There was a hell of a lot of hype following GTA III's change-up of everything game designers thought they held dear, and so instead of trying to outdo themselves contextually in the modern era, Rockstar looked back to the original 2D GTA's selection of levels, focussing on the already-loved Vice City as a suitable checkpoint. Luckily gameplay-wise this was more of the same in the best way possible, with subtle-yet-effective refinements made to the core engine that allowed for things like diving out of moving cars, shooting tires off others and even blasting targets through the windshield if you aimed right. Of course the biggest selling point was the setting itself; sun-drenched 80's Miami held within it a cross-generational appeal that gamers just couldn't get enough of. And when that was topped off by the best soundtrack in gaming history, more celebrity voices backing the main crew than before and enough stunt jumps, vehicles to drive and secrets to find than that of ten other games combined, Rockstar met and surpassed their hype instantly.
