Rockstar’s open-world games are not only fun and daring, but they also push the technological envelope. However, they remain worthwhile adventures even as sequels come out and surpass them graphically. Just look at how fondly people rememberGrand Theft Auto: San Andreaseven after the developer revisited the state inGrand Theft Auto 5.
Some even prefer it over the 2013 game. Is it really better, though? While weighing each game’s strengths against each other, we will come to a logical conclusion over what is Rockstar’s best open-world adventure on the fictional west-coast state of San Andreas.
9San Andreas Is Better: Historical Setting
Dating The Game Surprisingly Makes It Feel Less Dated
With how fast culture moves, Grand Theft Auto 5 feels dated in its humor and cultural commentary. San Andreas avoided this by taking place in the 90s while coming out in 2004.
It doesn’t come off as old-fashioned and instead is a time capsule that excellently captures the vibe of the decade in its storyline, music, and characters. The tension of early 90s LA comes through in the plot and conflict between CJ and Officer Tenpenny, andnumerous characters are clearly inspiredby films like Boyz in da Hood and cultural icons of the decade.
8GTA 5 Is Better: More Detailed
No Space Feels Generic
Though the 2013 game only features one metropolitan area, it is huge and brimming with life. The geometry alone is more interesting than what San Andreas offered, with winding roads and multiple highways to drive on.
Get out of your car or bike and walk around to see that attention has been put into every inch of the city, including secluded alleys. Once in the wilderness, you may see how tech has helped woods and deserts feel more alive whereas San Andreas’s wilderness feels empty by comparison.
7San Andreas Is Better: Protagonist
CJ Is More Interesting Than The Three GTA 5 Protagonists
GTA 5 makes gameplay more interesting by switching protagonists and giving you different perspectives on the story and this is commendable. However, CJ is an all-time icon of gaming. Just compare the average protagonist on the biggest PS2 games of the time to CJ’s complex story and it is easy to see why.
He left a certain life behind and was reluctantly dragged back into it during the game’s opening. Once he gets his footing back in his hometown, his world is once again turned upside down. Seeing his reaction to this fish-out-of-water scenario endears him to us even more.
6GTA 5 Is Better: Combat
Smoother Shooting And More Weapons
San Andreas was a huge improvement over Vice City’s shooting and introduced cover mechanics and free-aiming into the series. GTA 5’s further refinements to the combat make its shootouts significantly more impactful and entertaining.
Then, there is the physics system which makes every kill feel brutally unique. There is almost nothing more satisfying than shooting an enemy and watching themrealistically tumble down the stairs or fall off a high ledge.
5San Andreas Is Better: Plot Twist
The Rug Gets Pulled Out From Under Both CJ And Us
San Andreas spends quite a bit of time in Los Santos with CJ trying to bring the Grove Street family back together. You are lulled into thinking this will be the majority of the game until all of a sudden he is betrayed by a couple of his best friends and left in the middle of nowhere with no connection to his family.
Missions go from establishing your gang’s reputation to simply trying to survive and figure out what is even going on. Not to say that GTA 5 is predictable, but this plot twist in San Andreas makes it feel like a whole new game.
4GTA 5 Is Better: Story Missions
Every Mission Is A Set Piece
GTA 5 has fewer story missions but each one feels important. They usually involve large set pieces like shooting down a plane and then chasing after the burning vehicle on a motorbike or one of theseveral large heistsplayers need to pull off.
San Andreas, despite its leaps in tech over its predecessors, still has the occasional wonky mission that could have used more refinement or maybe should have been cut completely (The RC vehicle missions from Zero come to mind).
3San Andreas Is Better: It’s The Whole State
Each City Has Its Own Personality And Aesthetic
While it’s not as graphically impressive or as nuanced as GTA 5’s Los Santos, San Andreas makes up for it by including the whole state. This offers a larger general variety and a bigger feeling of progression as more parts of the map are unlocked as the story unfolds. It takes a while before players make it to the final area, Las Venturas (a fictionalized version of Las Vegas).
The focus on Los Santos in GTA 5 makes sense for the story Rockstar wanted to tell, but CJ’s journey feels bigger because of all the places it takes him. It’s like looking at The Elder Scrolls games' maps comparing the Daggerfall area to Morrowind. Sure, Morrowind is infinitely more detailed, but some still prefer how grandiose Daggerfall is.
2GTA 5 Is Better: GTA Online
A Robust Online Component
GTA Online was launched a few weeks after GTA 5’s release and was a little underwhelming compared to its promise. After tweaking it for some years and jumping a generation, it has evolved into a full-fledged experience withnew mission arcs and businesses to run.
While microtransactions are here and a lot of new content is locked behind purchases, loyal players should not have trouble affording them with in-game money if they save up. Combine this with the competitive multiplayer modes, and it is a dream come true for anyone who wants to run around a Grand Theft Auto map with friends.
In case it was not clear, all of the extra mission content in Grand Theft Auto Online is available without spending more real money. You can purchase what is required to access the content with in-game money
1Verdict: Grand Theft Auto 5 Is Better
The More Recent Los Santos Is The Better Playground
Even if San Andreas has stand-out strengths like its setting and characters, Grand Theft Auto 5 is more refined and is a smoother gameplay experience from start to finish. When you add GTA Online into the equation, the answer becomes even clearer.
It came out in 2013 and is already showing its age, but it holds up in so many ways. The good news is that both San Andreas and GTA 5 are classics that hold plenty of value beyond being technical showcases of their time.
