Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (XBox)

I love this game, I just wonder if there will be a GTA: SA 2 for xbox?????? anyway this is a great game :)

please buy if you don't have it or haven't ordered it :)

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This is a game out of the Grand Theft Auto Series so you know it is a instant classic this is a lot more fun to me than the previous game however I might add that the previous games where like nonother at their time and I could not stop playing them this offers a little bit different missions than the previous games and is a lot bigger with a bigger map and there is so much to do this is a must for GTA fans Highly Recomended Parents watch out for the Cussing and Suggested Themes this is a Mature game

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Putting aside from the typical reactions one gets from those who are predisposed to dislike this game due to its controversy (such as so-called "attorney" Jack Thompson, whose crusade against this and other violent video games has become an unintentional self-parody), it seems that there are those who are quite vocal about disliking this game due to the ridiculous amounts of hype the series receives. I can't completely blame them; after all, certain magazines (such as Game Informer) seem to throw any semblance of journalistic integrity out the window in their quest to write slavishly glowing and obsequious previews and reviews of any games from GTA's developers, Rockstar Games. These publications make it seem that there are no other worthwhile games out there aside from the GTA games, to such a degree that it almost screams payola. Or does it?

By this point, you probably are familiar with the Grand Theft Auto premise, established by Grand Theft Auto 3 in 2001. You control a criminally inclined character in a city, who can take a variety of missions from characters scattered about the area, and can pretty much take over most any vehicle. While there is a storyline in the game, you are allowed a significant amount of freedom, to the point where you can choose to not take any story missions, and instead either take on minor side missions, or simply drive about and cause chaos. GTA 3's sequel, Vice City, was the beneficiary of relentless media hype arising from the swell of unexpected success from its predecessor. While it boasted a number of improvements, such as better graphics, a great licensed soundtrack, a more cinematic storyline (complete with celebrity voice acting), somewhat better targeting, and the addition of motorcycles and helicopters, Vice City was really not the quantum leap in gaming it was billed as. Not only did it fail to correct some of the failings of GTA 3, but it also took a step backwards in environmental design, as Vice City's flashy '80s neon cool couldn't make up for its flat and boring design (as opposed to Liberty City's multi-tiered, busy design).

When the hype over the next Grand Theft Auto game began to build, my reaction was more of a "so what"? Sure, I loved the GTA Double Pack (and had originally played a fair portion of Vice City on the PS2), but did I really need another stint in a small city, pursuing the same kind of missions and mayhem as before? However, when I found out the true scope of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, my interest grew exponentially.

GTA: San Andreas is certainly one of the most ambitious action games I've ever seen. Instead of providing one mere city, this game provides an entire state, albeit a relatively small and abridged one (when compared to the real thing). Three very distinct cities (based on Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas), a dozen small towns, a mountain, desert, woods, prairie, farms, rivers- this game's environment is the definition of "throwing in the kitchen sink". The number of missions has increased from the prior installments' 60-odd missions to over 100 story/side-story missions, plus the "career" missions (vigilante, ambulance, firefighter, valet, trucker, pimp, burglar, etc.), and the inevitable racing challenges. If that's not enough, several "just for kicks" mini-games are included, such as pool, basketball free-throws, and arcade games. But wait- there's more! The variety of vehicles has once again increased, and now includes a selection of "proper" airplanes (including a fighter jet!), ATVs, and mountain bikes, in addition to cars, boats, motorcycles, and helicopters.

Beyond these changes, the gameplay mechanics have been kicked up a notch. Your character, Carl Johnson, can now not only swim, but can also climb over fences if needed. In a move unheralded in the series, the developers threw in RPG elements: the more you perform an action (running, firing a certain weapon, driving), the higher your related skill stats go. You can customize your character to a certain degree (haircuts, individual clothing items), affect your characters physique by eating and working out, and even have a few girlfriends (who you can go on dates with). Targeting has also been improved, with the addition of a new manual aim mechanic for all projectile weapons, and a fully controllable camera. At several points in the game, you'll also get to lead your own posse of gang members, and engage in territorial conflict.

The storyline this time around is a little less tongue in cheek, and a little bit more serious. You control Carl Johnson, a former gang member, who is dragged back into the lifestyle by an unexpected death in the family. Even if you were never into the "Boyz In The Hood" genre of melodrama, the game is so well executed, and expands so far beyond that conceit, that it's hard not to be drawn in. (The downside is that this game may hit too close to home for anyone in a neighborhood terrorized by gang violence and the resulting "collateral damage".) The true breadth of the game really hits you when you first drive beyond the Los Santos city limits, into the countryside of Red County. Not only is there variety to be found in the three general country areas bordering the cities, but each of the three big cities is distinct from the others. Los Santos (the Los Angeles clone) combines the sun-drenched, beachcomber vibe of Vice City with the gritty sprawl of the L.A. seen in Quentin Tarentino and John Singleton movies, and the elevated highway interchanges and lofty downtown metropolitan look of more decadent depictions of the West Coast. San Fierro's (the fake San Francisco) vertical inclines and polished architecture come off as a more genteel, pleasant version of Liberty City. While the Las Vegas-inspired Las Venturas sports the weakest layout of the cities, being too reminiscent of Vice City's flat, low-rise tract design, its neon-lit casinos, scattered industrial depots and encircling highway system provide their own charms.

For the Xbox version, there's the good...and the bad. One of the greatest improvements is the inclusion of custom soundtracks. As huge as the included soundtrack is, I feel that Vice City's '80s soundtrack is better, and I'm not much of a fan of rap or grunge (I do sort of like the New Jack Swing station). The ability to make my own soundtrack is key for a game which depends a lot on cruising around; King Crimson, Deep Purple, Angra, The Four Tops, and more make the experience more unpredictable and just more fun. The graphics are improved in that the draw distance is better, textures are a bit nicer, and the almost-overwhelming orange glow present in the PS2 version has been toned down. However, the cool car reflections of the PS2 version are MIA, for some reason. In general, the graphics are not as shiny and "clean" as the Xbox version of Vice City, but do seem to provide more detail and variety (even if in a somewhat grainier fashion). Controls are a similar mixed bag; while the Xbox control sticks are a sight better for targeting, the controls for "drive-by shooting" are abysmal, compared to the GTA Double Pack (why the change?).

This game is so huge in scope that you'll find yourself playing for 70 or more hours, whether engaged in the more elaborate missions (which involve such diverse objectives as chasing a train, framing a DA, infiltrating a military base, a high speed mid-air dog fight, and even an assassination in far away Liberty City!), betting on the horse races, or in just exploring the huge environment. It's true that the "open world" genre is no longer new and enough in itself, with competition from Saint's Row, Just Cause, and True Crime: NYC. However, while those games may have better graphics, or a more refined targeting system, none of them has the depth of gameplay, variety and attention to environmental design as this game. For once, the hype was right. They finally made a game that feels almost as immersive as an actual world, but without as many limitations. (Note to the parents reading this: DO NOT get this game for any kid under 16. It's very entertaining, but the subject matter and context of the violence [of which there is plenty] is better for a "less impressionable" mind.)

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