San Andreas is similarly structured to the previous two games in the series. The core gameplay consists of elements of a third-person shooter and a driving game, affording the player a large, open environment in which to move around. On foot, the player's character is capable of walking, running, swimming (the first GTA game in which diving and swimming without drowning is possible), limited climbing, and jumping, as well as using weapons and various forms of hand to hand combat. Players can operate a variety of vehicles, including automobiles, boats, airplanes, helicopters, trains, tanks, motorcycles and bicycles. Players may also import vehicles rather than steal them.

CJ is Grand Theft Auto's most customizable protagonist due to the possibility in-game to change his clothes, tattoos, hairstyle and even his body mass in which he can be fat, skinny or muscular. Later GTA III-era games eliminated much of the customization, swimming, and climbing abilities enjoyed by CJ.

One aspect of GTA III (and the later Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories) that is eliminated in San Andreas is the "Welcome to" screens, which often disrupt game flow in those games; in San Andreas, transition between areas occurs with no such interruption. (This is likely due to the high number of races and other missions that cross into different areas of the state.)

San Andreas Gangs

Rockstar North conducted massive amounts of research before developing the gangs of San Andreas; this primarily involved talking to DJ Pooh, Mister Cartoon, Estevan Oriol, and hundreds of other well-known faces.

Gangs play a much larger role in San Andreas than they did in Vice City.

    The number of gangs has increased. As well as having the large, dominating gangs, there are smaller, more local gangs.
    Generally, gangs cause a bit more trouble than they did in previous titles -- toppling cars, crowding streets, and using various new methods of attack. In some areas of the map, the player is welcome, and in others, the player is not.
    San Andreas gives you the ability to "take over" areas of the map, and recruit new members into gangs to help and defend you.

Gang members are recognized by their clothing, tattoos, and hand signs. These are useful for two reasons: it allows police to identify a gang set or victim, and it allows gang members to interact with one another. Each gang has its own territory, indicated by street warnings, wall graffiti, or simply violence. In Los Santos, each of the four gangs are split up into different "sets". While not all sets get along, at least there's always plenty of backup available.

Gang Wars & Territory

Winning territory involves gang wars, so this must be done carefully. Enter the area you wish to control, and kill every opposing member in sight. Killing 3 members on foot will provoke a gang war, and the area under attack will flash red on the radar. The opposing gang will attack in three waves to defend their land. Keep a close eye on the radar, and watch where the attackers come from. They may attack unexpectantly or in large numbers, so make sure you have a plentiful supply of health and armor before starting the war. If possible, shoot from long distances or from rooftops.

Survive the three waves, and the area is yours. The area is now highlighted green on the map, indicating your gang has gained possession over it. Similarly, other gangs may try and take your territory; it's up to you to defend it.

Gang wars and territory are introduced during the mission "Doberman". After the mission "The Green Sabre", CJ no longer has the ability to win new territory, or defend his own. This feature returns during the mission "Home Coming", in the Final Missions strand.

Recruit Others

CJ can recruit other members of his gang. The number of gang members he can recruit is based on CJ's respect level, with the game-wide maximum number being 7. There is also a limitation of number of seats in your vehicle. A typical car can carry 2 to 4 people, whereas a coach or bus can hold all 7 members.

While your homies are recruited, you can get them to follow you or stay put. Your homies will return fire to those who attack you, and shoot at rival gang members and cops. They will also participate in drive-by shootings, just like Sweet, Smoke, and Ryder demonstrate in the mission "Drive-By". Don't depend on your homies too much, as they aren't very reliable. They can, however, draw fire away from CJ. CJ can also take a picture of him with his homies.

See the page on game controls to learn how to recruit and control members.
The Main Article GTA San Andreas Gangs

Leave a Reply