
 
Objectively, it's San Andreas, but Vice City is my favorite. Call it nostalgia, I don't give a fuck. The setting, music, characters, story were on point, and it was coming off the huge success of 3, my hype levels have rarely reached such levels before or after.
 
Objectively, it's San Andreas, but Vice City is my favorite. Call it nostalgia, I don't give a fuck. The setting, music, characters, story were on point, and it was coming off the huge success of 3, my hype levels have rarely reached such levels before or after.
Agree with everything here.

I know I should like SA better, but I don't . VC had that certain something. Sometimes less is more
 
I loved Vice City. Mostly because I never really got to play SA a lot as that was the time that I was in the military and traveled too much. It’s too dated for me to go back and play now...too spoiled by good graphics. If they ever released it for tablet or something maybe.
 
Vice City was great, loved the 80's setting and music. It was like Rockstar's Scarface.

San Andreas was the better game, though. There was so much to do. It was like Rockstar's Boys in the Hood. I also really liked the RPG mechanics. I was hoping they'd bring those back for a new game.
 
Gameplay is easily better in San Andreas.

The actual world and setting is better in Vice City. For me anyways. I like the 80's Scarface vibe, more than the 90's gangsta vibe.
 
I think Vice City had the better radio and characters/plot, but San Andreas obv had the better world. Tough call between the two but I guess I'd have to go for Vice City as the overall package
 
I loved that desert base in GTA San Andreas.

ixTQxJg.jpg
 
Last edited:
Gotta go with Vice City. Something about running over a hooker with your car while Broken Wings is playing.
 
Back
Top