Ok first things first: not one mario game is the same, nor zelda, nor MGS, same concept different game mechanics and expiremental ideas, some good some bad.
GTA 4 is different in almost everyway to Vice City. GTA 4 had a new and well, and let me stress Amazing combat system in comparison to the other games in the franchise. Moreover, the game included the Number Mission I think from any game, and thats the bank robbery, which to my knowledge is just insane initself. I still go to my save state just to take this one on without codes. Better soundtrack, graphics, The improved Tom Tom, Russians, Lapdances, Russians. Also Saints row would not exist if it were for GTA, its obvious where the took the idea for their game was. So I guess the cell phone cheats was 1/10 of a fair trade. In the end 9.5 because its always fun to shoot blindly around corners, and ride helicopters shooting Missiles Online with Friends taking over the City