Thursday, October 30, 2014

The Reset Button: GTA: San Andreas - 10 Year Anniversary on Xbox 360.



GTA: San Andreas - 10 Year Anniversary on Xbox 360.


Everyone that knows me as a gamer knows I'm a HUGE fan of the Grand Theft Auto series. Since playing the top-down PlayStation titles, I've been hooked. The open-world, do what you please gameplay pulled me in from the first hour I played. I love freedom in games. Not having to follow a specific path everyone else will follow and being able to create your own way just appealed to me like no other game had. From GTA, GTA 2, GTA III, and GTA: Vice City, I explored the cities to the max, collected all hidden packages, found every stunt jump, and dominated every rampage.

But then, Rockstar Games changed it up. They launched Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. My gaming world was never the same. The exchanged the Mob-theme from GTA III and the Miami cocaine theme from Vice City and took it to the West Coast, playa.

As Carl Johnson, you return to Los Santos when your mother is murdered. The goal: return the Grove Street Families to the top of the gang world, all while finding out the truth about your mother and avoiding Officer Tenpenny and his C.R.A.S.H. LSPD unit.


Sex sells.

From Los Santos (Los Angeles) to San Fierro (San Francisco) to Las Venturas (Las Vegas), you take CJ on an awesome journey of redemption and justice. All in a 1990's West Coast setting. The soundtrack is the best of any GTA game, the world is massive and diverse, and the characters are interesting and well-developed. This is still my favorite GTA game out of all released, with V and Vice City rounding out my top 3. If you haven't played San Andreas, I have to question your gaming tastes and must urge you to pick it up.

But you don't own a Xbox or Playstation 2 anymore? Easy solution to that. First, the game is available on Android and iOS formats. But the controls for those mobile versions aren't the best and can be frustrating. So, I must recommend the newly-released digital Xbox 360 version.

Yes, they've released San Andreas on the 360 already as one of their "digital classics", but this version is different on a few levels. First, it boasts HD 720p graphics, which the "digital classics" version didn't. It was a straight port of the Xbox version. Second, it features achievements, which is a selling point for some gamers in regards to re-playing games. Honestly, the 10 year anniversary edition on Xbox 360 is the perfect reason to head to San Andreas for the first time or for another visit. Not enough to sell you? OK. Here's the kicker...

It's $4. Yes. Four dollars. That's it. One of the best games every made is less than a $5 footlong at your local sub sandwich establishment. So there really is no excuse for missing out on this masterpiece of a game.

Yes, you could have a JETPACK in San Andreas.

San Andreas pushed the envelope for open-world games and helped Rockstar further separate themselves as the developer to beat. You really have to play it to understand and admire what it's done for gaming.

Grab your gat, blast some Dr. Dre, and throw on your L.A. Raiders hat. You're about to hit the Westside, son.

Things just ain't the same for gangstas.

Game on.

-ML

0 comments :

Post a Comment