Customer Reviews (500)

Okay baby girl • 2025-03-23T08:01:33-07:00

Hope rockstar never get rid of this game

Thunder-buzz • 2025-03-10T13:31:01-07:00

I played this back when it first came out and had a lot of fun doing so. Definitely different playing it on an iPad but the music makes it all worthwhile. Looking forward to checking out Vice City again and familiarizing myself with all the old spots.

jhsvvcc. s • 2025-03-02T06:23:14-07:00

It’s so so so good pause not like the

Summary of Key Insights

  • Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on iOS is a popular game driven by nostalgia, but plagued by technical issues and control problems that detract from the user experience. While many users enjoy the core gameplay and the memories it evokes, a significant number report crashes, glitches, and control difficulties. There's a strong desire for improved controller support, more customizable controls, cheat codes, and performance enhancements. The game's positive sentiment is tempered by persistent complaints that need addressing.
  • Key Strengths: Nostalgia, core gameplay, soundtrack, and open-world experience.
  • Key Weaknesses: Glitches/crashes, control issues (especially driving and aiming), lack of cheat codes, and performance problems on newer devices.
  • Overall Sentiment: Mixed. While many users express love for the game, a significant portion is frustrated by technical issues.
  • Quantitative Metrics:
    • Overall Rating: Based on the score distribution, the weighted average rating is approximately 4.02 stars.
    • Score Distribution: 5-star (52%), 4-star (13.6%), 3-star (8.2%), 2-star (6.8%), 1-star (19.4%).

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews.
  • Time Frame: The reviews span a considerable period, with some mentioning specific iOS versions and devices, indicating a range of dates up to 2024.
  • Analysis Methods: Keyword extraction (identifying frequently mentioned issues like "crash," "controls," "glitches"), sentiment analysis (categorizing reviews as positive, negative, or neutral based on the text), and frequency analysis (counting the occurrences of specific requests or complaints).

Key User Pain Points

  • Crashes/Glitches: Many users report the game crashing, especially during missions, leading to lost progress and frustration. This is a high-severity issue.
  • Control Issues: Driving and aiming are frequently criticized for being clunky, unresponsive, and difficult, particularly on touchscreens. The lack of customizable controls and sensitivity settings is a common complaint.
  • Performance Problems: Some users experience lag, low frame rates, and stuttering, especially on newer devices like iPhones and iPads, which should be capable of running the game smoothly.
  • Sound Issues: Some users experience a complete lack of sound in the game.
  • Screen Resolution Issues: The game does not fill the screen on some newer devices, like the iPad Mini 6, cutting off parts of the game.
  • Lack of Cheat Codes: Many users miss the cheat codes from the original game.
  • Steering Issues: Some users report that vehicles automatically steer to the left or right.
  • Inability to Exit Map: Some users on iPhone 13 mini cannot exit the map screen.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Cheat Codes: The most requested feature is the reintroduction of cheat codes.
  • Improved Controller Support: Users want better compatibility and customization options for Bluetooth controllers.
  • Vice City Stories Port: Many users request a mobile port of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
  • 60 FPS Support: Users desire a higher frame rate option for smoother gameplay, especially on newer devices.
  • Customizable Controls: More control over button placement, size, and sensitivity.
  • Cloud Saves: A cloud saving feature to prevent lost progress.
  • Chinese Language Support: Some users requested Chinese language support.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Nostalgia: The game evokes strong feelings of nostalgia for many players who enjoyed it on previous platforms.
  • Core Gameplay: The open-world gameplay, story, and missions are generally well-received.
  • Soundtrack: The 1980s soundtrack is a major draw for many users.
  • Port Quality: Some users feel the port is well done and performs as expected.
  • Controller Compatibility: Some users enjoy playing with a Bluetooth controller when it works well.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Fix Crashes and Glitches: Thoroughly investigate and resolve the reported crashes and glitches, especially those that prevent mission progression.
  • Improve Controls: Overhaul the control scheme to make driving and aiming more intuitive and responsive, including customizable options and sensitivity settings.
  • Address Performance Issues: Optimize the game for newer devices to eliminate lag, stuttering, and low frame rates.

Medium Priority:

  • Implement Cheat Codes: Reintroduce cheat codes to enhance the nostalgic experience and provide more gameplay options.
  • Enhance Controller Support: Provide full controller support with customizable button mapping.
  • Fix Sound Issues: Investigate and resolve the reported sound problems.

Low Priority:

  • Consider Vice City Stories Port: Evaluate the feasibility of porting Vice City Stories to mobile.
  • Add Cloud Saves: Implement cloud saving to prevent lost progress.
  • Add Chinese Language Support: Implement Chinese language support to broaden the game's audience.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Mobile Game Controller Customization App: A standalone app that allows users to customize controller mappings and sensitivity settings for various mobile games, addressing the lack of customization within individual games.
  • Nostalgia-Focused Mobile Game Remastering Service: A service that specializes in remastering classic games for mobile devices, focusing on preserving the original gameplay while improving controls and performance.
  • Cloud-Based Mobile Game Save Management: A cloud-based service that automatically backs up and synchronizes game saves across multiple devices, preventing data loss and enabling seamless gameplay across platforms.

Trends and Observations

  • Device-Specific Issues: Many issues seem to be device-specific, suggesting that the game may not be well-optimized for all iOS devices.
  • Nostalgia as a Driving Force: A significant portion of the player base is driven by nostalgia, indicating that preserving the original experience is important.
  • Control Preferences: Some users prefer touch controls, while others prefer using Bluetooth controllers, highlighting the need for flexible control options.
  • Desire for Feature Parity with Original: Users expect the mobile version to have feature parity with the original game, including cheat codes and similar gameplay mechanics.

Conclusion

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on iOS has the potential to be a highly enjoyable experience, but it is currently held back by technical issues and control problems. Addressing these issues should be a top priority. Furthermore, the demand for cheat codes, improved controller support, and a Vice City Stories port indicates opportunities to enhance the game and attract a wider audience. Rockstar Games should prioritize fixing the core issues to improve the overall user experience.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/grand-theft-auto-vice-city/id578448682?uo=2