Not my favorite GTA, that would be SA or 5, but an incredibly amazing videogame anyway. Considering it's kind of is just a "reskin" of GTA 3, with a different map, it's a proper fucking achievement. It always amazes me looking back at VC's map - it's so simplistic and, well, SMALL. I dunno if it's even bigger than GTA 3's map - I woudn't be surprised if it was actually smaller. But still, ps2 era rockstar GTA map design is god tier, the map never actually felt small while playing. The atmosphere was so thick you could cut it with a knife. The music, obviously as previously mentioned, but also the colourful night lights, the super bright sun during day time, all the white lambos cruising around....
I feel almost that the template for the "80's look" was created, or at least cemented by Vice City. It's a game that somehow made people who weren't even fucking alive in the 80's feel nostalgic for it.