GTA San Andreas PC hands on preview

[TomO]

Pro-G (http://www.pro-g.co.uk/previews/pid/88/56/) has had some hands on time with the PC version of GTA San Andreas and things seem to be shaping up well.

Perhaps the most impressive aesthetic overhaul was granted to the game's draw distance. Sitting atop a skyscraper in the middle of one of San Andreas' more populated areas is now a breathtaking experience. On the PlayStation 2 version nearby buildings were apparent with a foggy haze extending into the distance. Now, on the PC version, a mile into the sky, buildings, scenery and landscapes are clearly visible as far as CJ's eye can see.

Replays might be cool, but the improved frame rate and better draw distance should be the main reason to pick this version up.

[TrackZero]

Replays might be cool, but the improved frame rate and better draw distance should be the main reason to pick this version up.

Yeah, or you know, some of us never bothered with the PS2 version knowing the PC version was the one to get (as always).

[darkwarrior]

Yep Track, I know I'd rather go 9 months without a great game than play it without extended drawing distance and shinier polygons.

[/sarcasm ++]

[Rakael]

San Andreas is what killed my poor old PS2. My old roomie (who had hated GTA before) played the damned thing for 16 hours straight. Needless to say my first gen PS2 finally had a stroke.

He felt so bad he went online and tried two or three fixes, but the poor beast was well and truly dead. So we took her out (to the range of course) and put the poor thing out of its misery with a box of 9mm shells and a couple blasts of buckshot.

She went out with a bang. (duuuurrrrrr, I made a funny)

[Beelzebud]

The GTA games look like ass on the PS2. I WOULD rather wait 9 months than play them like that. And that is what I did.

[TrackZero]

Yep Track, I know I'd rather go 9 months without a great game than play it without extended drawing distance and shinier polygons.

[/sarcasm ++]

Draw distance is a factor when things pop into existence in front of you giving you about a second to react. I've played all the GTAs on the PS2 before, they're VERY "bleh" compared to their PC versions, every time without question. It's not JUST draw distance and shinier polygons either. The resolution is cranked by orders of magnitude, I get MP3s for my car stereo and I can mod/patch the game. 9 months wasn't hard to wait either, I've still got 5 grade A games to play that have been sitting on my shelf for that amount of time that I still haven't gotten to.

Worst exclusivity deal, ever.

[KarmaGhost]

I'm torn: do I buy a good gamepad (which I believe to be the better way to drive in GTA games) and settle with crappy third-person shooting controls, or do I settle with no gamepad and sacrifice my driving skills (which I find the most pleasing about the series)?

[Heretic Machine]

GTA games look better on the PC, and do have more features... however, they play better on consoles. I'd rather have better gameplay. I'm sure the XBOX will get a port of SA sooner or later, but I bought it around the time it came out, and I don't regret it.

Besides, I need -somthing- to justify my PS2's existence.

[Last of the Red Hot Mamas]

I'm sure the XBOX will get a port of SA sooner or later

Same day as the PC version, actually.

[mr. murphy]

I was the only person I knew personally who took the time to get a 100% game on the ps2. My memory card has been passed around and now, months later, my roommates still bring over people I've never met who thank me for sharing my savestate.

I'm looking forward to doing it all again on my pc, but I will be purchasing a new computer chair (I'm sitting on my bass amp) and a wireless gamepad.

[Dirty Harry]

using keyboard and mouse is pretty easy with grand theft auto.

[askheaves]

Just sold my PS2 copy of GTA:SA last night for 12 bucks. Going to start over from the beginning on XBox in a month.

I couldn't get over how jaggy everything looked and that you couldn't drive top speed without hitting a phantom car. And it was hard to tell which person across the street was shooting at you. And it generally looked like crap.

Also hoping for more traffic density.

[QueQueg]

Yep Track, I know I'd rather go 9 months without a great game than play it without extended drawing distance and shinier polygons.

[/sarcasm ++]

I've been holding out on this game because of the shitty PS2 controls that Vice City had.

I'd much rather snipe someone with Keyboard+Mouse, tyvm.

[Thenetcase]

The GTA games look like ass on the PS2. I WOULD rather wait 9 months than play them like that. And that is what I did.

I second that... I absolutely detest the GTA games on the PS2 ... they suck horribly. I much, much prefer the PC controls over the PS2 controls and there's no way you can drive through the city at full speed on a PS2 with out hitting stuff you couldn't see in time.

Crappy hardware (PS2) equals crappy graphics. As I've always said about the PS2. It's inferior in every way to a PC or even the Xbox.

-TNC-

[Kelegacy]

what day is this scheduled to hit?

Also, the GTA series on the PS2 has been fantastic. My little machine has had some great times with her. SA coming out will make me think about dumping my PS2 version and playing on the PC or XBOX (probably the latter). Still, people who piss on the PS2 versions should be flogged...the only thing that was hurt was the graphics--the gameplay was still sugary bliss (with a little smack mixed in for good measure)

[QueQueg]

I just remember that one GTA3 mission where you had to snipe a whole bunch of guys on the docks while you're friend ran in to plant the bomb on the boat.

Also, the skull side-mission where you had to head-shot a crapload of the rastafarians with the Sniper rifle.

The dual-shock was not meant for this sort of activity. It was so aggrevating! When the PC version was available, that mission was a pleasure, and thats when I decided that I'd always wait for the PC version of future games.