The most amazing game not only in the GTA series, but for the PS2!.....
(Gameplay) 10-10
This is simply amazing. Just the overall feel of the game is so spectacular that you won't want to put it down until the final mission is passed and you watch those rolling credits. Gameplay is always the biggest factor in a game being great, or a game being a failure, and it's pretty well recognized that Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is no failure. A big part of GTA has always been the cars, and San Andreas doesn't skip a beat. There is something for everyone here. With over 200 vehicles including sports cars, helicopters, motorcycles, boats, bicycles, planes, and even trains, you will always have something to hop into to cruise around the enormous world of San Andreas. There is also a modding system for your vehicles where you can mod out street racers, regular cars, and lowriders to however you like including options like: nitrous oxide, spoilers, sweet paint jobs, hydraulics, and much more. You will not be disappointed with the cars in this game.
The missions are just as you would expect in any GTA game, some are challenging, some are cake, some make you want to throw your PS2 out of a window, and some just make you say "wow". Don't think you will slide through the game, since there are some extremely hard missions to counter the easy ones. The missions that have always been here since 3 (firefighter, ambulance, vigilante) make a valiant return along with other R3 missions, Pimping, train, and burglary are a couple. But now, you can do vigilante in a number of different vehicles, such as the Police Ranger (SUV), the FBI Rancher, and even Apache helicopters! Rockstar really went the extra mile.
The weapons are nothing short of amazing either. With a huge array of weaponry to choose from you will never be left to fight by yourself. Guns range from a simple 9 millimeter pistol to an army issue M4 assault rifle. Gun categories vary greatly such as: pistols, rifles, assault rifles, sub-machine guns, thrown weapons, explosives, melee weapons, and even vibrators! The reloading is simple in this game by just switching off and then switching back to the weapon. There a number of BOOM weapons including grenades, RPG, and a heat seeking rocket launcher. The fighting system in this game is interesting as there are three types. You learn three methods of fighting from three different gyms (one on each part of San Andreas) and the moves are not bad at all.
Now a thing GTA fans have been waiting for is the option to swim, well San Andreas delivers again. Thats right, you can now hop into some swimming shorts and jump into the ocean for a swim, swimming pools are no longer death traps...The swimming isn't all that special, but it's better than drowning on contact. Now there are some neat little features in San Andreas that tie this all together. One is being able to turn the camera whilst in a vehicle. You can also now climb walls by jumping at them, and can hop over fences. You can work out to gain muscle and increase sex appeal, along with getting tattoos, eating to keep your body fat normal, getting haircuts, and now finally you can change your look. With 6 clothing stores to choose from, everyone can have their desired look. Other goodies include vending machines, arcade games, playing pool, and buying property as safehouses. Another feature making it's debut is the feature of four schools: driving school, flight school, bike school, and boat school, where you can increase your skills with the different vehicles around San Andreas. Another new feature is the ability to provoke and win gang wars. With the new Respect meter, you can recruit some of your gang members to help you try to take over other gangs territory, to make your gang number one. You can recruit a car full of people then drive up to the enemy and perform four-way drive-bys on them!
Gambling is another excellent addition here. You can hit the Casinos of Las Venturas and use up your money on the slots, roulette, blackjack, and video poker. Really a neat feature if you're ever bored.
Graphics (8-10)
Now everyone knows rockstar has always skipped on the graphics when it comes to people in this game, and this game really is no exception. The citizens hands, and CJ's look like loaves of bread and aren't realistic at all. The reason it gets an 8 is due to the environments. It is absolutely spectacular the way they made the nature of San Andreas look. In San Andreas, you get a number of environments, desert, ocean, city, and deep woodlands along with the countryside. The environments are so jaw-dropping sometimes you just have to stop and look. The countryside really gives you a country feeling and the lighting they did with Las Venturas makes it look like an actual Las Vegas. You can stand on the top of a mountain and observe a beautiful San Andreas sunset in the deserts of Las Venturas, or you can fly to the top of the tallest building in Los Santos and look down at the busy city below. Nothing short of Superb.
Another thing is, this map is absolutely humongous. There are three very well animated "islands" connected by highways and railroad tracks. In between the main islands there is a HUGE space of country-side that drops your jaw at the size of it. And Rockstar didn't skip one detail here. Every little town has its houses and own citizen models, who act and talk like they would in real life. Country folk ride around on tractors and old pickups with southern accents. And Elvis wannabes roam the streets of Las Venturas.
Cars don't look too shabby, there a bit square but sports cars look sleek and sexy like they should, trucks have some character with mud across the sides of them, and your average family station wagon looks just as it should
(Sound) 10-10
GTA's are also known for listening to favorite tunes on the radio. San Andreas goes above and beyond expectations. Theres something for everyone here. Rock fans can listen to Radio X and get a dose of Guns and Roses, Rap fans can click on Radio Los Santos and head bang to Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, 2pac, NWA, and many others. The other stations include a classic rock station (KDST), a Reggae station, a classic Hip-hop station (Playback FM), a classic R&B station (Bounce FM), a classical station (Master Sounds), a country station (K-Rose), and of course you have the hilarious talk station (WCTR)
Not just the radio gives it a ten, the sounds of the things going on in the world of San Andreas achieve perfection too. When CJ shoots a gun, you know what gun it is, they sound very similar to real-life. Planes flying overhead gives it a real feeling, you hear CJ stomping on grass as he runs through the woods and hear thuds as he streaks through pavement. Cars engine revving sounds real as does the sound of splashing off a diving board into a pool.
(Story) 6-10
Here's where the game finally hits a wall. The story really is the only thing keeping this from a perfect achievement. At first, the story is a great one about a guy coming back to the surroundings he left for a while and tries to regain the respect of his brother, family, and old friends. But, as you progress, the story loses focus and becomes so utterly unbelievable, you really can't help but shake your head and wonder why Rockstar got lazy.
Buy or Sell? BUY!!! this will be one of your favorite games, and since now it is down to a low 19.99 at most stores, PICK IT UP!! I can basically guarantee you will not be disappointed. If you think that 20 bucks is too much for the most enjoyable game on the playstation 2, then you need your head checked. :) (Replay Value) 11-10
I **** you not, this game never grows old, I got this when it first came out in 2004 and I still play it to this day. You can go for challenges like 100% completion, one-gun challenges (beat whole game using only one gun), and it will still be fun, some of the dialogue never grows un-funny and I can play some missions over and over. Overall Score - 9 out of 10
Seriously folks, this is a piece of genius gaming. You will be entertained for years. Happy gaming!