Hey man! Lancerevo here who did the Original Jackass San Andreas videos. Glad you loved my content back in the day. I had my ps2 hooked up to my pc via a capture card I got at Walmart and had to compress the hell out of the video to upload it after I made some edits via Windows Movie Maker. Great video!
@@SquareEyedJak thank you sir! I really enjoyed making those videos at the time and they were really popular. I liked the Jackass video but started getting into the story telling and lore especially for the Leatherface video. I was actually going to make a 2nd one but my pc crashed. I even thought about doing a new video for GTA 5 but not sure how it would play out with copyright music and all since older RUclips videos were different.
The first 10 mins on explaining your history with the game is what I love most about gaming. Everyone has their own story on these things and I love hearing those discussions. Me and my friend would break into the airport, steal a plane and jump out over the forest pretending the plane had crashed and we were stranded in the middle of nowhere and had to find our way back into a town
"It's also humble beginnings for me as a creator and a passionate storyteller." That brief pause there, I was fully expecting an edit cutting to you breaking Enter The Dragonfly off your knee 🤣
I snuck san Andreas into my house on a blockbuster rental because i wasn't allowed to play GTA cause my dad. I had a coke a pack of Skittles and those day 1 vibes cause it was day 1 still at 10 o clock at night. Played all night up until right before the green sabre mission. It was a blast to this day.
A perfect love letter to this classic if there ever was one! You definitely showed a different perspective to this game than I'd ever even thought about which was definitely welcomed, for me personally my love for the game came from the game mirroring many of real-life struggles growing up in a bad area in the UK and seeing my friends become products of their environment similar to CJs friends (albeit to a much less dramatic degree) there's so much you can pull from the game even if you're not from the west coast of America, something you touched on quite well, hopefully, we get another GTA game that is simultaneously a rollercoaster of emotions and a hilarious wacky adventure like this game.
Thanks, it was so nice to kinda go back in time with it. Game really means a lot. Taking a break from GTA for now though but hoping to get through all the games before VI drops 🤞
I ain't skipping the personal part! Nothing wrong with being candid on how you much you love a game. I've never finished any of the GTA games, and I've never played Vice City and San Andreas. But damn, that's high praise coming from you, Jak. Rarely have I ever seen a 9 on your channel since you're always dealing out tough love, but good on you!
@@SquareEyedJak Since you want to cover all GTA video games, you might have to take a slight detour before Grand Theft Auto IV next year. In 2006, Rockstar released Bully which is essentially GTA in boarding school. So, to realistically cover GTA IV, you must cover the game in-between which acts as the last game using the Early 3D GTA game philosophy. It was released as Canis Canem Edit on the PS2 in the PAL regions, but the updated version was released in 2008 for Xbox 360 and Wii and is called Bully: Scholarship Edition in every region it released in. I know it was my first experience in the GTA universe back in 2009, then it was GTA San Andreas (Xbox) in 2010 because of backward compatibility through my Xbox 360, then it was GTA V (Xbox 360) in 2013, then I got GTA III (Xbox) also in 2013 because of backward compatibility through my Xbox 360, then I downloaded GTA 1 (MS-DOS) and GTA London 1969 (MS-DOS) on a laptop I don't have anymore back in early 2014, got GTA 2 (PS1) also back in early 2014 because I have a fully backward compatible PS3, got GTA San Andreas (Xbox 360) as this version was based on the mobile phone version back in early 2015 as my copy on Xbox no longer worked by then, it plays fine, but a lot of technical issues and game-breaking bugs in that version, and finally got GTA Vice City (Xbox) in 2017 where I actually had an OG Xbox since 2016 nd this was the only GTA title that was not backward compatible through my Xbox 360 to my knowledge.
My dad was thankfully a gamer and he loved GTA at the time. So me and him would play together (He'd do missions and i'd just go around and terrorize the city). I never got banned from playing M Rated games as a child
As long time viewer, seeing all san andreas references in your videos over the years felt like it was building up to this wooper of a vid, feels very rewardind ngl ALSO 1:07 that ratchet and clank HD collection on the desk is hillarious, very cheeky of ya xd
Oh my god, when you mentioned GTA SA's videos on YT, I had a giant wave of nostalgia. I ate that stuff up like there was no tomorrow! One series I remember was called Nintendo World where Nintendo characters were in a war with Sony's. Man, I feel like a vet for being around the era where San Andreas the original GMod and Minecraft. Edit: How could I forget GTA SA myths?! I was so invested into those vids!
