Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
On his return to the neighborhood, a couple of corrupt cops frame him for homicide. CJ is forced on a journey that takes him across the entire state of San Andreas, to save his family and to take control of the streets. Liberty City. Vice City. Now San Andreas, a new chapter in the legendary series. Grand Theft Auto returns to the PlayStation 2 this October. Amazon.com
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.
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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. |
Customer Reviews
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 Gets boring after a while, May 15, 2023
When i got the game, it was awesome. After like two months it got boring because I beat all the missions and the side missions don't help me anymore. I suggest you do the side missions first (cop, firetruck, ambulance, etc) and don't use cheats to have fun with the game.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Another Great game for a excellent Franchise, May 15, 2023
San Andreas is a great improvment over the previous games GTA 3 and Vice city. With more play time, better aiming and RPG elements this game sets itself apart from other third person shoters. As before the open ended missions give alot of fun but shortly get old. That being said the graphics are old but they pale in comparison to some other PS2 games.One last not this game is rated "M" for a reason. There is as somepeople believe,not myself,to much cursing.Also,the game is sufficated with adult material,again some people don't like this. However I very greatly enjoyed this game.
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
 The Award goes to GTA san adreas, May 13, 2023
the Award goes to GTA San Adreas
This game is about a man who left his family for few years. When he got back, his mom had died. His family said everything that happened was his fault, even his mom death. Some of his best friends became his enemy. My favorite part in the game is the end. When he killed is best and killed the officers that make his hood breakup.
The thing I like about this game was the gun and cars. They were perfect and each car speed limit was great. This game started great. Cj was getting off the plane and got blackmailed by an officer. Another interesting thing about this game was the map.Tthe map shows all the area of your mission and make it easier to get to your destination .This game had a lot of surprises, for example jet packs. I think it was a great idea putting jet packs, because it makes the shooting mission easier. Before this game came out, I always logge on Ebgames to see the case and the photo.
I recommend this game to people who like action games and movie. But not kids under 13 years.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
greatest game of all time until the next gta or the godfathe, May 12, 2023
this is the best game of all time until either the next gta game comes out or until the godfather the game comes out but until then this is the best.i agree with the person below it's not the games fault people are doing these crimes it's the person who's doing these crimes fault.if you play any gta game and then you copy something from the game then theres something wrong with you.Any way this game is great there are alot of guns and cars and over 100 missions and side missions.
pros
best game of all time for now
great gameplay
alot of missions
fun side missions
you can gamble,you can eat,you can buy houses,you can get tatoos,you can change your clothes and you can dye and style your hair so you can make him look like the ultimate gangster.
you can swim
many weapons
many cars
you can ride bikes
the game is so huge
it is a long game that will let you enjoy it for along time
cons
one mission pissed me off so hard
graphics(who cares if the graphics arn't good because in gta games graphics don't matter)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
San Andreas: Fictional area, real action, May 12, 2023
People say two things that aggrivate me to no end, they are the following:
1- You're too young to be playing such a violent game.
and
2- This game promotes violence.
This game isn't a game that promotes violence. Does it say "Kill people, and blow stuff up." this game doesn't make people do it, and I'm sick of people calling this game a bad influence, its not the game, its not the parents its the people who let it blur thier sense of reality. Honestly, they shouldn't have a physical age for this game, it should be a mental age. It's a solid game, it allows you to experience life more realistically (haircuts, eating, playing basketball) and you can even make it fel like the Sims. It's awesome to play and one thing, don't blame the game, blame the people, buster! Dang! Ryder's got me talkin' like 'im!
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Based on 772 reviews.