In GTA Vice City Stories, the criminal rating is an important aspect. Your actions such as engaging in illegal street races which are often associated with other illegal activities like evading the police during the race can also contribute to your criminal rating. The higher your criminal rating, the more notorious your character becomes. This can lead to different gameplay experiences. For instance, you might attract the attention of rival gangs who see you as a threat or a valuable asset depending on the situation. And the game's missions and side - quests can also be affected by your criminal rating as some might be more difficult or easier based on how the in - game characters perceive you.
The criminal rating in GTA Vice City Stories is based on your actions in the game. If you commit a lot of crimes like stealing cars, killing civilians, and causing chaos, your rating will be high. It's a way to measure how 'bad' your character is in the game world.