Twelve years. 12 years the community waited for this moment, ever since GTA V dropped in 2013 and seemed to have said it all. Then Rockstar pulled the trigger, and Vice City came back under the humid Leonida sun. Verdict after 60 hours with the controller: it is as huge as we hoped, and then some.
TL;DR: GTA VI is the most ambitious open world Rockstar has ever built, carried by a stunningly written duo (Lucia and Jason). A few bugs, an online mode still in beta, but the core is rock solid. Final score: 9.5/10.
Our verdict
Rockstar Games does not just deliver a sequel: the studio redefines what a blockbuster open world can be in 2026. Vice City is back, but it looks nothing like any previous Vice City. Denser, more alive, more politically aware. And at the heart, a duo that changes everything.
What we love
- A massive map spanning Vice City, the Everglades and Port Gellhorn — Rockstar’s largest world to date.
- Lucia and Jason, the first emotionally bonded protagonist duo in the series, with rare on-screen chemistry.
- The writing for Lucia, a leading woman you follow from start to finish without ever being sidelined.
- A 60-hour campaign that never sags, balancing heists, road trips and intimate drama.
What stumbles
No game this ambitious ships without scars. We hit a few collision bugs in the Everglades swamps, mildly frustrating when you are sprinting from cops. The driving has been overhauled: heavier, more realistic, and it asks GTA V veterans to relearn the basics.
Online still in restricted beta
The multiplayer side is not fully open yet. The restricted beta shows promise but we will reserve judgment until the public phase. This does not affect the single-player campaign in any way.
“Vice City has never felt more alive, and Lucia might be the best protagonist Rockstar has written since Arthur Morgan.”
Who it is for
If you loved Red Dead Redemption 2, if you wanted a GTA with something to say about America in 2026, jump in. If you wanted a pure arcade sequel, expect a few hours of friction — then full conversion.
Final verdict
GTA VI earns its event status. Few games actually justify a 12-year wait. Score: 9.5/10, label Essential.
Also on HIK Gaming: our Hades II review, our Cyberpunk Phantom Liberty review and the Elden Ring 2 announcement.