Top 5 GTA San Andreas features that made it so popular

GTA San Andreas, released in 2004, was an ambitious leap over its predecessors. It redefined what open-world games could do and cemented Rockstar's dominance with the GTA series.

It brought on a myriad of features never seen before in the series, along with other features that were unique to the genre. Players were given a massive map to explore, as the State of San Andreas was filled with possibilities.

In fact, the game was so advanced for its time that when Rockstar began the HD Universe with GTA 4, they had to tone down the scope of the game. Even though it was a great game by itself, GTA 4 was missing the very essence of what made its predecessor popular.

This article will list five such features that made GTA San Andreas stand out from the rest.

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GTA San Andreas: 5 best features that made it successful

1) Customization

GTA San Andreas brought a unique change to the GTA series when it introduced player customization. In prior 3D Universe games, Claude or Tommy would always look the same and may only change their outfits in some cases.

On the other hand, CJ could change his haircuts, get tattooed, customize every aspect of his clothing down to accessories, and even maintain muscle and fat levels. This was a lot to take in back in 2004, and GTA San Andreas seemed like a dream-come-true for GTA fans who wanted a customizable protagonist.

However, customization wasn't just limited to the player's character, as most cars in the game could be extensively modified.

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2) Stats progression

Apart from the RPG-like customization, GTA San Andreas also incorporated skill/stats progression from this genre. Players can upgrade all the relevant skills and stats that CJ will need in the game.

These ranged from stamina, health, and lung capacity to weapons and vehicle skills (depending on the type). All this added more depth to the already immersive game and made players feel a sense of achievement when these were increased.

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3) Multiple cities and regions

GTA San Andreas had the largest map among the 3D Universe games and the second largest in the series. The State of San Andreas had three different cities and their distinct geographical regions.

Players can travel as passengers via trains and airplanes across the vast map of the game. These features never returned to any subsequent game, thus proving how ambitious it was for the time.

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4) Better combat

Combat in GTA San Andreas was completely revamped over its predecessors. Players could take a more tactical approach to shooting, and melee combat was surprisingly fun, with stealth kills and different fighting styles.

This new and enhanced combat was utilized in a lot of missions, which made them quite enjoyable. The skill/stats progression of weapons made it even more worthwhile, as players could see a drastic difference in combat potential across skill levels.

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5) A plethora of side-missions and activities

Rockstar went out of its way to make sure that GTA San Andreas was extremely replayable. The amount of activities and side-missions that players can partake in was much greater than in previous games.

Apart from the usual vigilante, ambulance, taxi, and firefighter missions, players could now be truck drivers, valets, or even work at a quarry. Las Venturas had casinos where players could gamble, while they could also dance at the various clubs in all the cities.

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Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinion of its writers.