Not to put too fine a point on it, but Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the best one-on-one PlayStation 2 game I have played. The fourth in a series from Rockstar Games, a label owned by New York-based publisher Take-Two Interactive Software, San Andreas has it all. Incredible style, amazing graphics, a great soundtrack (select by tuning the radio), and a compelling storyline with intelligent dialogue. It also allows for plenty of freedom. A player can ignore the story and just cruise around wreaking havoc - sort of like X-Games for gangsters. As the star of the game, the player takes on the role of Carl 'CJ' Johnson. It is the early 1990s and CJ goes home to his neighbourhood to find his mother murdered, his family fallen apart, and his childhood friends all heading towards disaster. A couple of corrupt cops frame him for homicide, which forces CJ on a journey that takes him across the state of San Andreas, loosely based on California. CJ resurrects his gang across three cities. Missions range from spray-painting over a rival gang's graffiti to acts of extreme violence, such as drive-by shootings and armed robberies. A great new feature is that you can train CJ. A statistics system that keeps score of his physical fitness, driving and weapons-handling has a direct impact on game play. Get too fat, and CJ can't run far. Never used a shotgun before? Well then CJ won't be able to hit that fat Mafia Don. The game's voice cast includes James Woods, Samuel L Jackson and Peter Fonda, with music from Dr Dre, Tupac Shakur and even Johnny Cash. Grand Theft Auto Specifications Price: Not available Pros: This year's must-have game for sheer fun and replay value Cons: None
