The story progresses through a series of missions. You start off as a relatively unknown character and as you complete missions for different gangs or individuals, you gain more power and influence. Each mission is linked to the overall plot, which often involves territorial disputes, drug deals, and personal vendettas.
In Vice City City Stories, the story progresses in a non - linear way to some extent. You get to choose which missions to take on from different factions. As you complete missions, new opportunities and storylines open up. For example, you might first be involved in small - time thefts for a local gang. But as you prove your worth, you get dragged into bigger operations like heists and assassinations. The relationships between the characters also change as the story unfolds, which affects the future missions.