While I am not a fan of games leaning heavily into a more realism direction, balancing that out with more outlandish concepts and/or gameplay makes for a more unique, and more importantly, engaging experience that leaves an impact that can still be felt to this day. Also, you have excellent taste for using some ToeJam & Earl III music throughout the video.
Agreeing with lots of other comments, first ten minutes are great. Sets the scene perfectly. This video is fantastic! I related so much to your early experiences! A well deserved 9/10. Your contextual research into other topics has really impressed me in this run of GTA videos! I’m currently on crutches and this video convinced me to find an original Xbox copy for my 360. Keep doing your thing dude. Love your streams proper cozy. Would love to see you stream some casual Tony hawk or skate 2 etc!
Thanks for reviewing this! You really brought to words why this game was and still is so special to so many gamers. To me it continues to be the most impactful game I’ve played. Like you said, you really just had to be there. Rockstar still creates masterpieces to this day, but SA feels like them at their best. A snapshot of what’s possible in gaming. It’s unfortunate that few games (if any at all) can reach the variety and content San Andreas had - mostly due to the ridiculous graphical standards modern gaming demands. SA came out at a sweet spot when tech was cheaper and easier to work with, while still offering believable enough game worlds and production values.
As I already mentioned on your Patreon video dude, your review was a fucking banger and recently recovering from being sick and delivering this, yeah, good shit.
I gotta say, as someone who didnt grow up with this game (and honestly havent really played it), its still a game i consider one of the most important gamed to exist. Just wasnt allowed to play rated M games (with the one exception being Black Ops 1 only bc someone we knew from back when i had to go church played it and guess that made it okay for some reason) growing up and by time my folks switched up, GTA 5 was out and never went back to fully play SA or 4 much, but i do need to get around to doing so. Great video man!
Never played it but definitely heard its iconic quotes over the yrs "Aw sh.. here we go again" "All we had to do was follow the dam train CJ!" "Ill have 2 #5, #5 Large, #6, extra dip, 2 #45, one with cheese" "You picked the wrong house fool!"
I still remember borrowing this game from a local rental store (Video City), with my mom doing that marge simpson groan. She let me borrow it though, and did not like it when the first swear appeared. My whole game experience was basically audio mixing. *Turn down the voices.* "The police sirens are annoying and we are trying to watch the news." *Turn down SFX.* Turn that rap music off." *Change radio station, which then changed to riding a bike.* Regardless of all that, I still loved the game. Getting cheat codes printed from the web, turning off police and having flying cars was my favorite thing to do. Aside from driving bikes off the top of Mount Chiliad. This video really brought it all back to me, especially at the beginning. Really enjoy hearing other personal perspectives and memories of something a lot adore. So thank you for that. :)
Thanks for the drop fam been watching for a minute now never really comment but anytime I feel like shit I watch your tony hawktober vids they pull me out keep doing what you’re doing ❤
Nice in depth review there, Jak. Probably the most you ever fleshed out in a video. Well done. I will say, though SA isn't my favorite, it was probably...ok was the most revolutionary game when it came out. I think about anyone who grew up with this game can recall their first memory playing it, or atleast their introduction to it. Mine was seeing my older brother playing it with some friends. And seeing the protagonist FINALLY swim. It was so cool, but honestly it was one of those "about time" moments as it sucked falling into the water in the previous games. Good times haha. San Andreas was and still is one of the greatest in our time. And saying its a "must own" is an understatement. Keep up the great work, Jak.
Jak this is truly your best video yet. I can feel all the love you put into this one. I've never commented before but I really wanted to say that I've loved watching your transformation from your older videos to the more mature tone now. You should be proud man.
Late to seeing this video, but i’ve always wanted to hear your thoughts on this game since you first mentioned your experience with it like 10 years ago at this point in that top 10 childhood games. Insane how far you’ve come man
Part of me really wants to pick up a CRT tv again, i've replayed these games so many times. But seeing your footage just makes me really wanna experience it that way again. Blowing up the image onto a massive tv just doesn't hit the same
I borrowed this game from a classmate for a few days. Returned it to him and bought a copy immediately, at the full price of $49.99 for my PS2 slim. I love this game so much, I bought my friend a Greatest Hits copy, which cost $20, for secret santa at a later time. I played this game so much, and not exactly without cheats. It was probably the one game that I thought was "complete" in almost every category. I'm enjoying the video so far, thanks for sharing.
Masterpiece, way ahead of its time. Just beat it for the first time in almost 20 years, on ps2. And I was so surprised on how well it still held up. Definitely still my favorite gta to this day.
