Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PlayStation 2)

Reviewed by JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * * * *)

Previous Grand Theft Auto releases were preceded by an almost deafening silence: a screenshot here and there and a firm no comment from the game's developer was about the best you could hope for. Rockstar Games has been more forthcoming when promoting the newly released Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Local GTA fans have responded to the escalating hype by snapping up record numbers of presale copies.

This game takes place in the early 90s. Your character, Carl C. J. Johnson, is heading back to the mean streets of Los Santos (modelled on Los Angeles) after turning his back on his gangster lifestyle five years ago, when his brother was murdered. Now he is forced to return home after his mother is coldheartedly gunned down, too.

True to form, Rockstar has turned to Hollywood again — films such as Colors, Boyz in the Hood and Judgement Night spring to mind while playing, plus there's a list of featured rap artists (Dr Dre, Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, Eric B and Rakim, among them) to further augment the game's 90s ghetto atmosphere.

Don't fret if you're not a big fan of rap, the soundtrack is amazingly diverse, including pop, soul, house and rock radio stations.

In a major evolution, the main character can now change his appearance. Run around a lot and you lose weight and gain stamina. Eat too much pizza and you get fat. You can buy tattoos, haircuts and clothes, and people react to all of this. CJ's core statistics change as the game goes on and your actions dictate how they change. Respect, stamina, driving, and bike skills (among others) are all affected directly by how you choose to play.

This is an immense game. While other new releases struggle to keep gamers busy for 10-12 hours, San Andreas will take weeks or even months to conquer fully. The giant map shows a vast area that includes three major metropolises and all the land in between, including deserts, beaches, forests, waterways, mountain peaks and valleys and even hick towns.

All three cities have strong identities. As well as Los Santos, there are the bright neon lights of Las Venturas (a dead ringer for Vegas), and the clean, green San Fierro (San Francisco). All three are huge, comparable in size to cities in previous GTA titles.

Graphically, you won't notice huge changes. Some minor frame rate issues linger, plus some of the missions are frustratingly difficult, but overall, Rockstar has delivered everything it promised, and more.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas goes light years beyond even our most ambitious expectations and will likely keep fans occupied all summer.

Price: $109.95

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