Gamerz Needs - For All Your Gaming Needs! - Game: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (xbox)

Plot:

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. [Rockstar]

Info:

PUBLISHER: Rockstar Games

DEVELOPER: Rockstar North

GENRE(S): Action, Racing

PLAYERS: 2

ESRB RATING: AO (Adults Only)

RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2005

Critics Score:

based on 57 reviews

Critic Reviews:

100

Gaming Age

In regards to the gameplay, I'd have to give the overall advantage to the Xbox version, again, mostly due to the better framerate. Being able to smoothly spin around the camera, in the vehicles and on foot, makes a big difference in how the game plays.

100

GameSpy

It looks and sounds better than ever, which more than makes up for the minor control issues. If you've been searching for the best Grand Theft Auto experience around, look no further: San Andreas is the real deal.

100

Stuff

How do you improve on perfection? We’ll tell you how: Take the same genius game that you played last fall on the PS2 and give everything a fresh coat of pixel paint... Then, remove the long load times, allow us to save 30-second replays to the hard drive for those you-won’t-believe-this-booshiz moments and create personalized radio stations by ripping your CD collection to the hard drive.

100

Game Revolution

But unlike the PS2 and PC versions, the Xbox port comes with that rarest of GTA treasures - a replay feature.

100

Detroit Free Press

This is still a four-star title, though definitely not for children. Just don't expect it to be something you can wave in front of your PS2-playing friends' faces.

100

G4 TV

Like Vice City before it, San Andreas features a superb, period-specific selection of licensed music on its many radio stations. And just like Vice City, said selection does a fantastic job of setting the mood.

100

Games Radar

What does make it great is that it actually delivers on nearly everything it promises while still being fun to just pick up and play.

Game Informer

A fantastic port of a stellar game. [Aug 2005, p.98]

Next Level Gaming

Music and sound are probably the best of any of the GTA series. As much as the 80's tunes in "Vice City" were awesome, the sheer number of tunes and the variety of them are incredible in San Andreas.

PGNx Media

The game is incredibly fun. It will surely take up hundreds of hours to even the most casual of gamers.

Team Xbox

The sheer scope of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is mind blowing.

XboxAddict

I cannot think of a game series that does a better job in the sound department. The voice talent is tremendous.

GameZone

Not only is it bigger and better, but it looks and feels so good on the Xbox so if you haven’t already bought this game this is the definitive version to own.

Xbox Solution

Gamers will see that the load times are fast, the cut-scenes are well done, and the story is filled with twists that you won't see coming.

Official Xbox Magazine

It's just that brilliant. [Aug 2005, p.76]

IGN

No competitor comes close in content, story, or style to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Extreme Gamer

Bigger and badder then ever.

Inside Gamer Online

Individually, the components of GTA San Andreas are very strong. When combined, though, the total package makes for one of the best gameplay experiences that has been seen in the gaming world in years.

Armchair Empire

One of the most incredibly engrossing adventures on any system.

Talk Xbox

With its almost unbelievable length, incredible depth, fantastic audio, and just about everything else a good game needs, this game is incontestably worth every penny it costs.

Jolt Online Gaming UK

It’s not perfect – there’s still the odd gripe here and there, and wheeling the same game engine out for the next instalment would be unforgivable – but SA is easily the most polished instalment of the series to date.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

But the move to Xbox feels like more of a formality—you don't really notice the slightly nicer environments, and if ever a game didn't need custom soundtracks, this is the one.

My Gamer

Marvelous.

Gamezilla!

Another major failing of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the Xbox is the unnatural controller layout, and it's a fault that can't be too heavily attributed to the developers.

GameSpot

With its strong story, well-written dialogue, terrific voice cast, impressive graphics, and extremely entertaining and varied gameplay, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a stupendous thrill ride that shouldn't be missed.

VGPub

Not everything is so perfect with San Andreas though. First and foremost, the graphics aren’t really Xbox quality.

Worth Playing

This is the definitive chapter in arguably one of the most popular game series of all time. If you haven't ever played a Grand Theft Auto game… well, first of all, shame on you, but more importantly, this is the one to get you hooked.

Gaming Target

Literally one of the biggest games ever created and it will take you weeks or even months just to see everything it has to offer.

GamePro

The most balanced version, combining the best qualities of the PC and PS2 games into one well-rounded offering. [Sept 2005, p.53]

Computer and Video Games

It's way more savvy than most movies about gang violence.

DarkStation

San Andreas is still San Andreas, and although the visuals failed to impress the gameplay is still as solid and engaging as ever.

Cheat Code Central

As you can see, the improvements are basically cosmetic and do not affect the gameplay other than to make it look and sound better. If there was ever a reason to replay the game one more time this is it.

Yahoo! Games

By far the biggest game in the series. Gamers who aren't turned off by the nefarious and illegal activities will find this to be one of the most engrossing games ever produced.

MS Xbox World

I like San Andreas as it offers so much to mess around with on an unprecedented level.

Xbox World Australia

It’s not perfect, and it certainly is beginning to show its age, but the latest installment of the Grand Theft Auto series is well worth breaking a few laws to acquire!

Total Video Games

Of course there are improvements, the draw distance and lighting models have received subtle enhancements, more importantly the frame-rate maintains a smoother pace throughout.

Xequted

With only the control system as a let-down, San Andreas still delivers a quality experience you simply can’t find anywhere else.

TotalGames.net

Xbox owners will always be left with the bitter feeling that this game should have been so much more on their console.

GameBiz

There is the slight hint that it may need a bit of a fresh direction if the GTA series is not to become just another set of endless and ever-increasingly bland sequels.

PALGN

The best GTA experience and the best open-ended console gameplay experience you can have offline.

1UP

The experience is still amazing... and that the gameplay is still really, really broken in many areas. Each new port brings with it a handful of new features, yet none of them are anything more than mere tweaks.

Boomtown

It's good, and will hold your interest, but with some slightly frustrating controls that aren't customisable, driving Duke owners to desperation, or a new controller S (effectively making it into a £55 game) it's only really slightly improved over the PS2 version.

Gamer's Hell

An absolute blast to play, if you can forgive it for not offering anything especially new to the franchise, and only if you can truly invest the time that it requires.

Play Magazine

There's a ton of mission variety, but whatever your pleasure, you're going to be doing a lot of driving to specified points on the map and entering a lot of red circles to initiate a lot of scripted events. [Aug 2005, p.48]

Screenshot(s):

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdFn6IvJeNs