Through the eyes of a retro lover, Grand Theft Auto must be such a curious franchise. For those truly devoted retroists, the original pair of PlayStation games that started life as Race ‘N’ Chase feel a world away from the massive blockbusters that dominate the gaming industry for a few months each time a new one is released. Gone is the gouranga and the dedicated fart button and in its place are narrative-driven crime operas with complicated characters, high-stakes missions and cover-based shooting.
You could argue that Grand Theft Auto 3 was the turning point, given the fact that the runaway success of this technical showcase of what the PS2 could do for gaming essentially caused an entire industry to pivot. But ask anyone what their favourite PS2 GTA game is and you perhaps won't get GTA 3 as the answer. Vice City, with its unique mix of aesthetics, audio and cinematic feel to the story built on top of the technical achievement of its forebear, and in many cases it's the one that gamers around the world will remember the most fondly.
