I know what you're thinking. "Grand Theft Auto? An RPG? Blasphemy!" But while Rockstar Games' latest magnum opus isn't steeped in feature fantasy fable, knights in shining armor, or a creepy cast of otherworldly beings, it does have some striking similarities to the current console role-playing game (RPG) genre. For the uninitiated, many console RPGs have traditionally been based on rule sets and formulas pioneered or inspired by the Dungeons & Dragons world, where an off-screen "dice roll" determined the success or failure of an attack against an enemy. In games like Star Wars® Knights of the Old Republic® II: The Sith Lords™ or The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind®, on-screen combat deceptively resembles a real-time fight. But in reality, the chances of scoring a hit against your foe are based on your character's statistics compared to those of your enemy, along with other modifying factors such as your current weapon, how restrictive your armor is, what powers you possess, and random chance.
Combat in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas™ is of the action variety—if you fire at an onscreen opponent and you hit him, he takes damage. In other words, what you see is what you get. But behind-the-scenes calculations do take place, similar to those found in action-RPG titles, to determine how much damage you've dealt to a foe. Even more impressive, however, is how San Andreas lets you build your character's stats across a range of attributes. Your actions directly affect how Carl "CJ" Johnson, your onscreen persona, evolves over time. This is a feature found commonly in many RPGs, but not in many action games. For this reason and others, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has a lot to offer for action fans and RPG aficionados alike. Read on to learn more about the unique genre-blending gameplay in Rockstar's urban epic.
Here are just a few of CJ's character stats.
Practice Makes Perfect You can check CJ's five major stats by pulling the left trigger. On display are overall ratings in five categories:
Respect: CJ's overall reputation
Stamina: CJ's physical performance in running, bicycling, fighting, etc.
Muscle: CJ's outward appearance and strength
Fat: Tracks CJ's appearance from eating certain foods vs. his exercise regimen
Sex Appeal: CJ's appeal to the ladies
On top of these categories, the game keeps track of dozens of activities, including what weapons CJ has fired; what vehicles he's driven, piloted, or ridden on; money he's spent on particular items; his mission success rate; and much more. In order to increase proficiency with a certain weapon or the distance that CJ can sprint before tiring, simply perform that action. After shooting so many rival gangsters or running a certain distance, the game automatically beefs up that ability, thus making certain missions easier. Accelerate certain combat and physical stats by hitting the gym and steering clear of fatty foods. Before you know it, CJ will be a lean, mean, fighting machine—the envy of his lazier gang-bangin' friends.
Like the doc says, exercise and eat right.
Fresh Threads, Pimped-Out Rides Progressing through the main story arc of the game, CJ finds himself participating in low-rider events. You can't swing in to an underground race riding a beat-up hoopty, though. To avoid potential embarrassment, pull into Caesar's garage and customize your classic with a variety of paint jobs, wheels, stereos, nitrous packages, and more.
CJ also attracts attention by lookin' good. Hit the boutiques and clothing stores for a variety of outfits across a broad range of prices. Try new tops, pants, sneakers, and fly your gang colors in a multitude of ways. You might even tweak your melon into an afro, braids, fade—you name it.
Why go to all this trouble? Not only does CJ influence his friends and enemies with his outward appearance, he also courts some ofSan Andreas' finest females with his looks. Each foxy lady that CJ interacts with has her own taste in men. She's attracted to a specific body type (muscular, beefy, or something in between) as well as a particular style of dress. In order to cozy up to these vixens, CJ needs to discover how best to impress his current woman. The payoff? Cool new missions are unlocked (some of which are cooperative) with handy rewards like new outfits or gameplay bonuses.
While Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas won't likely convert diehard RPG fanatics into GTA loyalists, the game does offer a unique experience that owes as much to musty dungeon crawls as it does to third-person shooters. The game's appeal is largely due to Rockstar's inventive melding of disparate genres. Many action game fans won't even notice the subtle ways that their play style is shaping their character, while others will constantly try to nudge the game's stat system deliberately and constantly, experimenting with each and every nuance. The sheer variety and depth of gameplay offered in San Andreas is a testament to its fantastic design, and it will likely influence future games for years to come.
