Vice City Stories sticks to its gritty, satirical crime saga with characters fitting the setting. Identity traits take a back seat to over-the-top personalities and crime drama; forced representation and overpowered, flawless characters are basically nonexistent. The story embraces classic archetypes without pandering to modern ideological demands.

This game basks in 1980s Americana, with unabashed machismo, corrupt institutions, and tongue-in-cheek jabs but rarely undermines traditional values in a doctrinaire way. Sure, it mocks everything, but no sacred cow is singled out, the satire is universal rather than ideologically selective.

If anything, Vice City Stories gleefully lampoons all sides. While it isn’t a bastion of traditionalism, it doesn’t shove any singular worldview down your throat. Dissent and controversy are the bread and butter of GTA, and this entry is no exception.