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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
San Andreas Box Cover
San Andreas Box Cover
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Entertainment
Number of Players: 1-2
Release date: October 26, 2004

October 29, 2004 (Europe) October 29, 2004 (Australia)

Genre: Action
Game modes: Single player, multiplayer
ESRB/ELSPA ratings: Mature (M)
Platform: Playstation 2, PC
Media: DVD

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the latest video game in the Grand Theft Auto series. Rockstar Entertainment released San Andreas for Playstation 2 on October 26, 2004 in North America and on October 29 in Europe and Australia. A version has also been announced for PC in Q3 2005.

History and speculation

Following the success of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, many gamers online highly anticipated a third Grand Theft Auto game on the Playstation 2 in late-2003. Most theories were shot down when Rockstar had given no announcement of a new game by summer of that year. The first hint at there even being a new installment was on October 30, 2003, when Take-Two Interactive announced that an untitled “GTA4” game was set for release in “latter half of the fiscal fourth quarter 2004” [1]. By this time, pundits online had two theories about the plot of the game; it would either be based in the city of San Andreas, California (based on Los Angeles) in the modern day, or in Sin City, Nevada (based on Las Vegas) in the 1970s, as both would be ideal regarding new innovative ways to commit crimes, and new storylines that could grow.

On December 17, and December 21, 2003, Take-Two had registered 10 GTA-related trademarks (GTA5, GTA6, GTA: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, GTA: Sin City, Grand Theft Auto: Sin City, GTA: Bogota, Grand Theft Auto: Bogota, GTA: Tokyo, and Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo) [2]. After the information was divulged on January 12, 2004, it seemed likely that most of the titles were either red herrings or possible future incarnations of the franchise.

On March 1, 2004, Take-Two announced in a press conference that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas would be released Tuesday, October 19, 2004 in the US, and three days later, October 22, in Europe [3] and October 29 for Australia. However, on September 9, 2004 Take-two announced in its third quarter financial results for 2004 that the release date of the Playstation 2 version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas would be pushed back to October 26, 2004 in North America and October 29, 2004 for Europe and November 15, 2004 in Australia to allow for additional pre-release testing. In the same release, Take-Two announced a PC version would be due in the third quarter of fiscal 2005.

The Calaveras Enterprise newspaper reported on November 3, 2004 that the Merchants' Association in the real-life town of San Andreas, California has become alarmed about the popularity of the video game, but have conceded that there is little they can do. Also, it turns out there is a retired pastor named Carl Johnson in the real San Andreas.

Details

Template:Spoiler

Information about the game began circulating in magazines and on websites on May 11, 2004, including that San Andreas is not just one city, but a whole state, encompassing three metropolises (Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas, based on Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas, respectively), and the countryside in between. Intercity travel is facilitated by a huge freeway system. In interviews, Rockstar's designers have reported that the map is between four and six times the size of the area in Vice City.

The game is set in the early 1990s. The game has a soundtrack of period artists, as Vice City did, as well as a "classic" rap station and a country station. Artists such as Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur and other early 90s hip hop artists are featured.

Plot

The basic plot of the game is as follows: The player controls main character Carl Johnson (CJ), a man returning to Los Santos after five years residing in Liberty City. Carl left Los Santos after being blamed for the death of his younger brother, Brian, by his older brother, Sean (nicknamed "Sweet"). The sudden death of his mother causes him to return for her funeral. CJ returns to find disarray in his family and in his old gang, the Orange Grove Families, which prompts him to stay. Sweet, CJ, and their sister Kendl are constantly at odds, while the leadership of the gang, Sweet, and longtime family friends Smoke and Ryder are in shambles, full of quarreling, and being held down by the other local gangs. Carl is also influenced to stay by two hard-nosed policemen, Officers Tenpenny (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) and Pulaski, as they target him as one of the members of the gang. His goal in the end is to bring back the prestige of his family, his gang and his life.

San Andreas world

Los Santos features landmarks reminiscent of the Watts Towers [4], the Los Angeles Convention Center [5], the Capitol Tower [6], and Grauman's Chinese Theater [7]. The city has several important areas, including the gang-ridden Grove, busy downtown, wealthy Rodeo, and glitzy Vinewood (complete with giant VINEWOOD sign in the hills). The city is conveniently accessible via the local train system, the Brown Streak.

