Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: As promised, initial thoughts.

[Kid_A]

OK, I waited in line for an hour at Electronics Boutique last night for what might be the most anticipated video game ever, and I can safely say that no matter how high your expectations are about this game, you won't be disappointed.

The game starts with your character (Carl "CJ" Johnson) coming back home to Los Santos adter learning about the death of your mother. When you arrive, you get picked up by a couple of corrupt cops (one of whom is voiced by an actor with a very cool wallet), and then dropped off in a rival gang's territory. You find a bike and are forced to pedal your way back to friendlier ground, and then the game really gets going.

It's also at this point that you realize how unbelievably massive the game is. Only a small fraction of the map is available to explore from the beginning, but even that small section feels roughly the size of all of Vice City in the last game. You need to eat food to stay strong, work out to stay fit, learn new fighting moves to not get your ass kicked, wear appropriately-colored clothes to earn the respect of your fellow bangers, etc, etc...

Playing this game for a few hours and trying to come up with a reaction to it is a bit like watching the first ten minutes of "The Godfather" and trying to explain the entire trilogy. You'll stumble upon something in the game that is entirely optional (like the pimping missions) but serves to give you a small taste of the enormity of the game. It could be easily dismissed as nothing more than a gang-banging simulation, but when you realize that the "ghetto" section of the map is tiny compared to the whole thing, such a dismissal would not do the game justice. The Grand Theft Auto games have always been the game equivalent of classic gangster movies, and San Andreas takes that idea and expands it with such enormous scope that it really is a bit overwhelming.

Imagine glancing up at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel for a fraction of a second and trying to digest what you just saw. That's what this game is like.

[EarlG]

1. The voice acting is superb

Probably the best I've heard in a video game.

Did ya play any pool yet?

:)

[Kire]

2. Sam Jackson?

he had a cool wallet in Pulp Fiction, is that whom you are talking about?

[Huckebein the Raven]

5. Yeah he's in the game

as one of the crooked cops

[tridim]

6. It's either him

or George Costanza. :)

[slipperduke]

3. Oooh Ooooh!

You have no idea how jealous I am of you. It doesn't come out in the UK until Friday. Naturally I have booked the day off.

Thanks for the preview, It's safe to say I would have bought it anyway, but it's good to know I'm not going to feel let down.

[Hobarticus]

4. Sigh....another useless waste of time. Sign me up.

Loved GTA/VC.

[SideshowScott]

7. Playing it now..First thoughts

I agree with EarlG the voice acting is great. Still trying to digest the city..The soundtrack is pretty good..Not vice city good but im not really a hip hop kinda guy..But i might get an appreciation after plugging the usual GTA playing time in. SO far this game is HUGE and im just in the first city..Im no prude but the amount of F-Bombs is shocking even to me.So far its unfolding like another gangster epic...More later

[Huckebein the Raven]

8. How many radio stations are there ?

and can you play basketball at street courts ?

[SideshowScott]

10. Not sure about Basketball yet but you can play pool..the stations are...

Master sounds- Old funk with James Brown, Athrea Franklin.ect
CSR- New jack swing..Bil biv Dvo
Playback- Old school rap like slick rick..I think Chuck d is the voice of the dj!!
Radio X Alternive - Rage, Living color, faith no more
Bounce fm- dance ohio players etc
K-rose- Hard drinkin country..not New country but old good kind
K-Dust- classic rock Heart, Eddie money, the who
Radio Los Santos- Gangster rap 2pac, NWA
k-Jah- Reggae
SF-UR- early techno
and a talk station with Lazlow
So far pretty good not many suprises but its growing on me
Music Samples are here
http://www.rockstargames.com/sanandreas/

[Huckebein the Raven]

11. I'm listening to it right now

this is badass. Also I heard the sound quality depends on the quality of the stereo system in the car you are in.

Also, anyone got a count so far of the number of f-bombs dropped in the game ?

[Kid_A]

12. F-bomb count as of now: 3,718

That's a lot of fuckin' profanity.

[Huckebein the Raven]

13. damn.

There was a lot just listening to samples from the radio stations I can't imagine in the game

[Beware the Beast Man]

9. Hiding.

I just bought it, and I want no threat of spoliers!
I'll give you my take when I get home! :thumbsup: