| Disclaimer - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has a Mature rating and is only meant for those 17 or older. The game features Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, and Use of Drugs.
We last left the Grand Theft Auto series in the Miami-like fictional place of Vice City. For those of you not so familar with this series, Grand Theft Auto is the ultimate must-have for Playstation 2 owners (over 17 years of age). Each game in the series is based around complex stories of one individual and their troubled life. In the last release titled "Vice City" the story was centered around the main character named Tommy Vercetti. With "San Andreas," the latest in the series, you are Carl "CJ" Johnson, a gangster who is moving back to his childhood home in the ghetto after his "Moms" is murdered.
As your character moves back Los Santos you will rejoin the neighborhood gang and be on your way to murdering, burglarizing, and as the title mentions - grand theft auto, just to mention a few crimes that you will be committing. Since you are the new guy in town again you instantly become the prime target for rival gangs. Be careful not to drive too slow on other gang turf or you may find yourself at the emergency room.
Aside from gang wars, you are also framed by the local corrupt law enforcement for a crime that you didn't commit. Along your journey to clear your name and save your family you will be completing countless missions. By finishing each mission you will gain respect from your friends and soon be able to form your own gang. In this respect San Andreas topples Vice City without question. The gameplay offers much more roleplaying and character development.
Throughout playing the game you will need to make sure that you keep CJ healthy. Just like real-life, there are many fast food chains in town and CJ loves his fast food. You will need to make sure that CJ eats on a regular basis otherwise he will become thin and weak. This not only lowers his health, but also his sex appeal rating. On the other end of the spectrum, if CJ eats and never exercises he will get fat and you'll start noticing that he doesn't run as fast. You can get your exercise many different ways either by going to the gym and working out or if you are just looking for a quick boost take CJ for a quick jog around the block.
One of the best improvements over Vice City is the graphics. In San Andreas, you will explore three major cities; Los Santos (Los Angeles), San Fiero (San Francisco) and Las Venturas (Las Vegas). Each of these cities is designed to look very similar to what you'd expect from the real city that they are based upon. Between the major cities you will also find hick towns and beautiful countrysides.
Other parts of the game that I really enjoy include; the ability to swim - you will no longer find yourself at the hospital if you accidentally run your stolen car into the ocean, in fact, you can actually lose the police sometimes by taking a dip in the water. You will also find that you can enter a lot more buildings than in Vice City. Now, you can get your haircut, get tattoos, buy clothes, and much more.
The only downside that I have to mention about San Andreas is that for most of the game you are restricted to Los Santos. Until you complete a number of missions you will not be able to check out what San Fiero and Las Venturas has to offer. I have spent many hours just trying to evade the police to get a sneak peek at the other cities in the game with only a small amount of success. My first attempt at checking out Las Venturas was by swimming through the river that separates Los Santos and Las Venturas. As I reached shore I had helicopters, SWAT teams and every other law enforcement wanting to take me down. The only success that I have had is breaking into the Los Santos International Airport, stealing a jet and flying over Las Venturas. However, as I entered the airspace over the Vegas-like city, I immediately encountered fighter jets shooting missiles at me. If I could change one thing about the game this would be it. I suggest for future games that there be a mode in which the player has full access to all areas of the game so that if you just want to roam freely then you can do that as well.
Overall, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas tops my list of favorite games of the year. With an intense mix of action, role-playing and adventure I have a hard time imagining how Rockstar Games will possibly top this one. I must point out that San Andreas has a Mature rating and definitely earns that rating without a doubt. The contents of the game are absolutely only meant for individuals at least 17 years old. However, if you are 17 or older then this is a must-have game for your collection.
- Chad Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief
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