What is the connection between gta vice city and other grand theft auto games?

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City holds a pivotal position in the Grand Theft Auto series as its fourth main numbered entry, following the landmark release of Grand Theft Auto III in 2001. The game maintains the series' core open-world design and third-person perspective established in earlier titles, allowing players to navigate the fictional Vice City—a representation of 1980s Miami—on foot or by vehicle. Like its predecessors, Vice City follows a narrative structure centered on a protagonist's criminal empire building, with Tommy Vercetti's story arc reflecting the series' evolution toward more detailed storytelling and world-building. The game's release solidified Rockstar Games' approach to blending cinematic narrative with sandbox gameplay, a formula refined through the series' progression from earlier top-down and 3D titles.