In the action-packed world of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, players navigate a series of compelling missions that range from high-speed chases to intense shootouts, all set in the nostalgic ’80s backdrop of Vice City. The game offers a rich narrative, filled with betrayal, family drama, and the pursuit of power through any means necessary. Not to forget classic GTA humor and fast cars. Among these missions, however, some stand out more than others. Be it for their ingenuity, emotional depth, or pure chaos and mayhem. In this article, we’ll dive into some of the best missions that are great examples of the spirit of GTA but also offer unforgettable experiences that stick with you long after finishing the game.
High Wire
In the mission, Victor Vance gets a job from Diego and Armando Mendez. Victor has to pilot a Maverick helicopter with a magnet to retrieve drug containers for the Mendez Cartel. First, he heads to Viceport to lift a container from the police impound and then drops it at Escobar International Airport. The tension climbs as he works to stop a second container that a truck is transporting before it gets to the Little Havana police station. Additionally, Victor races against time to save a Mendez Cartel member. Victor has to lift the car with the chopper’s magnet and transport him to the safety of a parking garage.
This complex mission turns more unpredictable as it goes further. Just when you think you’re done with the challenge, a new one emerges. Naturally, flying the helicopter is at least as fun as it is challenging. This mission pays out $1,500 and unlocks the subsequent mission, Burning Bridges. It is also the best-paying mission from the Mendez Brothers.
The Exchange
In The Exchange, Ricardo Diaz sends Vic on a mission involving a drug exchange with the DEA. Victor and one of Diaz’s men drive a van loaded with cocaine to a meeting point in Downtown. Here, Gonzalez’s goons ambush them, forcing Victor to eliminate these threats before the DEA arrives. Once Victor clears the area, they complete the exchange. Now, Victor has a truck full of heavy guns to transport to Diaz’s mansion, all while defending against attacks from Gonzalez’s men.
This is truly an action-packed event that includes dealings with the DEA and fighting off rival gang members. It starts off like a simple delivery job, but quickly you realize that there’s much more at stake. The mission transitions between driving and eliminating targets. The chase back to Diaz’s mansion is filled with adrenaline as you dodge bullets and navigate the streets. Completing the mission grants you $1,750.
Purple Haze
The Mission Purple Haze is a delivery mission you get from Gonzalez. Vic is supposed to transport a van full of drugs to an alley for a deal in Washington Beach. Just when it seems like another straightforward delivery mission, the twist comes. While Victor waits in the van for the drug deal to happen, a Linerunner crashes into him at full speed, knocking him unconscious. When Vic wakes up, he finds himself disoriented from inhaling some of the drugs, and the van is gone. Gonzalez is far from pleased when he hears about this, and he commands Victor to get those drugs back ASAP. Victor then goes on a hunt for the drugs to returns them to Gonzalez.
The mission is a rollercoaster ride of unexpected events, as is expected from a mission named after the hit song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. A simple delivery job quickly turns into strange chaos. Disorientation while driving and shooting is a different kind of experience, for sure. Successfully completing the mission yields a $1,000 reward.
Jive Drive
Jive Drive is an action-packed mission where the player is reintroduced to his younger brother Lance Vance, leading to a confrontation with the Cholos gang. The mission quickly escalates and offers exactly what you’d expect from a great GTA mission: high-speed driving and intense combat. It also becomes a sort of bonding exercise between the brothers, which is a nice addition to all the action.
The mission is a special one because of the two brothers reconnecting. The dialogue between the two and the mission itself work to expand one of the more important story arcs in the Vice City narrative. In addition to this, there are tons of gunfights and impressive vehicular acrobatics, all while getting great commentary from the Vance brothers.
Domo Arigato Domestoboto
Domo Arigato Domestoboto is a Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories mission that trades bullets for household chores. You start off frustrated with your brother Lance, only to find yourself controlling a home robot, Domestobot, doing housework for the bad guy, Armando Mendez. However, in addition to the chores, you’ve got to sneak around and burn some important papers while you’re at it.
The mission packs in fun, quirky details, including cultural shoutouts to Back to the Future and RoboCop. These elements make the mission a refreshing departure from the usual shootout tasks. Needless to say, Domo Arigato Domestoboto is an amazing mission and a refreshing change from even the previous mentions. In the end, you also get a nice wad of cash, $2,000 to be exact.
Last Stand
Last Stand is the explosive final mission in the 2007 GTA game, where Victor Vance is out for blood. Fueled by revenge after the Mendez brothers killed his girlfriend Louise, Vic hops into a Hunter chopper and goes all guns blazing on Diego Mendez’s hideout. But things get messy as his chopper gets shot down, forcing him to battle it out on foot. Vic’s old army buddy Jerry Martinez shows up, along with Diego. It’s an epic three-way face-off on the rooftop. In the end, there’s only one way out of this.
This mission’s got it all: choppers, shootouts, twists and turns, revenge, and more. You even unlock some cool stuff like the Hunter helicopter and a new outfit once you beat it. Even though it’s the final mission, the game leaves some stuff ambiguous, like what happens to Vic and his brother Lance after all this chaos.
From Zero to Hero
From Zero to Hero is an important mission in Vice City Stories where the Vance brothers pull off a heist. Lance gets wind of a coke shipment coming into Vice City and convinces Vic to join him in a robbery. After killing some of Martinez’s men at the docks, the brothers nab two trucks full of drugs and book it. As they escape, Martinez chases them in a chopper, launching missiles their way.
This mission is an important one. You unlock a ton of new stuff, including new parts of the city and a six-star wanted level. Making it even better, the mission’s soundtrack is set to Dio’s Holy Diver, one of the all-time heavy metal classics. Also, Lance drops some lines that are nods to Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous I Have a Dream speech.
Honorable Mentions
Light My Pyre: Victor Vance rushes to rescue his kidnapped love interest and confronts Armando Mendez, culminating in a dramatic showdown. This is both an intense and funny mission.
Brawn of the Dead: Victor Vance finds himself playing a stuntman in a zombie film to facilitate a drug deal, offering a classic blend of humor and action. Shoot and slash your way through zombies in a GTA title, what’s not to like?
Unfriendly Competition: Victor Vance is tasked with taking down rival dealers involved in the drug trade. As is customary to GTA, this leads to a violent showdown at the hotel pool.
In the Air Tonight: The player is tasked with protecting musician Phil Collins during a live concert, need I say more?