This was a great review of a Legendary game Jak! I can’t wait to find out which game will get that 10/10 score. Also, do you plan on Re-reviewing CTR Nitro Fueled because I remember at the end of your original review, you said you were going to review it again after all the Grand Prix stuff was done.
I've seen a lot San Andreas retrospective videos and this is the best one I've ever seen. It should be a 10 out of 10, though, because the experience truly does feel like it's once in a lifetime game.
Dude you nailed it !! And I didn’t skip the first 10 minutes either dude when you said “I just took the bike and created Mayhem because I didn’t know how to play the game “ dude I did that for whole first year until my older cousin showed me the mini-map and how missions worked at 11 years old 😂😂😂😂😂😂 you did this game justice and I haven’t even finished it !!
one of the Best things about GTA San Andreas is the Cheats. I still remember CHITTYCHITYBANGBANG (The Flying Car Cheat) and spending hours with a 6 star wanted level, Infinite ammo and all weapons. I always enjoyed fucking around with the game before doing any of the missions
In fact: I recently bought a used copy of the PS2 Version with everything included (The Disc, Case, Manual and others) and I just got hit with a wave of Nostalgia from back when I was playing it on my Brother's old CRT TV
Speaking of world density and the juxtaposition of gritty/serious and goofy/absurd, I'd love to see you cover the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series one day. I know that's a huge undertaking, but I love seeing people delve into the franchise and seeing how they come out the other side 😅 Great video as always, and despite my experience with GTA:SA being a bit less formative as I was like 13 or 14, the story you described still hit home since I was nearly that age for GTA 3 and had a similar gaming awakening, suddenly really branching out from RPGs and fighting games at the time.
I too remember going over to my older cousins place and him and his friends were playing it, I was too enamored with Halo to play it. To this date I honestly can say I've never played a GTA game to completion.
Before I knew what roleplaying even meant, it was what I always remember San Andreas for. I easily spent 1000 hours in this game and it really did feel endless. It captured my imagination a a child that I know I'll never be able to replicate but that's what this game is for me.
Your childhood history with this game you shared with us in this video is unlike any other. I've probably watched almost all the English speaking GTA reviews there is out there, and like always, you make one that stands out. Great job as always Jak.
Man listening to the nostalgic portion triggered some lost memories that were buried deep regarding how I used to play video games. Today being a gaming veteran it's so different.
i was 10 when san andreas came out and wasn't aloud to play it, i played it for the first time in the summer of 2011, and it blew my mind despite playing games like it before, it's truly one of a kind, a masterclass in video games, and you absolutely did it justice with your video
San Andreas is a very good game! I think the missions are pretty decent overall and the story is solid for the most part. It's generally divided by fans into 6 acts, Los Santos, Countryside, San Fierro, Desert/Bone County, Las Venturas, and then Return to Los Santos. I really love the first Act, the whole gangster aspect and getting to know all the characters. It's just one of the best first acts in a GTA game in my opinion. Acts II-IV are home to some of the best missions in the game. But also as you pointed out, the plot feels so disconnected from Los Santos during this part (as well as in Las Venturas), it's pretty jarring! Act V isn't bad with its missions either, but I think it's overall more in the middle. Return to Los Santos is where I and a lot of people feel the story and especially mission quality nosedive. I certainly agree that it feels like this act was rushed. We actually know there are some changed/scrapped mission(s) for this section too. The characters are all really fun and memorable. I'd say the only real fumble is Sweet, which isn't exactly a hot take. A lot of people don't like him at all. But I actually got emotional at one moment in particular and that was surprising to me. It wouldn't happen again until IV. The world map is pretty great and certainly ambitious for the time! The cities all have their own distinct feel and look to them. I've always been a big fan of San Fierro. Hopefully we see that and Las Venturas reimagined to the same degree and detail as Liberty City in IV, Los Santos in V, and Vice City in VI someday. My only real complaint is the same with a lot of open games. There are large chunks of the map with little to do and empty. I totally get your point about it, even I still feel this way. On the gameplay side of things, a lot has improved as you said. Gunplay especially feels better to me. I still think some aspects haven't aged well, especially after playing IV recently. But I still think it holds up way better than III and VC. A ton of side content, which I always love. This game is beefy to 100%, I've done so twice. Not all of it is great, but still rather impressive. It's still a highly recommended entry in the series to be. It USED to be my favorite GTA. That title was recently taken by GTA IV, finished that for the first time and I felt that was such a masterpiece. SA will likely always be my second-favorite tho. I like both for different reasons I'd say, but I connected with IV a lot more in the end. I suppose next to cover is Liberty City Stories. Interesting little game, some like it and some don't all that much. I think it's okay, if one of the weaker entries. I'll be curious to see what you have to say.
