7. The Introduction Of Aircraft
After taunting us not only by giving us an almost flightless aircraft, but also the sight of police helicopters burring above the cityscape, Rockstar finally allowed gamers to fly in 2002's Vice City. Fans had previously been looking up at the skies dreaming of the day they'd get their wings in a Grand Theft Auto game, and so it told when helicopters were added to the series for the first time. In Vice City, the addition of aircraft opened up the gaming world, and made the days of topdown graphics seem like a million years ago. In fact, it made GTA III feel archaic, because this was no longer a game that limited you to just driving cars around. Soaring above the sprawling Miami-based setting of Vice City, Rockstar's ambitions became clear - the GTA franchise was going to become one of the most immersive sandbox games on the market.