San Fierro features Rockstar's interpretations of the Haight-Ashbury district, Chinatown, and the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as cable cars which can be stolen.

In, Las Venturas, the player would be able to take over casinos. One is able to play various casino games such as poker and roulette.

Between the cities is an expansive countryside. Players can climb Mount Chiliad, a half mile-tall mountain casting a vast shadow, operate tow trucks, combine harvesters, and quad bikes, and visit 12 rural towns.

Gameplay features

Many new features have been included in the game. New vehicles include bicycles (which feature a new control scheme) [8], trucks with detachable trailers, and police motorcycles. The player can now swim and take over boats by climbing in from the water. For greater firepower, players can wield dual submachine guns or perform a drive-by shooting with several gang members. The camera, fighting, and targeting controls were reworked with concepts from another Rockstar game, Manhunt, including improved target crosshairs that change colours from green to red, depending on the target's health.

Rockstar has emphasized the personalization of the main character. CJ can now get haircuts and tattoos, and the clothes he chooses(which you can buy at some of the game's many clothing stores) will have more effect on NPCs' reactions than the clothing in Vice City. He also must eat (for instance, at restaurants such as Cluckin' Bell) to stay healthy, and the balance of food and exercise has an effect on his physical abilities and appearance. If he eats too quickly, he will get sick and throw up. He has skills in areas such as driving and shooting that improve through use in the game.

In addition, extensive customization options are present, especially when it comes to motor vehicles. This includes body kits (custom fenders, paint, etc) and hydraulics.

A new activity that continues the Grand Theft Auto series' tradition of controversy is home invasion [9]. Under cover of night, CJ will be able to sneak into a residence and cart off valuables—or shake down the occupants.

The player can also voluntarily enable Carl Johnson to interact with any pedestrian in the game. Rockstar claims that CJ can choose from a wide range of about 4200 lines. He can also receive responses [10].

A two-player cooperative mode has also been added. Two-player icons are found in some places in the San Andreas world. Setting foot on one of these icons starts up a series of special objectives if two controllers are plugged in. Two human players will be able to go in a car or on foot. Both the players are required to remain on the same screen.

New minigames include basketball, pool, and arcade machines that pay homage to classic video games like Gyruss and Gradius.

Another improvement to the game is the AI. No longer can the player beat a pedestrian to death on a busy street in broad daylight and have bystanders not do anything. The previously mentioned home invasions will be more difficult than one would expect because the occupants will resist, and in some cases draw weapons.

Radio Stations

With the Grand Theft Auto series, the soundtrack always plays a large part in the game. The tunes set the theme, and the theme is the early 1990s on the west coast. The standalone version of the soundtrack is set to be released November 23rd.

Station List

  • Master Sounds
    DJ: Johnny "The Love Giant" Parkinson
    Description: The giants of soul, rare groove and just a little classic funk
  • Playback FM
    DJ: Forth Right MC
    Description: The mouthiest man in hip-hop brings real hip-hop to the left coast.
  • Bounce FM
    DJ: The Funktipus (played by George Clinton)
    Description: The indescribable Funktipus plays the indefinable funk.
  • K-DST
    DJ: Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith (played by Axl Rose)
    Description: K-DST 'the Dust' plays non-stop classic rock and roll.
  • K-JAH Radio West
    DJ: Marshall Peters & Johnny Lawton
    Description: the best in dancehall, raga, reggae and dub
  • CSR 103.9
    DJ: Phillip "PM" Michaels
    Description: New Jack Swing and modern soul from today's hottest acts.
  • Radio:X
    DJ: Sage
    Description: The home of Modern Rock.
  • K-ROSE
    DJ: Mary-Beth Maybell
    Description: Country and western music
  • Radio Los Santos
    DJ: Julio G
    Description: Julio G breaks the sound of the streets. This is the West Coast taking over.
  • SF-UR
    DJ: Hans Oberlander
    Description: Quality house music, from deep in the underground
  • WCTR
    DJ: Various artists (including Wil Wheaton)
    Description: Talk radio

Leak

Six days before its release, a leaked edition of the game, along with its manual and its cover, were published illegally, DVD images of which are still available via a number of P2P networks. Similarly, around the time of release of the game in the UK, a leaked PAL version of the game was published.

See also

Official pages

Teaser Sites

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