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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- The next chapter in the legendary Grand Theft Auto series
- Set in Los Santos, San Andreas, plagued by gang violence, corruption, and drugs
- Carl Johnson's mother has been murdered and family has fallen apart
- Carl is framed for homicide by two corrupt cops
- He must journey across San Andreas to take control of the streets
The Editors Desk:
It may not be a splashy leap forward, but Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in its own deep, dark way does just as much to move and revolutionize video games as its two predecessors, Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. As in previous installments, here you play as a thug with problems you must steal and shoot your way out of, but the problems this time are disconcertingly more realistic. You play as Carl Johnson, known on the street as CJ, a likeable criminal type who has just returned to his hometown, Los Santos (a fictionalized Los Angeles), to find that his mother has been murdered and that the police have framed him for another murder. Reunions with his friends and a troubled relationship with his brother set off a sprawling, complex plot line, taking place at first in the immediate Los Santos area but eventually spilling into San Fierro (based on San Francisco) and Las Venturas (Las Vegas).
 | | You play as Carl Johnson, known on the street as CJ. |
This is an honest effort to create an engaging story about sympathetic characters caught up in a brutal environment that is on par with a movie or novel.
| Gaming Gangsters
Where Vice City took its cues, with tongue firmly in cheek, from the 1980s television series Miami Vice, San Andreas is a sincere homage to early 1990s innercity gangster films like Menace 2 Society and Boyz ‘N the Hood. This is an honest effort to create an engaging story about sympathetic characters caught up in a brutal environment that is on par with a movie or novel. If that effort hits a few flat notes (you would have to be totally desensitized not to wonder if it's OK to make entertainment out of driveby shootings), it may also mark the first step toward video games growing up. The first thing that fans of earlier GTA games will notice is the range of action is much wider now: Along with shooting, running, and driving, there's now swimming, eating, working out, shopping, and, yes, getting a haircut. All this means the game has a fairly steep learning curve. But, though the pick-up-and-play appeal of Grand Theft Auto III may be long gone, your access to the action becomes fairly transparent after a little practice. My only serious complaint is that, with the controller now crowded with such previously unheard-of functions like "Gang Active" and "Talk Positive," you can drive only with the left analog stick. A minor point, but it makes cars a lot more difficult to handle.  | | Bicycles take on a surprisingly central role. |
Vehicular Variety
It would be hard to surpass the variety of automobiles available in earlier games, and San Andreas wisely does not for the most part try to compete on that score. Instead, it's bicycles of all things that steal the show. The bikes' speed and flexibility are perfect for many of the missions, and there is something about cruising through the streets and basketball courts on a BMX that just feels right. If you play far enough into the game, you will also be rewarded with the chance to fly a number of aircraft, and flying is something Rockstar makes a greater effort to get right this time (welcome news for anyone who struggled with the planes and ‘copters of the earlier games).
Lackluster Graphics--but a Real Feel
Graphics--never a huge priority for Rockstar--actually take a step backward from the luscious, tropical look of Vice City. Textures are rendered with only a cursory attention to detail, and contours are often blocky. It scarcely matters, though, because no matter how San Andreas looks, it feels real. This is due in no small part to voice work by an all-star cast including Samuel L. Jackson, Ice T, James Woods, Peter Fonda, and Outkast's Big Boy and a stellar soundtrack with tunes by Soundgarden, 2Pac, Public Enemy, and even a few country classics from the likes of Willie Nelson. But it's not just realistic, San Andreas is also vast, encompassing three big urban centers and huge swaths of rural land (complete with shotgun-toting farmers) between them. This vastness does mean, however, that there can be a lot of tedious driving to get to the missions, which, along with some awkward sequencing of the cut scenes (they are in places stacked one on top of the other), means that there is a bit too much downtime. But never mind the quibbles. Ladies and gentlemen, we have another classic on our hands. --David Stoesz Pros: - Astonishingly vast game space
- Vivid character development
- Complex, engaging plot
- Enormous range of available actions
Cons: - Occasionally awkward game design
- You can no longer steer cars with the directional buttons
- Steep learning curve
What's Your Strategy?
 Get mission strategies and detailed maps to achieve every objective with the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Official Strategy Guide.
Avg. Customer Review: 
 The Greatest Game Series Ever
With the new gta coming on a confirmed date of 10/19/04 millions of people are excited, and they should be. Information about the game has been released in a game informer magazine stating features of the game. In San Andreas you can rob houses and other buildings in 3 fully accesible cities that make up a entire state that can be explored in and out of buildings and the streets(every building will be accessible now), also you can hire 4 gang members to help you run your business, you can buy a casino and run robert de niro style, there are more cars and other new vehicles including bikes, there is also a more realistic stamina system in the game that makes you character fat if you dont excersise, and skinny if you dont eat(thats right you have to eat and excersise), the entire map in this game is going to be 4 to 6 times bigger then Vice City(not 10 to 16, whoever said that look someone wrote gullible on the ceiling), also in this game when you kill someone their body goes limp and and actual responds like a real dying person, all of this informations comes from the actual people who made the game so believe me, i dont know this for a fact but i would also expect hundreds of missions and new gameplay techniques such as more fighting and driving skills. So overall this game will definetly be the greatest game of all time and i would suggest you preorder now because when it comes out theres not gonna be one copy on the shelves.
This game is the best of them all!!!!!!!!
The following features have been confirmed for GTA: San Andreas:
? Tweaked Vice City
? Entire state of San Andreas included, meaning three cities will be present in the game, each connected by countryside. Los Santos, a fictional Los Angeles, San Fierro, a rendition of San Francisco, and La Venturra, which is the Grand Theft Auto version of Las Vegas.
? Larger map, which is much more interesting and "alive" than Vice City. Hills have been confirmed, and even a mountain is to be included.
? Smog will be present in Los Santos to give it a "real life" feeling.
? "Characters from the past" will return.
? Ragdoll physics, aka "Impact Animation" similar to that seen in recent PC titles like Far Cry, Half Life 2 and Max Payne 2.
? In La Venturra, set up a casino, or gamble in those owned by others.
? Recruit gang members and perform four person drive by's. (Screenshot)
? Pedal Bicycles (Screenshot)
? House robberies will take place but require skill and planning.
? Stamina Meter. Carl will have to consume food on his journey across San Andreas, and will gain weight if he eats too much. Gyms will be available to work out in.
Best Game Ever
Grand THeft Auto is the best Grand theft auto yet the environment is just so wonderful and the map is huge.<br />
If you liked any of the other grand theft autos you will love this one
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