Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
For me personally the best game of all time and I'm including the Definitive Edition since there's no difference and bugs don't bother me.
First off I want to start with the setting. Rockstar struck gold with this. The 90s LA was perfect. Instead of the gloomy liberty city from GTA III or Neon bright lights of GTA Vice City they went with a sunset orangy brightness that rose over Los Santos. All regions had something different. Los Santos had the turf war and was frantic with gang crime. The countryside felt almost lonely and had that sense of CJ really being alone. San Fierro felt bright and heavily populated. It felt lifelike and really brought the game to life. San Fierro felt wild, almost like you had the sense of exploring the casinos and the desert. Even the hotels was creatively made like there's a casino called The Camel's toe and yes it's spelt like that too.
Now I want to talk about the music. This is why Grand Theft Auto San Andrea's is so near to me. I have about 100 save files on the old xbox and my grandad use to always watch me play in the living room. Cruising through the country side I put of the country radio and all of sudden I heard him sing "All my exes live in Texas" and I just laughed saying "you know these songs" so everytime I play that song on SA I think of him. Back to a more cheerful note songs like "Check yo self" and "hold the line" was absolutely brilliant songs and I absolutely loved it. This game introduced me to a catalogue of music that I enjoy to this day.
Now unto vehicles. This was the first GTA to include and drivable plane (I know GTA III had the Dodo but the controls was rediculous and you can only glide with it, not fly). I also think this is the only GTA where a protagonist actually tells the airport they're gonna land. The low rider in this game was absolutely brilliant and made you feel like ur part of grove street or if u just like nice cars it's definitely one of them.
There are also cars like the cheetah and infernus and oh my dais they are beautiful for a game made from 2004.
The last point I want to talk about is Story and Characters. All side characters in Grand Theft Auto felt instrumental to the story. CJ, Kendl, Cesar, Ryder, Sweet, Tenpenny, Pulaski, Hernandez, Big Smoke, The Ballas, Truth, Zero and I can name much more. They all felt important. The story of CJ returning after 3 years after the death of his brother which he felt responsible already made me invested. Sweet already showed he still blames CJ and is still angry with him. Tenpenny showing hes a corrupt officer and I searched this up but Tenpenny and Pulaski were known as the C.R.A.S.H Unit which was a real life incident in the 90s that includes corrupt officers involved in the LA Riot. CJ being away for so long he felt he had to make everything right and basically turned everything around. The Grove was on its knees and basically dying from the Ballas but due to CJ, The Grove felt like a indestructible force again. He wanted to earn his brothers love again but a
betrayal derailed everything. This is why Cesar is one of the best side characters of all time for me. He pointed CJ towards the betrayal of Big Smoke and Ryder. He looked after his sister Kendl, he introduced CJ to Wu Zu Mo which earned CJ alot of money and influence, he was helpful in killing Ryder and he helped CJ build up his empire. I'm glad CJ repayed the favour in helping CJ get his house back but honestly, that's the least CJ could do. Once Sweet went prison Cesar and Kendl were the only ones there for CJ. CJ didn't have his family or his friends. Ryder's betrayal hurt CJ alot but Big Smokes betrayal felt bigger. He was his best friend, the one CJ always thought of highly, the one who CJ knew Sweet trusted at one point more than CJ. It's fitting how in the last mission CJ told Sweet he wanted to do it himself. Basically saying, everyone died because me and he want to repay everything back.
For me personally the best game of all time and I'm including the Definitive Edition since there's no difference and bugs don't bother me.
First off I want to start with the setting. Rockstar struck gold with this. The 90s LA was perfect. Instead of the gloomy liberty city from GTA III or Neon bright lights of GTA Vice City they went with a sunset orangy brightness that rose over Los Santos. All regions had something different. Los Santos had the turf war and was frantic with gang crime. The countryside felt almost lonely and had that sense of CJ really being alone. San Fierro felt bright and heavily populated. It felt lifelike and really brought the game to life. San Fierro felt wild, almost like you had the sense of exploring the casinos and the desert. Even the hotels was creatively made like there's a casino called The Camel's toe and yes it's spelt like that too.
Now I want to talk about the music. This is why Grand Theft Auto San Andrea's is so near to me. I have about 100 save files on the old xbox and my grandad use to always watch me play in the living room. Cruising through the country side I put of the country radio and all of sudden I heard him sing "All my exes live in Texas" and I just laughed saying "you know these songs" so everytime I play that song on SA I think of him. Back to a more cheerful note songs like "Check yo self" and "hold the line" was absolutely brilliant songs and I absolutely loved it. This game introduced me to a catalogue of music that I enjoy to this day.
Now unto vehicles. This was the first GTA to include and drivable plane (I know GTA III had the Dodo but the controls was rediculous and you can only glide with it, not fly). I also think this is the only GTA where a protagonist actually tells the airport they're gonna land. The low rider in this game was absolutely brilliant and made you feel like ur part of grove street or if u just like nice cars it's definitely one of them.
There are also cars like the cheetah and infernus and oh my dais they are beautiful for a game made from 2004.
The last point I want to talk about is Story and Characters. All side characters in Grand Theft Auto felt instrumental to the story. CJ, Kendl, Cesar, Ryder, Sweet, Tenpenny, Pulaski, Hernandez, Big Smoke, The Ballas, Truth, Zero and I can name much more. They all felt important. The story of CJ returning after 3 years after the death of his brother which he felt responsible already made me invested. Sweet already showed he still blames CJ and is still angry with him. Tenpenny showing hes a corrupt officer and I searched this up but Tenpenny and Pulaski were known as the C.R.A.S.H Unit which was a real life incident in the 90s that includes corrupt officers involved in the LA Riot. CJ being away for so long he felt he had to make everything right and basically turned everything around. The Grove was on its knees and basically dying from the Ballas but due to CJ, The Grove felt like a indestructible force again. He wanted to earn his brothers love again but a
betrayal derailed everything. This is why Cesar is one of the best side characters of all time for me. He pointed CJ towards the betrayal of Big Smoke and Ryder. He looked after his sister Kendl, he introduced CJ to Wu Zu Mo which earned CJ alot of money and influence, he was helpful in killing Ryder and he helped CJ build up his empire. I'm glad CJ repayed the favour in helping CJ get his house back but honestly, that's the least CJ could do. Once Sweet went prison Cesar and Kendl were the only ones there for CJ. CJ didn't have his family or his friends. Ryder's betrayal hurt CJ alot but Big Smokes betrayal felt bigger. He was his best friend, the one CJ always thought of highly, the one who CJ knew Sweet trusted at one point more than CJ. It's fitting how in the last mission CJ told Sweet he wanted to do it himself. Basically saying, everyone died because me and he want to repay everything back.