5 reasons why GTA San Andreas is still an open-world game worth playing today

As far as open-world games go, GTA San Andreas still holds up well. Its graphics and controls aren't optimal but its advantages far outweigh its disadvantages.

GTA 3 popularized open-world games but GTA San Andreas improved on the formula even further, and the game still has a dedicated fanbase today. In this article, we look at five reasons behind the game's long shelf life.

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Five reasons why GTA San Andreas remains a good open-world game to play today

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#5 - The music captures the atmosphere perfectly

Most GTA games have great soundtracks, and GTA San Andreas is no exception. Any large open-world game where you spend a lot of time roaming should strive to have music that complements the game's setting.

To that end, some radio stations in GTA San Andreas are absolutely tailormade for the game's various locales, such as:

• K-Rose: The countryside
• Radio Los Santos: Los Santos
• SF-UR: San Fierro

Of course, the music wasn't limited to those areas. If the player wanted to, they could listen to K-Rose as they drove into Grove Street.

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#4 - Multiplatform success

GTA San Andreas plays well on Android devices, for example (Image via Rockstar Games)

Regardless of how great a game is, accessibility is a key factor in determining how many players get to experience it. GTA San Andreas is available on the following platforms:

• Android
• Fire OS
• iOS
• Oculus Quest 2 (soon)
• PS2
• PS3
• Windows
• Windows Phone
• Xbox
• Xbox 360

The list doesn't include backward compatibility or the GTA Trilogy's remaster of it. As a result, gamers have several opportunities to play GTA San Andreas, regardless of their platform of choice.

Compare that to say, Ghost of Tsushima, another fantastic open-world game, which is available only on the PS4 and PS5, and that alienates a large chunk of gamers.

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#3 - That classic GTA charm

CJ is about to carjack a random pedestrian (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA games have always been in a league of their own when it comes to open-world games. Each new release raises the bar when it comes to map complexity and activities.

In the case of GTA Sandreas too, the freedom that it afforded players at the time of its release was seldom seen in games back then, and still holds up well enough today to make it worth playing.

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#2 - There's always something to do

CJ can go on random dates (Image via Rockstar Games)

Every open-world game should aspire to create content for players in every corner of the game world. GTA San Andreas succeeded in this department through several ways:

• Storyline missions
• Vehicle missions
• Collectibles
• Specific vehicle spawns
• Weapon spawns

Players have an incentive to explore the open world, and it is still fun after 100% completion.

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#1 - A diverse open world

Three iconic cities (Image via Rockstar Games)

Not only is there plenty of action going on in the state of San Andreas, but the three islands are pretty diverse. Los Santos has several ghetto streets, a beachside area, and a Hollywood-esque location. Add in the countryside, and that's still only including Los Santos.

San Fierro and Las Venturas have their own unique-looking areas in GTA San Andreas. There aren't many instances where locales feel too similar to one another, which can't be said about every open-world game, even today.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.