Grand Theft Auto San, rockstar’s first entry into the GTA franchise takes us back to the gangsta-ridden ’90s. This time around, we’re following Carl “CJ” Johnson as he returns to his old neighborhood and experiences the full grind of West Coast gang life.
Boost CJ’s Respect stat by killing drug dealers, completing missions and taking over hostile hoods. For more on weapons, check out IGN’s Weapons Guide.
The Story
Following the massive success of GTA III, Rockstar North took the concept and expanded it into a full-blown game spanning not one but three cities – Los Santos, San Fierro, Las Venturas (Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vegas respectively) plus some countryside and desert thrown in for good measure. Like the two games preceding it, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is played from a third-person perspective, allowing players to do just about everything imaginable within a massive open world, including walking, running, swimming (for the first time in a GTA game), driving, shooting, and even skydiving and jetpacking.
The story starts with Carl Johnson aka CJ returning to Los Santos after his mother’s death and finding the city teetering on the brink of chaos. Grove Street, once the dominant family in town, is struggling to maintain control as rival gangs move to encircle them. With his brother Sweet and old friends already deep into gang life, CJ is dragged back into the fold; drawn into a world of guns, drugs, territory, casual violence and family loyalty.
Grand Theft Auto San
In the world of San Andreas, it’s easy to get carried away in the mayhem and lose track of what is actually happening. Thankfully, the game’s excellent script and characters keep the player grounded. Rockstar has also infused the game with a slew of cultural references, ranging from Public Enemy to Guns N’ Roses, to help remind us of where we came from and give the city a real sense of place.
The game’s massive size means that there is always something to do, with a multitude of missions on offer at any given time, whether it be rescuing dogs, chasing suspects, weeding out rival gang members, or just plain killing people. The game’s infamous radio station is also back with a whole host of classic tracks and the legendary gangster anthems that will bring a smile to any GTA fan’s face. In fact, with a dozen or so stations to choose from, the player will never run out of music to listen to. It’s all rounded off with the kind of superbly polished graphics and attention to detail that has become the hallmark of the series.
The Environment
One of the biggest reasons to love GTA San Andreas is its vast world. The game is set in the state of San Andreas, which has three major cities (Los Santos, Los Angeles, and San Fierro) as well as sprawling countryside and desert. The environment is much larger than that of the two immediate predecessors, allowing players to explore more of the environment than ever before.
In addition to the size and minute details of the setting, there is also a strong sense of lore throughout the state of San Andreas. The game makes reference to the state being damaged by a massive earthquake, which has left many buildings in ruin across the map. Evidence of this can be seen in the Doherty district of San Fierro, where several properties are smashed and destroyed by fallen debris.
The map of the game is also home to a number of interesting Easter eggs. These include a hidden message from Rockstar Games referring to the beta version of the game, which can be found inside Mike Toreno’s ranch in Tierra Robada or at the Lil’ Probe Inn bar in Bone County. There is also a homage to the movie Apocalypse Now in the form of a large satellite dish located northwest of Grove Street.
Another reason to love the game is its wide selection of vehicles. The game features a good number of cars, motorcycles, and aircraft for players to choose from. There are also a number of different activities for players to take part in, such as hunting, racing, and completing missions.
One of the main reasons why people might not like gta san andreas is its outdated graphics. The game was released in 2004 and the graphics are not as sharp as that of modern games. This can put off some players who only enjoy games with sparkling graphics.
Despite the fact that the graphics are a little on the dated side, there is still plenty to do in GTA San Andreas. The game is a lot of fun to play and the gameplay is addictive.
The Characters
Throughout the game, numerous recurring characters appear. Prominent among these is Carl “CJ” Johnson, the protagonist and anti-hero of the story. CJ is a member of the Grove Street Families but, after a family tragedy, he finds his home wracked by crime and corruption. Initially, he enlists the help of Sweet, the overweight leader of the Aztecas gang, to retake control of his turf from the Ballas and Vagos. In the course of his mission, he befriends a hippie named The Truth, and he crosses paths with members of the Loco Syndicate, who are flooding Los Santos with crack cocaine.
Eddie Pulaski, a corrupt police officer, serves as Tenpenny’s henchman. Fully indoctrinated into Tenpenny’s philosophy, he believes that everyone he meets is useful to him in some way. He tells CJ, early in the game, that “one day you’re going to piss me off so bad you’ll think God himself crapped on you.”
In an attempt to retake his turf from the Ballas and Vagos, CJ joins forces with Melvin “Big Smoke” Harris (who is the story’s secondary antagonist), a member of the Grove Street Families who has betrayed them. He is an imposing man and, when he visits the home of his cousin Catalina, he reveals that he is fat, which provides some comic relief. Big Smoke also befriends The Truth, and he is the one who reveals to CJ that Sweet has walked into a Ballas ambush.
Later, CJ saves OG Loc from the Los Santos Vagos and, in his gratitude, is rewarded with a job managing Madd Dogg’s Las Venturas recording studio. At the studio, he is introduced to two close associates, Jethro and Dwaine, who used to own a boating business in Vice City but were forced to sell it after a mobster bought out their partners. The two men now work as mechanics at the Xoomer gas station in San Fierro and, like CJ, they smoke marijuana. They both go to work at the garage once CJ has taken over the ownership of the facility. The garage is a source of additional income and it allows the player to access unique vehicles, such as an RV.
The Controls
Five years ago, Carl ‘CJ’ Johnson escaped Los Santos, a city ravaged by drug wars and gang violence. Now, CJ is back in town and he’s got a lot to catch up on.
GTA San Andreas is one of the most revered entries in the Grand Theft Auto series, a renowned classic that set a new standard for open-world games. It was originally released for PlayStation 2 in 2004, and it’s since been re-released on a variety of platforms, including PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|XS and the Nintendo Switch.
While the game has a hefty list of missions, it also features a wide range of side activities that allow you to spend time in Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas without the need for a story mission. From gambling, to basketball and dominating the arcade cabinets, there are plenty of ways to pass the time in San Andreas.
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
As with every GTA game, the law is a constant threat in San Andreas. Commit any criminal offences – even outside of a mission – and the police will come after you. This includes jacking cars, which you can do by walking up to them and pressing the TRIANGLE button. Once you have a vehicle, you can then use the directional buttons to move it around the map.
In addition to cars, there are also bikes and planes that you can pilot. Each type of vehicle has its own controls, which can be seen in the on-screen HUD when you’re in the vehicle. There are also a number of special vehicles that you can pick up by completing unique side activities, such as delivering patients to hospitals in ambulances and putting out fires with firefighters. These side activities generally have 12 levels that you’ll want to beat, giving you a substantial cash reward and unique perks.
Other side activities that will keep the money coming in include completing Asset missions. These can be found all over the Los Santos, San Fierro or Las Venturas areas, and they’ll task you with completing difficult trials such as triathlons, low-rider show-downs and tricky time trials. These challenges will not only improve your pride but will also pump a sizeable injection of cash into your bank account.
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