Grand Theft Auto - San Andreas

[Sketcz]

<shudder>

Anyone else REALLY dislike the setting in this?
Ive never seen any of the gangster "hood" films this based on, and personally I hate this setting, a lot. bleugh!

Vice City had a much more personaly enjoyable atmosphere that I could relate to... this, is not my cup of tea. For a start, Im not an african/american and I dont talk like that.


On the other hand I am waiting for rockstar to get their finger out and make me a "GTA: Tokyo Yakuza" game.

Imagine it now, cruising the streets of Roppongi, Ginza or Shibuya in your little Japanese model cars. J-Pop or metal blaring out over the radio, a katana blade as standard, they could even get Takeshi Kitano to make a cameo appearance. There would of course be 100 hello kitties to collect over the city, and you could even visit a japanese love hotel to recharge your energy.
Plus, when not killing of rival yakuza bosses, how about stopping into a lonely udon bar on a cold Tokyo winters night? Oh, and for kicks, how about racing the local bosozoku biker gangs on the tokyo highway? (or highjack a bus and pretend to be playing Tokyo bus guide!)
It would like a cross between every A-Z stereotype about Japan and the film sonatine.

Thats what I want.

If Rockstar think I like "cruising with my hommies" around the ghettos, then they can gtf.

[Dezm0nd]

cheers for the tip about the brilliant toy, will scope it out.

This game is class. that and a PStwo, made my day, now time to go out get pissed and have a laugh, that'll make my night

[JammyD]

So far I've learned: 'exercise' with prostitutes doesn't count(hey I know the gym is free but still.. Funny enough his sex appeal is also rock bottom ...).

Made my first proper getaway by driving into the river and swimming away, bit of an accident that.

So far it's like VC in gangsta threads, damn I want to explore so much. Dialogue is cracking me up also, but had to put on subtitles cos when they tell me what to do I'm like Obviously I ain't street enough yet

[Jakeway]

I went with my friend into game today, he was taking back the PS2 he bought to get a PStwo and this game as it work out about ?15 more.

Man? that shop was full, there where about 20 people in the queue when we got there, all different ages but only one stereotype. There was a kid in front of us who looked 13, he got his granddad (who looked so out of place) to by three copies probably for his friends. When we left the queue was still about 20-25 long and everyone was buying this game. I picked up SF AC and got a look of disgust from some snotty prick and his friends who were next to me? but now I have dissed them on the Internet I guess I?ve got the last laugh.

We walked over the road and into another game shop, and it was the same story, a 20 long queue with this game in all their hands.

Anywayz?
I?ve only played this for about an hour but I was a bit disappointed with what I?ve seen so far. At the start of the game after jumping on the BMX I turned some corners and crashed into a car. The BMX went flying and when I found it, it was floating higher than the characters shoulder? so I jumped in a car and went for a joy ride. I turned a few corners and the game froze? I waited about 8secs and thought it had crashed, but it started up again and all the houses/lampposts in the road started popping up. At this point I had only been playing about 20-30 minutes.

Has Rockstar added in a heat wave effect or dose this game just need some anti aliasing? I cant remember the PS2 versions of GTA very well, I never owned them on the PS2 and have only played friends versions, so I don?t remember if the other two were as jaggy as this.

On the plus side though nice big map, fist fighting is better, and I had fun jumping stuff with the BMX.

But after playing it for a while, my thought is roll on Xbox version, better loads, custom sound track and not so jaggy.

[Prine]

played about an hour, nice setting, love the whole hood feel. I loved Boys in the hood, menace to society films (watched them at 9-10 years old) so im ok with that type of culture.

Music is ok, not listened to much so far. Cant make a decision on the game yet.

Im enjoying it though

[Prine]

On the other hand I am waiting for rockstar to get their finger out and make me a "GTA: Tokyo Yakuza" game.

Id rather they do the next one in London. Getaway was severly lacking

[ThoseOfTheUnlight]

Anywayz?
I?ve only played this for about an hour but I was a bit disappointed with what I?ve seen so far. At the start of the game after jumping on the BMX I turned some corners and crashed into a car. The BMX went flying and when I found it, it was floating higher than the characters shoulder? so I jumped in a car and went for a joy ride. I turned a few corners and the game froze? I waited about 8secs and thought it had crashed, but it started up again and all the houses/lampposts in the road started popping up. At this point I had only been playing about 20-30 minutes.

Thats not supposed to be like that - thats a common problem that people with knackered PS2's are getting. You might want to blame your PS2 not Rockstar...

[Durham Red]

Spoiler: In a radio advert for tourism in Carcer city. Manhunt and GTA obviously take place in the same world.

Actually, I was disappointed looking at the cast list - despite seeing names like Sam Jackson, James Woods, Peter Fonda, Ice-T and so on, there was no sign of Brian Cox (I'm sure it had been stated in one article that the great man Starkweather had a cameo in this)

Anyway, apart from a few annoying missions (Robbing Uncle Sam - bastard forklifts and national guard gubbins; and the one where you chase the train on the bike but invariably fail because Big Smoke is such a lousy shot), I've had a great time so far. I've spent a few 'hours' in the gym and turned CJ into a brick ****house who looks like Thierry Henry in Snake Plissken fancy dress. Wicked.

