GTA San Andreas is truly the best PS2 game ever released.
Gameplay: This game has it all! Imagine Vice City... now times it by ten! This game makes all the other GTA's look like Driver 3 in comparison.
The action, and shooting controls have been improved way beyond anything I could have expected. This game feels great! The action is fast, caotic, and fun as hell. You can take cover behind cars while shooting over the hood, roll out from behind a wall and gun down an opposing gang member, run down the street spraying bullets at on-coming cop cars, and even dual-wield two micro-uzis for some insane carnage! This game rivals even the best action games.
The car controls have been improved as well. And, speaking of cars, you can now completely customize and soup up your vehicles now! Most people have probly already heard about this before, but I guarentee you this is one of the coolest new features to ther game. The number of things you can mod on the cars is crazy! It may not be as customizable as NFS: Underground, but it's still pretty damn impressive. I mean, there is nothing like cruising down the road in your own custom steetcar in GTA, nothing!
Swimmming is another huge improvement. I know every GTA fan has been waiting for this... well, the wait has been worth it. The swimming looks and controls great! It adds a whole new level of freedom to GTA.
The stats and customization of the main character is another huge feature. I was a little sceptical when I first heard about the eating/wieght thing, but it actually turned out really well. Upgrading your character and choosing clothes and stuff is pretty addictive. It's wicked to buff your character up, dress him in some badass gangster duds, and go beat the crap outta some crack dealer... it really get's you in the whole gangster role.
One of my favorite additions though is the gang wars, and territories. Once you pass a certain part in the game, you can start gang wars with rival gangs to expand your gangs territory. You get respect and mony as well. It's a pretty simple idea, but it's incredibly fun! I spent over 5 hours straight just starting gang wars! It was awesome!!!
Then there's the sheer size of San Andreas. It's freak'n HUGE!!! As everyone knows there's three whole cities, each with it's own unique look and feel. But it's the forests, deserts, and mountains in between them that really stand out. This is a whole new thing for GTA. Driving up a mountain, or through a forest is something that no previous GTA has offered. And I have to say, it's pretty damn cool! Being out in the wilderness is so refreshing after 9 or 10 hours in a crowded, gang-filled city.
Graphics: I can't say they're the best graphics I've ever seen on PS2, but they're not that bad. I've read a few reviews that talked about lots of glitches and stuff, but I haven't run into any in my 15+ hours of gameplay (that's not to say they aren't there though). The graphics have been upgraded but honestly it's not that noticeable. The cars seem to look quite a bit better, but the characters look realitively the same. The environments, especially out in the wilderness, look a bit better as well. The environmental lighting is done really well though. Sunrises and sunsets look beautiful. And each city has a unique look when it comes to lighting that really adds a lot of character to the cities.
Sound: The music is great! There's just about every type of music anyone could want. The sound-effects are good as well. Some of the weapons (like the previous GTA games) sound a little weak, but overall, it pretty well done.
Lasting Appeal: There is more then enough in this game to keep anyone playing for months! The first city alone took me 10 hours to get through, and I still have a few side-missions to do there! This game is long. And even after you finish all the missions you can still drive around, play pool, go out with your girlfriends, compete in races, gamble, play basketball, etc. It insane!
Presentation: 10
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 9.5
Gameplay: 10
Lasting Appeal: 10
Overall: 9.5