San Andreas occupies my most prominent gaming memories next to Tony Hawk's Underground and American Wasteland. Still play around with combinations of mods for my OG Steam copy on and off through the years
I'll always remember as an 11 year old enjoying Vice City despite my mom's misgivings with the violence, but San Andreas was just such an improvement on everything that I was blown away by how much of a step up a game could be from the previous. I can always boot up San Andreas and just mess around here and there even now. The world is so good, and I thoroughly enjoy the characters and how they make the world feel alive and not centered around CJ.
Oh my god, the jumpscare of *«WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!»* from your older reviews caught me off guard so much, I never knew I needed to see it again, but I am glad I did XD
A the time I had to wait for the PC release which came out a year later. A friend of mine who had only a PS1 used to come to my home to play it. We took turns on the gamepad challenging each other at making the longest wheelie possible using a BMX. We then grew and lost contact. He passed a few years ago and this is how I remember him.
This is still one of my favourite GTA games. It's because of San Andreas, along with Need for Speed Underground 2 & Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal is why I got into gaming in the first place.
My cousin brought over this game. (I forgot which one in this series it was.) I remember finding it so hilarious that you walk up to a car, push a button, and the character just steals it while saying a catch phrase. I also remember that me and my sister saw the taxi as "the special car" and we kept fighting over who gets to steal the taxi. "No fair! You stole the taxi last time!" "You can steal it on your turn!" "But I couldn't find it on my turn!" I also remember one time when my cousin tried to get me to play the game the right way. She started a level, then handed the controller to me and said, "Now shoot at the cops," but because I was a goody-two-shoes child, I cried and ran away. I mean, we're talking about a child that was afraid to kill bad guys in video games because "...but if they die, they'll go to hell. I don't want them to go to hell! 😭"
I've just finished completing the PS2 version. Got a few saves. One before the riot, one as the riots happening & one after the story has been completed.
Great video as always. You should trying playing Nier Replicant and Automata. I know that your channel is focusing on older games but this series will be a treat for you and maybe a 10/10 contender.
I may get blasted for this for I really enjoyed playing the Definitive Edition of the games, specially San Andreas, the games look just like I imagined as a kid what they would look like if videogames were more real. I really enjoyed the 150 hours I put into San Andreas.
I never fully 100%ed this game until I was 21 lol as a kid all the stuff in this game just felt overwhelming but damn is it fun when you really get into it
I have a handful of pretty strong memories of this game, despite not owning it until much later on... And NONE of my memories have anything to do with the story because I never got near finishing it. Not even close! It just goes to show how you could truly do anything... and still find fun in all the little things. I remember laughing with a friend when we made those cars with the hydraulics bop around to music on the radio... (Which I reckon I have a crappy quality old phone video of that somewhere) Then finally playing it for myself and using the flying car cheat to pretend I was flying the deloroan from back to the future part 2... And using the jetpack to fly downwards, making it look like CJ could sprint really fast. I remember it being one of the first games I truly enjoyed driving around aimlessly. With no destination in mind... Just roaming around and seeing the sights. And that a particularly scratched copy I borrowed from another friend broke my original ps2's capability to read discs properly... So San Andreas is literally the reason I got a slim PS2 replacement many years later. And I remember borrowing a strategy guide from that same friend and never giving it back as revenge! I still have that thing! 😂 Definitely need to fire it up again sometime after watching this as it's probably been 10+ years since I even played it at all... But now I really want to 😁 Top notch video!
This is a game that, at the time of release in 2004, my brothers and I were forbidden from playing. The following summer, the Hot Coffee controversy brewed (no pun intended), and the game was sold Adult Only. Eventually, with autumn on the horizon, our parents relented. San Andreas is an experience like no other. There’s so much hidden within the game that, 20 years or so later, is still being discovered.
Hey man! Lancerevo here who did the Original Jackass San Andreas videos. Glad you loved my content back in the day. I had my ps2 hooked up to my pc via a capture card I got at Walmart and had to compress the hell out of the video to upload it after I made some edits via Windows Movie Maker. Great video!
