The Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series of games has long been the industry standard of, well, GTA-like games; free-roaming gangster shooters with racing, flying and everything in between. We here at Fuse think it’s about time to stop off at (potentially) the greatest GTA game of the series, San Andreas.
What with the new GTA V trailer showing a return to San Andreas (although the other cities and areas are still unconfirmed), it is important to return to Green Street and the exploits of Carl “CJ” Johnson to really understand how momentous the return to GTA’s spiritual home is.
Whilst San Andreas’ younger brother, GTA IV, probably managed a denser, more detailed world, it just doesn’t manage the scope of San Andreas’. Flying to the top of Mount Chiliad in a stolen jet, with Queen blasting out the stereo and dozens of police helicopters in pursuit is something you don’t forget in a hurry.
What really brought the world to life, however, was its differentiation – hilarious old ladies who scream obscenities at you, near-constant cop chases, street battles, guns, gangs and mayhem; you will struggle to say, at any point, “Yep, I feel like I’ve gotten all I can from this game”.
But beware; San Andreas is unforgiving. There are missions which aren’t so much difficulty spikes as difficulty mountains and you’ll often find yourself wandering through the desert because you were a bit ambitious with that triple backflip on a moped.
But these problems are part and parcel with the game’s true genius: the beauty of San Andreas lies in the pure freedom unrepentant crime offers you. Stealing the nearest vehicle, then driving until you can steal something a bit better. If someone cuts you up on the motorway, you can just lean out the window and pop their tires with an Uzi.
San Andreas remains a milestone for open-world gameplay, with the kind of freedom that you can’t (and probably shouldn’t) have in real life. Corridor shooters and racers on walled tracks are fun, but fail to hold your interest much longer than the first “Ooh, aah” moments.
San Andreas, as with almost all GTA titles, is known for its more explicit content (the “hot coffee” minigame hack, in particular), but is remembered as one of the finest games to ever provide a 502 mile open world and say “go”.
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