5 reasons why GTA Vice City map was way ahead of its time
The GTA Vice City map offers one of the most iconic open worlds from the 3D Universe of the series. Rockstar Games created this new world in 2002 after learning various things from Grand Theft Auto 3. While the map is still popular, the official announcement of Grand Theft Auto 6 has made it even more iconic. Rockstar is expected to revamp the 3D Universe location with new details in the upcoming title.
On that note, this article lists five things that made the GTA Vice City map feel ahead of its time.
Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer’s opinions.
5 interesting things that made the GTA Vice City map ahead of its time
1) It is bigger than Liberty City
While the map in Grand Theft Auto 3 is filled with many interesting details, the GTA Vice City map is better in many aspects. The 2002 open world is bigger than its predecessor and has more details.
Although it features only two major islands, they are bigger than the islands in Liberty City. Moreover, it includes various types of areas in contrast to only urban ones in Grand Theft Auto 3.
2) It has both urban and seaside areas
The GTA Vice City map is popular for its beaches. The easternmost part of the map is covered with a long beach that stretches the entire length of the open world. That said, there are many other areas on the Vice City map.
You can find islands, city spaces, suburbs, industrial areas, ports, and military bases. If you travel across the GTA Vice City map, you can find most of these locations without taking any major detours.
3) It includes many secret locations
Rockstar Games included many secret, interesting locations on the Vice City map. Some of these areas also contain Easter eggs and real-life references that make exploring them even more eventful. You can find a Moon landing studio setup, a crime scene featuring Cement Shoes, a secret Easter egg room that contains a literal Easter egg, submarines, and many other things.
A distorted image of Claude from Grand Theft Auto 3 can also be found inside the Ocean View Hotel. However, the most notorious location is Apartment 3c, which is inspired by the movie Scarface.
4) It offered a whole island as a safehouse location
There are nine acquirable safehouses in the GTA Vice City map. However, the Vercetti Estate mansion is undoubtedly the most iconic one that everyone desires to acquire early in the game. Since it is located on Starfish Island, acquiring the safehouse turns the entire area into somewhat of a hood.
You can find your gang members across Starfish Island. It was the only Grand Theft Auto series title where you could make an entire island yours. The other games don't give you gang members to guard your surroundings.
5) It had a geo-locking feature
Geo-locking was one of the most interesting features of the Grand Theft Auto series. Rockstar used to lock certain parts of the map early on and unlock them as the story progressed. The GTA Vice City map also included this feature, as you were not allowed to visit other islands for a brief period.
This feature is also included in the GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition map. While the geo-locking can be frustrating for some, hardcore players enjoy this feature, as it acts as an incentive to progress in the game.
Other articles from the Grand Theft Auto series:
- Most hated Grand Theft Auto antagonists
- YouTuber runs Grand Theft Auto 5 on Nintendo Switch
- Minute details in Grand Theft Auto 3
- Red Dead 2 features in Grand Theft Auto 6
- Reasons to play Grand Theft Auto 4