WOAH what a surprise! Thanks so much dude, you really were a pillar of the community, really appreciate you leaving a comment. Cheers mate! 👍👍
@@SquareEyedJak thank you sir! I really enjoyed making those videos at the time and they were really popular. I liked the Jackass video but started getting into the story telling and lore especially for the Leatherface video. I was actually going to make a 2nd one but my pc crashed. I even thought about doing a new video for GTA 5 but not sure how it would play out with copyright music and all since older RUclips videos were different.
the joy i felt seeing an hour long GTA retrospective from you
Cheers mate, was a biggun but I'm glad I finally conquered it!
Always rad to see two RUclipsrs I'm a fan of supporting and watching each other's content
The 2 best RUclipsrs right there.
Man drove me all around game hunting one time, @minimme is a legend!
Definitely don't skip the first 10 minutes. This videos utterly perfect.
That means so much, thankyou! 😄
Back in 2004 I got up at 4 in the morning for three months straight beating this game 100%. The best M rated game experience of my 14 year old life.
The first 10 mins on explaining your history with the game is what I love most about gaming. Everyone has their own story on these things and I love hearing those discussions. Me and my friend would break into the airport, steal a plane and jump out over the forest pretending the plane had crashed and we were stranded in the middle of nowhere and had to find our way back into a town
Hell yeah dude, cheers!
Back when we played games as youngsters and used our fantasy to make our own quests 🥲
I remember playing GTA for the first time thinking "This is what caused all the controversy? There's worse stuff on daytime TV LOL"
It's hard to believe that this game is 2 DECADES old yet to this day it's still being played. Man this game brings back so many memories ❤
It's a shame this doesn't have as many views as it should. This is such a great video!!!
"It's also humble beginnings for me as a creator and a passionate storyteller."
That brief pause there, I was fully expecting an edit cutting to you breaking Enter The Dragonfly off your knee 🤣
I snuck san Andreas into my house on a blockbuster rental because i wasn't allowed to play GTA cause my dad. I had a coke a pack of Skittles and those day 1 vibes cause it was day 1 still at 10 o clock at night. Played all night up until right before the green sabre mission. It was a blast to this day.
A perfect love letter to this classic if there ever was one! You definitely showed a different perspective to this game than I'd ever even thought about which was definitely welcomed, for me personally my love for the game came from the game mirroring many of real-life struggles growing up in a bad area in the UK and seeing my friends become products of their environment similar to CJs friends (albeit to a much less dramatic degree) there's so much you can pull from the game even if you're not from the west coast of America, something you touched on quite well, hopefully, we get another GTA game that is simultaneously a rollercoaster of emotions and a hilarious wacky adventure like this game.
Really liked the personal touch this video had. Definitely the best of this GTA retrospective (so far…)
Thanks, it was so nice to kinda go back in time with it. Game really means a lot.
Taking a break from GTA for now though but hoping to get through all the games before VI drops 🤞
I ain't skipping the personal part! Nothing wrong with being candid on how you much you love a game.
I've never finished any of the GTA games, and I've never played Vice City and San Andreas. But damn, that's high praise coming from you, Jak. Rarely have I ever seen a 9 on your channel since you're always dealing out tough love, but good on you!
“I’ll have two number 9s”
- Big Smoke
a number 9 large
@@mattiskornya number 6 with extra dip!
@@k-visionsoftworks6135a number 7
@@k-visionsoftworks6135A number 7
@@k-visionsoftworks6135two number 45s one with CHEESE
I have been waiting, love how detailed your content is and how much passion you put into these projects, and absolute vibe
Thanks! Got delayed with this one being sick, so glad it's finally out there!
@@SquareEyedJak Since you want to cover all GTA video games, you might have to take a slight detour before Grand Theft Auto IV next year. In 2006, Rockstar released Bully which is essentially GTA in boarding school. So, to realistically cover GTA IV, you must cover the game in-between which acts as the last game using the Early 3D GTA game philosophy. It was released as Canis Canem Edit on the PS2 in the PAL regions, but the updated version was released in 2008 for Xbox 360 and Wii and is called Bully: Scholarship Edition in every region it released in. I know it was my first experience in the GTA universe back in 2009, then it was GTA San Andreas (Xbox) in 2010 because of backward compatibility through my Xbox 360, then it was GTA V (Xbox 360) in 2013, then I got GTA III (Xbox) also in 2013 because of backward compatibility through my Xbox 360, then I downloaded GTA 1 (MS-DOS) and GTA London 1969 (MS-DOS) on a laptop I don't have anymore back in early 2014, got GTA 2 (PS1) also back in early 2014 because I have a fully backward compatible PS3, got GTA San Andreas (Xbox 360) as this version was based on the mobile phone version back in early 2015 as my copy on Xbox no longer worked by then, it plays fine, but a lot of technical issues and game-breaking bugs in that version, and finally got GTA Vice City (Xbox) in 2017 where I actually had an OG Xbox since 2016 nd this was the only GTA title that was not backward compatible through my Xbox 360 to my knowledge.
