5 Reasons Why GTA: San Andreas Is the Best GTA Game
San Andreas was released more than two decades ago, but is still considered one of the best games. CJ’s story, Big Smoke’s betrayal, and the compelling narrative that takes you across three different cities ensure that players stay glued to their screens. That said, there are several reasons why San Andreas is the best game in the GTA franchise.
Diverse Locations
GTA games are known for being inspired by real locations and using them in games. San Andreas does something similar, as all three cities, Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas, are inspired by real-world locations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. However, what makes the game’s locations different from other GTA games is that there is significant variety. The locations include rural areas, forests, mountains, deserts, and also major cities. CJ starts off in Grove Street, but by the end of the game he owns a casino on The Strip.
Rockstar Games did something similar in GTA V, as the game’s open world had rural areas, deserts, mountains, and the coastline. However, San Andreas’s three-city structure is different from GTA V’s Los Santos. San Andreas allowed players to travel between different cities, providing them with different environments, vehicles, and activities. The visuals may not look as pleasing as modern GTA titles, but the locations are still one of the reasons why San Andreas is the best game in the franchise.
Character Customization
San Andreas was the first GTA game to introduce a dynamic character who could gain or lose weight, get tattoos or haircuts, become proficient in the weapons or vehicles he handles, and more customizations. This was a major feature at the time, as previous titles allowed you to change clothes, but didn’t offer many customization options. CJ would start losing weight if he didn’t eat for a long time, and gaining muscle would allow him to hurt enemies more.
GTA V and GTA IV allow a limited amount of character customization, but nothing close to how CJ could be modified physically by hitting the gym and getting haircuts. This makes San Andreas more immersive compared to other GTA titles, which is why the game is still ahead. Modern GTA games don’t completely restrict character development, as you can still change hairstyles, tattoos, and clothes, but San Andreas rewarded players for taking the time to hit the gym and eat healthy.
Memorable Characters
Each GTA game has NPCs that players remember, but San Andreas is arguably the title in the franchise with the best NPCs. Whether it’s Big Smoke, who loves eating huge meals, or the sarcastic Ryder, who ends up betraying Grove Street, the NPCs have remarkable stories and a lasting presence. The most memorable character may be CJ, as his narrative is significantly emotional. He leaves Grove Street behind because of a death and is pulled back into the struggle because of another death.
Modern GTA games have strong protagonists, with solid backstories, such as Niko Bellic’s inner turmoil. However, they lack other characters that have as much depth and emotional bearing as those in San Andreas. Big Smoke ultimately turning out to be a traitor holds more weight than Michael returning alive while Trevor thought he was dead. This isn’t because both story twists aren’t good; instead, Big Smoke was developed throughout the game, and his betrayal felt more personal.
Varied Mission Design
San Andreas has some of the best missions out of all GTA games, and this is because they have unique mechanics compared to just shooting or robbing. Wrong Side of the Tracks tasks CJ with keeping up with a train while Smoke shoots enemies. This mission is particularly frustrating, as your driving dictates how well Smoke shoots. Failing is met with a sarcastic quip by Big Smoke, who tells you, “All we had to do was follow the damn train, CJ!”
There are more unique missions, such as Freefall, which requires you to fly a plane near another aircraft, board it, kill the passengers, and then land the plane. San Andreas has players on their toes, guessing what kind of gameplay the next mission will have. This made the game fun, as it incorporated all the activities you could do and made them part of the gameplay. Modern GTA games incorporate other elements such as heists and character switching, but San Andreas made even normal missions feel distinct because of unique mechanics.
Side Activities
This was one of the more realistic additions in San Andreas, with the use of gyms already being explained in character customization. However, other activities such as gambling, dating, challenges, and odd jobs also offered players significant variety. CJ’s dating capabilities were factored into progression, as some girlfriends could unlock weapons or other benefits. Completing driving or flying challenges also unlocked bonuses, which made the tasks worthwhile.
Most of these activities were optional, but rewarded you for taking the time to complete them. Modern GTA titles have side activities as well, such as golf, tennis, hunting, and others. However, the activities in San Andreas were designed more in line with how they could complement the gameplay.
