Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 2004

About

Returning after his mother's murder to the semi-fictional city of Los Santos (based on Los Angeles), Carl Johnson, a former gang banger, must take back the streets for his family and friends by gaining respect and once again gaining control over the streets. However, a story filled with crime, lies and corruption will lead him to trudge the entire state of San Andreas (based on California and Nevada) to rebuild his life.

Story

Five years ago, Carl Johnson escaped from the pressures of life in Los Santos, San Andreas, a city tearing itself apart with gang trouble, drugs and corruption. Where filmstars and millionaires do their best to avoid the dealers and gangbangers. Now, it’s the early 90’s. Carl’s got to go home. His mother has been murdered, his family has fallen apart and his childhood friends are all heading towards disaster. On his return to the neighborhood, a couple of corrupt cops frame him for homicide. CJ is forced on a journey that takes him across the entire state of San Andreas, to save his family and to take control of the streets.

What is happening now

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas remains a landmark entry in the series, notable for its protagonist CJ and the sprawling fictional recreation of California during the 1990s. The game distinguished itself through mechanics that tied character upkeep directly to player behavior - most notably a weight system that responded to diet and exercise habits. Recent announcements confirm that Grand Theft Auto 6 will resurrect these mechanics from San Andreas, marking their return after years of absence from the franchise. Rockstar has indicated that maintaining the protagonist's physical state through eating, exercise, and sleep will once again factor into gameplay. The studio frames this as part of a broader approach to character customization and self-expression, though poor lifestyle choices will carry consequences - extended periods without sleep, for instance, will negatively impact the player character.