5 best GTA San Andreas (SA) mods to enhance visuals

GTA San Andreas is a great game, by all measures, and is a classic of the genre and one of the most celebrated games of all-time. However, most would agree that the graphics haven't aged very well over the years.

A game can be forgiven for dated graphics, especially since it has been nearly 16 years since GTA San Andreas was released. There is an inherent charm to playing the game with dated visuals and awkward animation and textures.

However, GTA's modding community is a very creative bunch and have made San Andreas a much better-looking version of itself. Here are some of the best graphic mods for GTA San Andreas.

5 best GTA San Andreas mods to enhance visuals

1) Memory Update

Because GTA San Andreas was released in 2004, it is only allowed to draw from the standards of memory back then. However, players have far more sophisticated and advanced hardware than they did in 2004, and therefore, this mod allows them to utilize the visual memory fully.

This isn't a graphic mod that introduces new textures, but instead, it improves draw distances and other subtle changes in the environment to make the gameplay experience far smoother and better-looking than it was in 2004.

It is an extremely intuitive mod that makes a subtle but extremely impactful difference in GTA San Andreas.

2) V Graphics

The game can feel a bit dated, especially upon inspecting assets in close proximity. However, this mod adds a whole new level of texture and quality to the '04 release. The mod adds a tonne of detail that makes the game much more comparable to its next-next-gen counterpart in Grand Theft Auto V.

The mod can feel a bit too overboard with its reflective surfaces and weather effects, but GTA fans haven't been too concerned with the excess and going overboard.

3) Definitive Edition

Carefully combining a whole host of mods to create a uniform experience can be a bit of a monumental task, which is why the Definitive Editions combine several graphic mods to bring a whole new level of detail to this modern classic.

This is as close to a remaster that the game has ever received, and it is one of the best mods available for the game today. GTA fans will, undoubtedly, enjoy playing the game with updated visuals, and this mod does a fair job of illustrating what San Andreas could look like in a Remastered version.

4) Ultimate Graphics Mod

This mod certainly takes pride in its reflective surfaces as it practically turns the car into a giant mirror of sorts. The mod can be a bit too much in terms of the textures, but it certainly maintains a level of consistency rarely seen in other mods of its type.

The modding community of GTA San Andreas has plenty of graphics mods, and it can be a bit of a pickle and a trial-and-error system to figure out the best mod for oneself.

5) First Person Mod

This isn't necessarily a mod to change the texture or the visual quality of GTA San Andreas, but quite literally brings a whole new perspective to the game. With this mod, players can truly immerse themselves in San Andreas and spend countless hours exploring the game.

The first person perspective was later done very well in GTA V, but this mod also does a great job with the resources they have to work with. The first person mod is the most immersive way to experience the world of San Andreas.