Oh, and the T2 chase homage was ace as well.

[Pacman555]

Yeah that's your PS2. I had those issues in some games until I opened it up and cleaned the lens.

On a different note, I played this at a friend's today. The first thing I noticed was that the graphics look VERY dated and not pretty at all. Also I'm not particularly keen on CJ and his 'street' friends, I mean FFS you can barely understand what they're saying.

I personally prefer Vice City so far, I felt very at home in the setting of that, and in San Andreas I miss VCPR (Maurice Chavez - quite frankly a legend).

In all in all, none too keen on it so far compared to it's predecessors (apart from the huuuuuuuuuuuge map), but as far as gameplay is concerned I do really enjoy it, the missions always seem to end up being extremely addictive. And yeah, roll on Tokyo and London versions , I'd be loving that.

Regards,
Joe

[Zanzaki]

On the other hand I am waiting for rockstar to get their finger out and make me a "GTA: Tokyo Yakuza" game.

Id rather they do the next one in London. Getaway was severly lacking

Why not..both?
I'm pretty convinced that there will be a GTA:World Tour (or something like that) someday, and if so...let's hope for some Mini Moni songs to be included >: )

[Popo]

<shudder>

Anyone else REALLY dislike the setting in this?
Ive never seen any of the gangster "hood" films this based on, and personally I hate this setting, a lot. bleugh!

Vice City had a much more personaly enjoyable atmosphere that I could relate to... this, is not my cup of tea. For a start, Im not an african/american and I dont talk like that.


On the other hand I am waiting for rockstar to get their finger out and make me a "GTA: Tokyo Yakuza" game.

Imagine it now, cruising the streets of Roppongi, Ginza or Shibuya in your little Japanese model cars. J-Pop or metal blaring out over the radio, a katana blade as standard, they could even get Takeshi Kitano to make a cameo appearance. There would of course be 100 hello kitties to collect over the city, and you could even visit a japanese love hotel to recharge your energy.
Plus, when not killing of rival yakuza bosses, how about stopping into a lonely udon bar on a cold Tokyo winters night? Oh, and for kicks, how about racing the local bosozoku biker gangs on the tokyo highway? (or highjack a bus and pretend to be playing Tokyo bus guide!)
It would like a cross between every A-Z stereotype about Japan and the film sonatine.

Thats what I want.

If Rockstar think I like "cruising with my hommies" around the ghettos, then they can gtf.

Racist. How can you say you don't want to play as a black main character because you are "not an african/american" and you "dont talk like that", then go on to say you want a GTA: Japan game? Are you Japanese? Do you "talk like that"? I find that incredibly hypocritical and, frankly, racist.

Anyway, while the game is obviously trying to replicate the setting and characterisations of movies like Boyz n the Hood, I find it a bit of an awkward comparison personally. While the movie was about how wrong violence in the ghetto is, San Andreas is about perpetuating black-on-black violence...

Regardless, it is an awesome game. Exploring alone is exciting and the anticipation of getting the other cities opened up and taking to the skies is too. The missions that I've played so far have been stock GTA fodder, but customising CJ is fun. Just need a purple pimp suit with walking cane and BLING!

[Olympichero]

Completed this today and its one of the best games I've played in recent times. I clocked in at about 30 hours (that is not including the hours when I did something stupid/failed a mission and so just loaded my old save), so more like at least 35 hours.
I didn't get past the second island on the first two GTAs but this had me hooked from start to finish, couldn't put it down at all.

At first I didnt like the setting but you get used to it, and the other two cities are pretty different which adds variety to the game.
The voice acting is brilliant, as are the radio stations, I love how things like the news station will update as the game goes by to alert you to stuff you weren't aware of or report on your actions. (Also: Axl Rose presents one of the radio stations - didnt even realise that till I saw the credits)
There is never a dull moment, and at times the game had me laughing out loud (OG Loc - and his radio interview on WCTR), which very few games have done before.

I agree, the game does have its faults, the camera can sometimes be a bit erratic and the gang AI isn't the best. Also I suck at flying which caused many frustrating moments, but you never really feel its too much of a chore to redo the mission. After all, there are so many different roots you cant take.

Overall, I loved it and I think it justified a 9.9 (from IGN anyway), no its not perfect, yes it is similar to the other GTAs (BECAUSE IT IS A GTA GAME). But there were so many moments that put a smiled on your face (SPOILER: Who wasn't impressed when they got into the jetpack?.

And, unlike so many other games, the end of the storyline is just the beginning of a new game. There's still so much stuff to do, to see and explore, even just cruising along the freeway or desert road listening to the radio is cool and you discover so many little brilliant touches.

[SunLolly]

I heard there is a 60hz mode, is this true ???

[Jakeway]

Thats not supposed to be like that - thats a common problem that people with knackered PS2's are getting. You might want to blame your PS2 not Rockstar...

Its a new out the box PStwo. My friends only bought it an hour before we played, so surely is not that

[weightgain]

Completed this today

??????????
Huh ?? Say again......finished ??? Bloody hell...