It’s hard to resist the charm of classicGrand Theft Autogames likeVice City. AlthoughVice Cityisterribly antiquated by today’s standards, revisiting the game’s sun-baked shores is still a treat. Although an official remaster has finally hit the shelves, mods for this game are still worth trying out.
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Luckily, there’s an extensive collection of mods forVice Citythat attempt to bring this classic title out of the dark ages and into the modern era. Whether it’s updated graphics or new features entirely, these nifty mods should make replayingVice Citymore of a joy and less of a headache.
Updated July 07, 2025 by Mark Hospodar:Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition has finally been released. These beloved titles, however, experienced a bit of a rocky launch since first hitting the shelves in their remastered state in November.
Mods for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City are still an option for players either disillusioned or unsure about the Definitive Edition. A handful of additional mods have been added to this list in the interest of casting a wide net for fans interested in resurrecting this blast from the past.
Mod Loader
Before diving into the mod list proper, it’s worth mentioning a handy little tool that will make the player’s life a lot easier. Modding games as old asVice Cityis very rarely a straightforward process. Keeping everything organized for when things go wrong is important and ultimately saves time.
TheMod Loaderis highly recommended when installing add-ons forVice City. It beats rooting around the game’s file directories to find the correct installation paths. Mod Loader does practically all the work by itself, which is always a plus. Players installing multiple mods should download this handy tool as well to create a smoother process.
12Silent Patch
Delivering a smoother and more bug-free experience than the original should be at the top of the list for any remaster.Vice Cityis an old game, and no longer receives regular updates from the developers to fix lingering problems and bugs.
For that, installing theSilent Patchshould be step #1 when looking to overhaulVice City. The collection of fixes this mod provides is extensive, so it’s worth perusing the description page for the full list. Suffice to say,Vice Citywill run a lot smoother with the Silent Patch installed.
11Widescreen Fix
The kind of widescreen monitors that most players are familiar with today didn’t exist in 2002. As such, playingVice Citytoday on a modern setup doesn’t look quite right. Fortunately, players can install theWidescreen Fixmod to solve the issue.
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The Widescreen Fix mod doesn’t do anything too fancy. It simplyfixes things like the game’s aspect ratio, HUD, and FOV to better fit the size of contemporary monitors. Before thinking about another playthrough, this mod should definitely be given consideration.
10Vice City: Definitive Edition
When searching for a competent, all-in-one overhaul, theVice City: Definitive Editionmod is a worthy choice. If players don’t want to waste time installing multiple mods one at a time, this comprehensive package is the perfect solution.
Vice City: Definitive Edition fixes many of theproblems that still plague the gameeven after all these years.Vice Citywill not only run better but look better too.Textures are upscaled, gamepads are given support, and the ability to run the game in 60 FPS is also provided.
9Vice City Retexture Project
Installing a competent retexture mod when looking to remaster a game is essential. There are a few packages that fulfill this function, but one of the more recent and well-made examples is theVice City Retexture Project.
With this mod,Vice Cityis certainly able to pop aesthetically. This game, despite its advanced age, still possesses plenty of beauty on offer. Making sure everything looks its absolute best is a great way to experience this game one more time.
8Final Remastered Edition
The remastered version of theGrand Theft Autotrilogy has been met with a divisive reception. Those looking for a stabler or alternative experience while the official version works out the kinks should take a look at theFinal Remastered Editionmod.
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The Final Remastered Edition incorporates a collection of other mods within its package. Fans can expect crisper visuals, fewer bugs and crashes, and increased draw distance, to name just a few features. If anyone is on the fence about the remastered trilogy, this mod is worth the time.
7Vice City HD Edition
Similar to the previous mod,Vice City HD Editionis a package deal that comes with a whole host of improvements. Its primary concern is graphical enhancements, assembling dozens of smaller mods under one umbrella.
Players can feast their eyes on sharper-looking vehicles, icons, effects, and interiors. In short, everything on display will appear much better, which is always a plus.
6Vice City Definitive Edition Classic
Yet another new mod that aims to makeVice Citylook better isDefinitive Edition Classic. Once again, this mod incorporates several smaller add-ons that really enlivens the 1980s atmosphere in a manner that should make longtime fans smile. There are also a few reshading options in the form of added filters for gamers to experiment with throughout a playthrough.
5Vice City HD Effects
There are a lot of mods that giveVice City’s visuals more panache. One aspect of the presentation that fans should consider improving is the various tertiary effects in the game. Taken together, these effects can have a noticeable impact on the overall look of the game.
Vice City: HD Effectsupgrades many of the particles in the environment. Textures and effects such as gun flashes, blood, smoke, and tire marks are all given the HD treatment.It’s not perfect, but it helps makeVice Cityappear more realistic by today’s standards.
4Vice City ENB Series
If players want to try to take the game’s visuals to the next level, then installing an ENB is the next step. When all the texture mods have been exhausted, an ENB will makeVice City’s environment pop even more than it did before.
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TheVice City ENB Seriesmod will further amplify many of the environmental effects encountered in the game.Things like reflections and sun glare will now appear more natural and realistic.It’s worth giving a try while making the rest of the game look as beautiful as possible.
3MeTV Radio
One of the highlights ofVice Cityat the time of its release was its excellent collection of 80s music. Tooling around the maplistening to the decade’s top artistsis one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game. Why not make the selection even better by adding more music?
TheMeTV Radiomod does just that byadding over six hours of 80s hits toVice City’s radio stations.Now, it won’t be quite as easy to run out of things to listen to while exploring the game world and seeing everything that’s on offer.
