Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar North wisely recognizes that among all of its games' most memorable characters--Tommy Vercetti, 8-Ball, and all the rest--the biggest stars, both literally and figuratively, have been the cityscapes in which your criminal hijinks take place. Think back on your experience with previous games, and you'll first recall the New York-style back alleys of Liberty City or the multicultural flair of the Miami-like Vice City. The Grand Theft Auto games are defined by style, and the urban landscape is a crucial element--perhaps the crucial element--that defines this style.

The teeming cityscape of Los Santos is home to many districts, neighborhoods, and types of people.

For its next installment in the vaunted crime drama series, Rockstar is thinking big--real big. As you may know, the developer isn't stopping at one city, because you'll be able to explore three of them (not to mention the countryside in between them) as you make your way through the fictionalized California that is San Andreas. All told, the gameworld is purported to be five times the size of Vice City, and we wanted to know all about it. So we've been fortunate to secure new information on the neighborhoods that will make up Los Santos, the Los Angeles-styled capital city of San Andreas and home to the game's lead character, Carl "CJ" Johnson. From the looks of what we've seen, Los Santos alone could make up an entire chapter in the series on its own, so the fact that there are two more cities yet to be revealed is frankly a little mind-boggling.

So what are the areas that compose Los Santos? In our previous look at the game, we've only seen a small sampling of what this bustling metropolis will offer, but let's take a look at what we know now...

The Grove

Orange Grove, known affectionately by its residents as simply The Grove, is the neighborhood where CJ grew up, and naturally it will become his home base after he's escaped the mean streets of Liberty City. Not that Los Santos' streets are any less mean, mind you; after all, The Grove is home to the Orange Grove Families, the gang CJ will return to and will eventually take control of as he rises to power among the criminal underworld of the city, and, eventually, the state. CJ's experience in The Grove will be intensely personal, because he returns to a home that's minus one mother and one younger brother. As a result, CJ will have to reconcile the loss of his family while running the streets with his older brother Sweet.

Vinewood

Far from the crime-ridden neighborhood of The Grove is the glamorous, fast-paced lifestyle and the dirty sidewalks of Vinewood. On the Vinewood strip, you'll find tourists by the dozens eating up the rich history of this glitzy district. Keep an eye out for such landmarks as the Cathay Theater, the walk of fame, and the famous Vinewood sign, nestled high up in the Vinewood hills. And if you want to visit the real Vinewood aristocracy--and perhaps some prime robbery targets--you can head up into those hills to find the truly impressive mansions and estates of the area's elite. Vinewood's population runs the gamut from the poor and destitute to the rich and famous.

The preceding are just some of the districts of Los Santos. Keep reading to learn about the rest of them--as well as to learn about some brand-spanking-new rapid transit options for navigating between them. Plus, we've got the good word about CJ's inability to instantly drown when he touches water!