Been watching for a long time, love your content Jak.
Just finished watching. Amazing work jack honestly. 11/10 this video was perfection from start to finish.
Perfect video for work! I was just re watching san andreas theory videos and Tony Hawktober videos to pass the time. What a timely video to drop!
Nice! Congrats on getting to 60k. Hopefully you'll get to 70k before 2024 is over.
And of course my favorite line stems from the OG Loc rapping, the guy comes out and says “Yo, that shit SUCKS! Damn!” Lmao gets me every time
My dad was thankfully a gamer and he loved GTA at the time. So me and him would play together (He'd do missions and i'd just go around and terrorize the city).
I never got banned from playing M Rated games as a child
As long time viewer, seeing all san andreas references in your videos over the years felt like it was building up to this wooper of a vid, feels very rewardind ngl
ALSO 1:07 that ratchet and clank HD collection on the desk is hillarious, very cheeky of ya xd
Oh my god, when you mentioned GTA SA's videos on YT, I had a giant wave of nostalgia. I ate that stuff up like there was no tomorrow! One series I remember was called Nintendo World where Nintendo characters were in a war with Sony's. Man, I feel like a vet for being around the era where San Andreas the original GMod and Minecraft.
Edit: How could I forget GTA SA myths?! I was so invested into those vids!
I've really been loving these GTA Retrospectives! even though I have never really had Interest In the series until you started making them.
While I am not a fan of games leaning heavily into a more realism direction, balancing that out with more outlandish concepts and/or gameplay makes for a more unique, and more importantly, engaging experience that leaves an impact that can still be felt to this day.
Also, you have excellent taste for using some ToeJam & Earl III music throughout the video.
Agreeing with lots of other comments, first ten minutes are great. Sets the scene perfectly.
This video is fantastic! I related so much to your early experiences! A well deserved 9/10. Your contextual research into other topics has really impressed me in this run of GTA videos!
I’m currently on crutches and this video convinced me to find an original Xbox copy for my 360.
Keep doing your thing dude. Love your streams proper cozy. Would love to see you stream some casual Tony hawk or skate 2 etc!
Thanks for reviewing this! You really brought to words why this game was and still is so special to so many gamers. To me it continues to be the most impactful game I’ve played. Like you said, you really just had to be there.
Rockstar still creates masterpieces to this day, but SA feels like them at their best. A snapshot of what’s possible in gaming. It’s unfortunate that few games (if any at all) can reach the variety and content San Andreas had - mostly due to the ridiculous graphical standards modern gaming demands. SA came out at a sweet spot when tech was cheaper and easier to work with, while still offering believable enough game worlds and production values.
As I already mentioned on your Patreon video dude, your review was a fucking banger and recently recovering from being sick and delivering this, yeah, good shit.
I gotta say, as someone who didnt grow up with this game (and honestly havent really played it), its still a game i consider one of the most important gamed to exist.
Just wasnt allowed to play rated M games (with the one exception being Black Ops 1 only bc someone we knew from back when i had to go church played it and guess that made it okay for some reason) growing up and by time my folks switched up, GTA 5 was out and never went back to fully play SA or 4 much, but i do need to get around to doing so.
Great video man!
Never played it but definitely heard its iconic quotes over the yrs
"Aw sh.. here we go again"
"All we had to do was follow the dam train CJ!"
"Ill have 2 #5, #5 Large, #6, extra dip, 2 #45, one with cheese"
"You picked the wrong house fool!"
There are way too many many other quotes across the game, not just the overused meme ones.
You have to play it one day, it's a great game.
I still remember borrowing this game from a local rental store (Video City), with my mom doing that marge simpson groan. She let me borrow it though, and did not like it when the first swear appeared. My whole game experience was basically audio mixing. *Turn down the voices.* "The police sirens are annoying and we are trying to watch the news." *Turn down SFX.* Turn that rap music off." *Change radio station, which then changed to riding a bike.*
Regardless of all that, I still loved the game. Getting cheat codes printed from the web, turning off police and having flying cars was my favorite thing to do. Aside from driving bikes off the top of Mount Chiliad.
