Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

"Rockstar's Greatest Creation Yet!"

PS2's 2004 Game of the Year has finally made it's way to the Xbox. I played both games in the GTA Double Pack and loved them to death, so naturally I was overjoyed when I heard about San An coming, and when the long-awaited game finally arrived, no-one was more happy then me. This game was really worth the wait.

Graphics: I'll just say that the graphics are what they should be. The bad spots are mostly during cutscenes, and are just minor things like the characters cannot seperate their fingers. There has not been too much attention in this department but that is a good thing - Games with too much attention on graphics usually have less REAL content than they should. GTA: San An looks like a cartoon, but that doesn't matter at all when you see everything else this game has to offer.

Sounds: The sounds are excellent! The soundtrack you can listen to while cruising the streets of LS (or any city) are well picked and really match the time period the game is set in - Early 90's, when rap was at it's peak. However, there is not just rap to offer, there are stations for rock, classic rock, disco and many more. Or if you don't like any of the ingame music, there is a custom soundtrack feature, and it will even play your own music radio station style. There is also a very well-written script for this game. The voice-acting is fantastic and there are a number of celebrity voice-actors - including Samuel L. Jackson. All gameplay sounds are completely realistic too; gunfire, cars etc. Definitely the game for you if it's sounds you like.

Story: You play as Carl "CJ" Johnson, who has returned to Los Santos for the funeral of his mother who was murdered by an unknown suspect. On the way to the cemetery, CJ is framed by two corrupt cops and this is where the game begins. I will not spoil any more, but the story is very well written.

Game Play: This is one of the only games where you are guaranteed not to run out of things to do as there is just so much. Of course, there are missions to play, but if you need a break: You can do the old GTA tradition of killing people, stealing cars etc. but a hell of a lot more has been added since Vice City. For the first time ever in GTA history, you can play two player mode, as well as two player co-op missions! You can now go full into water without worrying about drowning as swimming has finally been added. If you dive underwater, there are several oysters to collect and you can also get a view of the undersea life. Also added is controlling your character like he was a real life person. When he gets hungry, you take him to a fast food joint or a vending machine; if he wears the same clothes for days, the other pedestrians will actually complain about the smell. No worry, CJ can change his clothes from a clothes store or his very own wardrobe. The game will last an EXTREMELY long time, the missions come in numbers are some are very challenging, and the number of out-of-mission things to do will keep you busy seemingly forever.

The game is one of the funnest games you will ever play. A real example of a classic video game.

Rated: 18+

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/21/05