Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas PlayStation 2

Released on 29/10/2004

Five years ago Carl Johnson escaped from the pressures of life in Los Santos, San Andreas, a city tearing itself apart with gang trouble, drugs and corruption. Where filmstars and millionaires do their best to avoid the dealers and gangbangers.

Now, it's the early 90s. Carl's got to go home. His mother has been murdered, his family has fallen apart and his childhood friends are all heading towards disaster. On his return to the neighborhood, a couple of corrupt cops frame him for homicide. CJ is forced on a journey that takes him across the entire state of San Andreas, to save his family and to take control of the streets.

• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Review

  When up against a game of this calibre, finding words to express just how consuming it is seems almost fruitless. Scot has a go…

  Let's not kid ourselves here - you've already purchased Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and are just reading this review out of sheer curiosity.

  San Andreas sees you take control of CJ - a gutsy character with a lot more attitude than previous roles in the series. Returning home to Los Santos to attend a funeral for his mother, he is jumped by some corrupt cops and framed for homicide - forced to remain in San Andreas indefinitely. After hooking up with childhood friends and the remainder of his family, he starts to make a name for himself - to save his family and take total control of the neighbourhood.

  In somewhat of a departure for the Grand Theft Auto series, you're finally allowed to customise and develop your character to however you see fit. A decent haircut, some impressive tattoos and a stylish set of threads will all start earning you respect on the street, while regular trips to the gym and a healthy diet will notably improve your physique. Driving skills are upgraded through sufficient experience, just as your proficiency with a weapon increases the more you use it.

  For the first ten to twenty hours, you'll only be restricted to a miniscule portion of what's to come, yet even that feels somewhat substantial when compared elsewhere. Believe us when we say that this game is massive - more so than ever seen before. It's on such an epic scale that it's not all too unfeasible to suggest that you'll still be playing it come the next inevitable instalment of the series and still not have hit that elusive 100% completion goal - it's that big.

  As before, there are limitless distractions to force you to stray from the main storyline. Despite the missions taking up a considerable chunk of the game, many will find solace in completing side-missions, collecting extras or just driving through the streets in whatever they can find. San Andreas is one of those games where you'll always find something new to do, even if you're not looking for it. Even after months and months of play, you'll finally think you've exhausted your options… until something new pops up to surprise you. It's what San Andreas does best.

  It won't matter how many times you throw your controller at the floor in frustration, or how many attempts it takes you to break through a particularly annoying segment of the game - you'll keep coming back.

  The writing and direction of the cut-scenes are stand-out particularly, and as the story develops, so will your interest in the game. In fact, there are so many different areas where the presentation shines that it becomes rather hard to list them all - the graphics are technically superior to anything seen on the PS2 before, while the retro soundtrack and star-studded voice acting once again provide incredible entertainment. All of this ensures that San Andreas is nearly as much fun to watch as it is to play.

  It's astounding to think just how much of an overpowering impact this will have as it receives praise and adoration from every single nook of the industry. We're quite sure it deserves it though. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is unconditionally one of the most important, influential and ultimately enjoyable videogames ever created.

  Published: 08/11/2004

As a valued customer we now offer you the facility to sign up to email price alerts. Please enter the price you want to be, or below, and if drops to that level we will let you know...