New features
In total, there are nearly 200 types of vehicles in the game, compared to the approximately 85 in GTA III. New additions include bicycles, jet planes, lowriders, a jetpack, quadbikes, tractors, a train, a combine harvester, police motorcycles, a forklift, a street sweeper, a ride-on lawnmower and many others. In addition, players can swim and climb walls for the first time in the series. For greater firepower, players can also wield dual firearms or perform a drive-by shooting with multiple gang members. Also, due to the immense size of San Andreas, a waypoint reticule on the HUD map can be set, aiding the player in reaching a destination.
Running in Los Santos, PC version. The player's character initially has little money, fitness, or skills. These attributes improve as one progresses through the game.Rockstar has emphasized the personalization of the main character. Clothing, accessories, haircuts and tattoos are now available for purchase by CJ, and have more of an effect on non-player characters' reactions than the clothing in Vice City. CJ's level of respect among his fellow Grove Street gang members varies according to his appearance and actions, as do his relationships with his girlfriends. Players must also ensure CJ eats to stay healthy but also exercises properly. The balance of food and physical activity has an effect on his appearance and physical attributes. If CJ eats too much and does not exercise, he will grow fat and move slower. If he fails to eat at all, he will become less muscular and, eventually, will lose health.
San Andreas also tracks acquired skills in areas such as driving, firearms handling (when skills are high enough, double-wielding of certain weapons is possible), stamina, and lung capacity, which improve through use in the game, adding an RPG aspect to San Andreas. CJ may also learn three different styles of hand-to-hand combat at the gyms in each of the game's three cities. CJ can also speak with a number of pedestrians in the game, and Rockstar claims that he has a total of about 4200 lines of spoken dialogue.
The game's artificial intelligence was also improved. No longer can the player beat a pedestrian to death on a busy street in broad daylight and have bystanders not respond. While most pedestrians will flee or duck for cover, some armed civilians and enemy gang members will attack CJ, and friendly gang members will shoot at and pursue his opponents. This makes the foreign-turf invasions more difficult than one might expect. The area's occupants will resist, and will frequently draw weapons. Cops will now chase other rival gang members who are committing crimes, instead of just the player.
Other new features include:
Driving a modified sports car in San Fierro while deploying nitrous oxide to boost speed, PC version.Car modification: Most automobiles in the game can be modified and upgraded at various garages. Most car mods are strictly visual, adding aesthetic appeal to the vehicles, as opposed to those which improve the performance. Common modifications include nitrous oxide tanks, hydraulics, paintjobs, rims, body kits, and stereo system upgrades.
Gang wars: The goal is to gain as much territory within the city as possible in order to earn money. Battles with enemy gangs are prompted whenever the player (either alone or accompanied by fellow Grove Street Families members) ventures into enemy territory and kills 3-4 gang members. If the player survives multiple waves of enemies, the territory will be won and fellow gang members will begin wandering the streets of these areas. Occasionally, your territory will come under attack from enemy gangs and defeating them will be necessary to retain these areas.
Robbery: Continuing the series' tradition of controversy, home invasion is included as a potential money-making activity. By stealing a robbery van, CJ is able to sneak into a residence at night, and cart off valuables or shake down the occupants.
Minigames: Numerous minigames are also available for play in San Andreas, including basketball, pool, rhythm-based challenges (dancing and 'bouncing' vehicles with hydraulics), and video game machines that pay homage to classic arcade games. In addition, there are the aforementioned casino games and methods of gambling.
Multiplayer: A two-player cooperative mode has also been added for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions. Accessing this mode will launch a series of special objectives similar to 'Rampages' from previous Grand Theft Auto games. Two human players will be able to travel by car or on foot. Both players are required to remain on the same screen and within a reasonable proximity of one another.