This video really brought it all back to me, especially at the beginning. Really enjoy hearing other personal perspectives and memories of something a lot adore. So thank you for that. :)
awesome video bro ive been replaying san andreas lately and loved watching you cover it!
Thanks for the drop fam been watching for a minute now never really comment but anytime I feel like shit I watch your tony hawktober vids they pull me out keep doing what you’re doing ❤
To this day any time I hear welcome to the jungle by guns and roses I instantly think of the trailer for this game.
Well this was a surprise
Nice in depth review there, Jak. Probably the most you ever fleshed out in a video. Well done. I will say, though SA isn't my favorite, it was probably...ok was the most revolutionary game when it came out.
I think about anyone who grew up with this game can recall their first memory playing it, or atleast their introduction to it.
Mine was seeing my older brother playing it with some friends. And seeing the protagonist FINALLY swim. It was so cool, but honestly it was one of those "about time" moments as it sucked falling into the water in the previous games. Good times haha.
San Andreas was and still is one of the greatest in our time. And saying its a "must own" is an understatement.
Keep up the great work, Jak.
Jak this is truly your best video yet. I can feel all the love you put into this one. I've never commented before but I really wanted to say that I've loved watching your transformation from your older videos to the more mature tone now. You should be proud man.
Congratulations on 60K!
Oh damn, still one of my all time favorite games and it came out when I was 17 years old. Thanks for the nostalgia trip my dude.
Late to seeing this video, but i’ve always wanted to hear your thoughts on this game since you first mentioned your experience with it like 10 years ago at this point in that top 10 childhood games. Insane how far you’ve come man
Another Square Eyed Jak video. Amazing!
Gotta watch it a ton now.
My favorite GTA game.
Ah, this is the first videogame I pulled an all-nighter too. Another banging video, Jak!
This was definitely worth the wait, another mega video. Had no idea about those snapshots as well haha.
YOOOOO ITS HERE!! TIME TO ENJOY!!!! THANK YOU JACK IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE!!!
Part of me really wants to pick up a CRT tv again, i've replayed these games so many times. But seeing your footage just makes me really wanna experience it that way again. Blowing up the image onto a massive tv just doesn't hit the same
Looking fresh my dood
What a glorious piece, Jak
OHHH MY DOG!!!
Amazing video!!! A part of my soul lives in this game forsure. So glad to see you finally cover it. Cheers!
I decided after like 10 minutes - Yep, you got a new subscriber!
RESPECT!!! ✊
24:21 "Again, you just had to be there!" is EXACTLY how we feel about Vice City.
I borrowed this game from a classmate for a few days. Returned it to him and bought a copy immediately, at the full price of $49.99 for my PS2 slim. I love this game so much, I bought my friend a Greatest Hits copy, which cost $20, for secret santa at a later time.
I played this game so much, and not exactly without cheats. It was probably the one game that I thought was "complete" in almost every category. I'm enjoying the video so far, thanks for sharing.
Masterpiece, way ahead of its time. Just beat it for the first time in almost 20 years, on ps2. And I was so surprised on how well it still held up. Definitely still my favorite gta to this day.
This was a great review of a Legendary game Jak! I can’t wait to find out which game will get that 10/10 score. Also, do you plan on Re-reviewing CTR Nitro Fueled because I remember at the end of your original review, you said you were going to review it again after all the Grand Prix stuff was done.
I've seen a lot San Andreas retrospective videos and this is the best one I've ever seen. It should be a 10 out of 10, though, because the experience truly does feel like it's once in a lifetime game.
Just wanna say I appreciate all the effort you put into these videos Jack!
Wow, 60k subs, thats pretty big, and well deserved 👍
Dude you nailed it !! And I didn’t skip the first 10 minutes either dude when you said “I just took the bike and created Mayhem because I didn’t know how to play the game “ dude I did that for whole first year until my older cousin showed me the mini-map and how missions worked at 11 years old 😂😂😂😂😂😂 you did this game justice and I haven’t even finished it !!
one of the Best things about GTA San Andreas is the Cheats.
I still remember CHITTYCHITYBANGBANG (The Flying Car Cheat) and spending hours with a 6 star wanted level, Infinite ammo and all weapons.
I always enjoyed fucking around with the game before doing any of the missions
In fact: I recently bought a used copy of the PS2 Version with everything included (The Disc, Case, Manual and others) and I just got hit with a wave of Nostalgia from back when I was playing it on my Brother's old CRT TV
Yay! This is one of my all time favorite video games - loved it on PS2 as a kid, and I have the remaster on Switch (along with GTA3 and Vice City)
Speaking of world density and the juxtaposition of gritty/serious and goofy/absurd, I'd love to see you cover the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series one day.
