Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

 PlayStation 2
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Image
Metascore
95

Universal acclaim - based on 80 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 2525 Ratings

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  • Summary: [Metacritic's 2004 PS2 Game of the Year] 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.[Metacritic's 2004 PS2 Game of the Year] 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]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 79 out of 80
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 80
  3. Negative: 0 out of 80
  1. GameSpot AU
    100
    The best game on the PS2.
  2. Computer Games Magazine
    100
    Somehow, Rockstar keeps the same old ingredients, adds a handful of new ones, and manages to create a great new recipe. [Feb 2005, p.NP-9]
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  3. All Game Guide
    100
    The game's targeting system has also been adjusted. Using triggers and both analog sticks (a la "Manhunt"), players take more complete control of C.J., and can have him run and strafe, change targets, and shoot in almost any direction, even while moving in another.
  4. GameSpot
    96
    With its strong story, well-written dialogue, terrific voice cast, impressive graphics, great in-game sound, and extremely entertaining and varied gameplay, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a stupendous thrill ride that shouldn't be missed.
  5. GameCritics
    95
    This is arguably the most important videogame this year - yes, even more important than "Halo 2" - not only because it's a superbly crafted videogame, but because it's also a bona fide sociological artifact, one that manages to effectively evoke a specific time and place in American history—in this case, a hot and hazy California during the nascent days of hip-hop culture.
  6. GamePro
    90
    San Andreas's chief advantage over "Vice City" is size. And for many players, that's good enough. But another group of fans will come to quietly understand that, at least for the time being, "Vice City" remains the high point of the GTA series.
  7. The New York Times
    60
    It would feel truer to the game's open environmental design if you could have more general goals: kill an enemy when and how you like; raise money for an objective through any method available; challenge random people to races.

See all 80 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 505 out of 569
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 569
  3. Negative: 30 out of 569
  1. JeffD
    Oct 27, 2004
    10
    Frickin' sweet. It doesn't get much better than this. Outstanding gameplay, so much to do.
  2. Xerxes
    Nov 25, 2010
    10
    This is one of my favourite games of all time, it really capture los angeles and the california area i reckon, the gameplay was awesome andThis is one of my favourite games of all time, it really capture los angeles and the california area i reckon, the gameplay was awesome and the story surpasses any other game made during its time, 10/10 yes, grove street for life.… Expand
  4. JohnnyW.
    Nov 16, 2004
    10
    The best (and when i say best, i mean only decent) game on the PS2. Nothing the PS2 has even comes close to this. PS2 sucks, but I gotta give The best (and when i say best, i mean only decent) game on the PS2. Nothing the PS2 has even comes close to this. PS2 sucks, but I gotta give props to it for this. Finally a reason to play the damn thing.… Expand
  5. eduardohhonesko
    Dec 7, 2018
    10
    the best game i ever played! everything is so good the story is great the game-play was good and CJ was so bad-ass.
  6. MJaques
    Apr 11, 2011
    10
    Best console game of a generation? Debatable. Best console action sand boxer of a generation? Probably. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, at timeBest console game of a generation? Debatable. Best console action sand boxer of a generation? Probably. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, at time of writing, is very old. I played it too much upon release, and even today I still find time to boot up my PS2 between next-gen games, and play this classic. Apart from rather bad graphics, which were mostly down to an old engine, aging hardware, and disc limitations of the time, San Andreas would score high on the charts of any generic rating system. It took the already well established, if slightly repetitive formula of it's predecessor, Vice City, and expanded, refreshed, and improved every aspect. Each gameplay detail was refined, although the basic GTA formula stayed in place. This left some core elements some gamers would dislike, but the masses, the critics, and myself, couldn't get enough of the best offering the GTA series had to offer. Storyline, audio, presentation, all packaged into a game where, with a little progression, you could unlock many more locations, vehicles, weapons, and gameplay elements (Who could forget the jetpack in all it's obscure glory?) than many other games of the time, made GTA one of the best games ever developed for the PS2 system. If you've been living on Mars with your hands over your eyes and ears for the past 7 years, or by some miracle missed this title, It's worth picking up on disc for a PC, or preferably console, at bargain prices. You can also download the original Xbox version onto an Xbox 360. Each version has a few differences, but the PC version runs smoothest on most modern PC's.… Expand
  7. ChesterField
    May 8, 2020
    9
    Best gta ever. This game for ps2 was something else. Really adictive. Outstanding.
  8. FuckinG@ng$t@
    Nov 1, 2004
    0
    I rated this game a 0, because HONESTLY, its so mother fucking incredible, I wanted to rate it 100 out of 10, but its not possible with theI rated this game a 0, because HONESTLY, its so mother fucking incredible, I wanted to rate it 100 out of 10, but its not possible with the given digits :( what a motherfucking masterpiece. I just moved from San Francisco to atlanta, so its good to visit "home" evey now and then. MAN cali is still pimpin it UP! and fuck the rest of the US. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LOAD OF JIZZLE!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!! (im planning to enterprise the sale of "take my virginity, CJ" t-shirts. rockstar fo life)… Expand

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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PS2 Game of 2004
1
#1 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2004
1
#1 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2004