The hotel and first contacts
The beginning leads through Ken Rosenberg to Cortez and Avery. Watch for phone calls and new icons after every completed mission.
Missions in GTA Vice City: the right order without dead ends
The story branches between several mission givers and moves to a business system after the mansion is taken over. This is why players often do not know why the next phone call has not arrived.
Vice City allows several branches to be completed in parallel. The order on the map is not always the order required for progress; the reliable approach is to finish active mission-giver chains and invest in businesses after acquiring the mansion.
Recommended progression
Milestones that show your progress
Unlocking the western island
Progress through the opening story branches unlocks the bridges. Do not permanently bypass the closures with glitches if you want a stable save.
Diaz and Vercetti Estate
The missions involving Diaz lead to the takeover of his mansion. This begins the economic part of the game and the option to buy businesses.
Asset missions
Buy businesses, complete their mission chains and collect the revenue. Print Works is essential on the route to the finale.
Finale
Once the conditions are met, the events leading to Cap the Collector and Keep Your Friends Close… begin.
Common obstacles
What to do when a mission causes trouble
Demolition Man
First learn the route and RC helicopter controls without collecting the bombs. Then place the bombs systematically, starting with the more distant locations.
The Driver
The race is not only about speed. Drive cleanly, do not cut corners through obstacles, and exploit mistakes by the opponent's AI instead of ramming aggressively.
Paramedic
Complete it before the city becomes more hostile. Plan for several patients in one area and monitor the time needed to return.
A mission does not appear
Complete all visible icons, answer the phone and check the businesses. In a modded game, first restore the original main.scm and a compatible save.
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers
How much of the story is needed to reach the credits?
The credits do not require 100% completion. Rockstar notes that the story can be finished at a considerably lower percentage; 100% includes many side activities.
Why do I not have the final mission?
After acquiring Vercetti Estate, complete the required number of profitable businesses. Print Works must be among the completed assets.
Sources and verification
Primary sources take priority
Content checked on 20 August 2026. Differences between Classic and Definitive Edition are identified where they change the procedure.