Characters
Every Grand Theft Auto has its own host of characters which make the game what it is. Typical characters include; crime lords, drug dealers, bent cops, scheming business men and suppliers. Not forgetting the main character, yourself. It is these characters which bring the city to life and of course tell the stories of Vice City in their own shrewd way.
See the Characters page for full details
Local Gangs
Gangs have been a prominent feature throughout the GTA series. Together they control Vice City and you work with and against them. Rivalry between gangs can often be seen on the streets in the form of violent gun brawls, making the city as a whole a very dangerous place to be - especially if you're unarmed. Learning about each gang, their choice of weapon(s), their territory and their rivals can save your life.
See the Gangs page for full details
Weapons
Another of the games chief fundamentals is weaponry. Packing a good arsenal can be the key to beating the game. The first chance you get, I suggest you scan the map looking for some weapons locations and target certain areas from your start map or jot down a reminder of where they are - that way you can always come back for extra ammunition. Note that you may only carry one type of weapon per weapon category, i.e you cannot pick up another type of shotgun, without having to replace your current shotgun (L1 to append replacement). See the Weapons page for more details on VCS' weapons, where to find them (if you can't yourself) and how effective they are.
Vehicles
Essentially, this is what the games is all about - GTA; carjacking.[¹] What is your first memory of Grand Theft Auto? Probably jacking your very first car, wildly steering into pedestrians and causing mass genocide, then having the law track you down bust your ass. There has always been a wide variety of vehicles, from cars to motorbikes to lorries to government vehicles - all your for the taking, and over the years this has extended to include airborne vehicles, sea vehicles and recreational vehicles, such as golf caddies. Vice City Stories heralds the introduction to latest form of vehicle, the jetski. See the Vehicles page for further details i.e. the name of vehicles, their speed, durability and more.
[¹] Source: Definition of Grand Theft Auto, as quoted from the back cover of the first GTA manual booklet.
Radio
Another feature that has run through the GTA series is the radio. In the first GTA, every vehicle you drove had its own tune which reflected the style of that particular vehicle. As of GTA2, a more authentic approach was taken with the introduction of fully functional radio stations, with realistic chat shows and specially recorded tracks. Since Vice City, this has grown to include actual songs from the era of the games' setting, yielding a more life-like experience. See the Radio Stations page for more details.
Outfits
Victor has a fully working wardrobe and can change between a total of 14 outfits. As you progress through the game, more outfits can be unlocked - via missions, side missions, etc. See the Clothes page for full details on these outfits.
