even shyt like vice city is still better than modern day sandbox open world's
They have extreme attention to detail and their directors prioritize worldbuilding above everything else.
Consistently massive budgets and long development cycles don't hurt either.

Depends on what gta that you are talking about. San Andreas had a big open world that you could do so many things. I found GTA V had very little to do.

I see what u mean but nahhhhhh man lolNot really
Witcher 3 and Assassins Creed Origins maps are a lot bigger with tons of detail...
Also I felt New Bordeaux (Mafia III) was a lot more livelier than Los Santos...They did a great job with that map and captured the 60's New Orleans atmosphere well...If it wasn't for the repetitive mission structure that game could of been special...
And San Andreas had more to do , GTA5 was nothing but dead space and Los SantosGta 5 has a bigger map than SA