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GTA San Andreas is undoubtedly one of the most memorable games out of all the Grand Theft Auto titles. While it is not the perfect game that Rockstar has ever created, it certainly has its merits that have imprinted the missions as well as the characters in the players' minds. While GTA 5 has some amazing missions coupled with superior graphics and gameplay mechanics, it still cannot compete with the San Andreas' popularity.
Well, there are some reasons behind this. Simply looking at sales, GTA 5 outmatches San Andreas. But, all the veteran Grand Theft Auto fans still consider the latter as the better of the both. This article lists five reasons that make San Andreas such a good game.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the views of the writer.
Five reasons why GTA San Andreas is still one of the best games in the series
5) The soundtrack
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Soundtracks are often the underrated heroes of successful video games. They not only create a great atmosphere but also help to convey the emotions of the scenes without the characters having to speak a single word.
GTA San Andreas has some memorable music, including the iconic theme song. While other titles like Grand Theft Auto 4 also deliver, Rockstar managed to use the soundtracks in San Andreas quite well, which eventually made it one of the best games in the series.
4) Numerous side missions
Side missions are a great way to spend some leisure time in a game without having to worry about the main storyline. They also allow the players to explore the world and interact with other side characters that would otherwise not appear in the game.
GTA San Andreas has tons of such side missions that make it feel equally important as the main story. This is one reason why fans like to spend so much time completing them. With how huge San Andreas' map is, it makes sense that it has many such missions.
3) Cheat codes
Everyone who has played San Andreas in the past remembers the nostalgic journey of jolting down every cheat code on a piece of paper. Ranging from helicopters and cars to miniguns that shred the enemy and vehicles alike, these codes spawned literally everything we wanted. However, with each new game, the number of cheat codes also declined.
This is also because things become easier in newer games like GTA 5, where players can obtain good vehicles or weapons relatively easily and without spending much time or cash. However, the older title did not have this luxury, and hence, the players depended on the GTA San Andreas cheat codes.
2) Gangs
Gangs are an integral part of the San Andreas storyline. The main character, CJ, is part of a powerful gang that regularly clashes with its rivals, leading to a lot of gunfights and bloodshed. The rival gangs were always trying to take over CJ's territory, meaning the violence was never-ending.
The newer games lack this type of feature, making things a little monotonous. While Grand Theft Auto Online has places with gang influence, players can easily avoid them to save themselves from trouble. But this was certainly not an option in San Andreas. CJ had to keep recruiting new members to keep his territory safe.
1) The protagonist and the antagonists
GTA San Andreas is a story of betrayal that came from within the protagonist's friends circle. This is an illustrative theme that a lot of people can relate to, making this title so much more memorable. Along with this, CJ is just another person from the hood who got a name and fame that was stolen from him in an instant.
The plot shows him fighting and struggling against corrupt cops and a system that will do anything to keep him down. Players relate to CJ and feel his happiness when he achieves something big but feels equally betrayed by Big Smoke's backstabbing.
Grand Theft Auto 5 tried to create a similar environment, but the antagonists never felt intimidating enough, hence reducing them to just another villain.
With the GTA 6 announcement hopefully not too far away, fans are hoping that the upcoming game will have a gripping story that can move the players and make them relate to the protagonists.
