10 Best GTA Games - Ranked

7. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Coming one year after LCS and doing for Vice City what that did for GTA III, Vice City Stories cast us as Lance Vance's tougher older brother, Vic.

Rockstar were clearly listening to the "Why can't we swim?!" complains of Liberty City Stories too, because VCS came complete with even more retroactive improvements. Basic control and vehicle variety upgrades were standard, but finally being able to survive getting knee-deep in water was a godsend.

Vice City Stories continued the original's stellar soundtrack, but what really stood out was this neat Empire Building mechanic. Like San Andreas' respawning turf wars, Vic would have to look after a number of different properties that could be upgraded and staffed with lower-level goons.

Interacting with your crew provided missions that improved the buildings themselves - all while you went out and secured more turf, ensuring your daily take was always on the rise.

Bonuses like clothing sets and better weapons came from maximising your time micro-managing all this stuff, and it remains one of the only times Rockstar put such a mechanic in a GTA game, that didn't feel like a meaningless distraction.