I know that's a huge undertaking, but I love seeing people delve into the franchise and seeing how they come out the other side 😅
Great video as always, and despite my experience with GTA:SA being a bit less formative as I was like 13 or 14, the story you described still hit home since I was nearly that age for GTA 3 and had a similar gaming awakening, suddenly really branching out from RPGs and fighting games at the time.
I too remember going over to my older cousins place and him and his friends were playing it, I was too enamored with Halo to play it. To this date I honestly can say I've never played a GTA game to completion.
Great Video, really enjoyed the personal touch!
I remember as a kid, I was obsessed with the Urban Legends of GTA:SA. UFOs, Area 51, Ghost Cars, And Bigfoot
Keep up the insane content, youre a god
Before I knew what roleplaying even meant, it was what I always remember San Andreas for. I easily spent 1000 hours in this game and it really did feel endless. It captured my imagination a a child that I know I'll never be able to replicate but that's what this game is for me.
Your childhood history with this game you shared with us in this video is unlike any other. I've probably watched almost all the English speaking GTA reviews there is out there, and like always, you make one that stands out. Great job as always Jak.
Man listening to the nostalgic portion triggered some lost memories that were buried deep regarding how I used to play video games. Today being a gaming veteran it's so different.
Great video as always. Just like you said, you have to be at the right time to experience the creativity.
i was 10 when san andreas came out and wasn't aloud to play it, i played it for the first time in the summer of 2011, and it blew my mind despite playing games like it before, it's truly one of a kind, a masterclass in video games, and you absolutely did it justice with your video
Great memories playing this! I enjoyed your vlog! Brings back memories. Speaking of music, Do you have any audio cassettes?
Happy 20th Anniversary San Andreas
Currently replaying San Andreas on my ps2 and CRT just like it's 2004 again
Ayyyyy back with a banger 🎉
The PSP prequels next?
San Andreas is a very good game! I think the missions are pretty decent overall and the story is solid for the most part. It's generally divided by fans into 6 acts, Los Santos, Countryside, San Fierro, Desert/Bone County, Las Venturas, and then Return to Los Santos.
I really love the first Act, the whole gangster aspect and getting to know all the characters. It's just one of the best first acts in a GTA game in my opinion.
Acts II-IV are home to some of the best missions in the game. But also as you pointed out, the plot feels so disconnected from Los Santos during this part (as well as in Las Venturas), it's pretty jarring! Act V isn't bad with its missions either, but I think it's overall more in the middle.
Return to Los Santos is where I and a lot of people feel the story and especially mission quality nosedive. I certainly agree that it feels like this act was rushed. We actually know there are some changed/scrapped mission(s) for this section too.
The characters are all really fun and memorable. I'd say the only real fumble is Sweet, which isn't exactly a hot take. A lot of people don't like him at all. But I actually got emotional at one moment in particular and that was surprising to me. It wouldn't happen again until IV.
The world map is pretty great and certainly ambitious for the time! The cities all have their own distinct feel and look to them. I've always been a big fan of San Fierro. Hopefully we see that and Las Venturas reimagined to the same degree and detail as Liberty City in IV, Los Santos in V, and Vice City in VI someday.
My only real complaint is the same with a lot of open games. There are large chunks of the map with little to do and empty. I totally get your point about it, even I still feel this way.
On the gameplay side of things, a lot has improved as you said. Gunplay especially feels better to me. I still think some aspects haven't aged well, especially after playing IV recently. But I still think it holds up way better than III and VC.
A ton of side content, which I always love. This game is beefy to 100%, I've done so twice. Not all of it is great, but still rather impressive.
It's still a highly recommended entry in the series to be. It USED to be my favorite GTA. That title was recently taken by GTA IV, finished that for the first time and I felt that was such a masterpiece. SA will likely always be my second-favorite tho. I like both for different reasons I'd say, but I connected with IV a lot more in the end.
I suppose next to cover is Liberty City Stories. Interesting little game, some like it and some don't all that much. I think it's okay, if one of the weaker entries. I'll be curious to see what you have to say.
San Andreas occupies my most prominent gaming memories next to Tony Hawk's Underground and American Wasteland. Still play around with combinations of mods for my OG Steam copy on and off through the years
I'll always remember as an 11 year old enjoying Vice City despite my mom's misgivings with the violence, but San Andreas was just such an improvement on everything that I was blown away by how much of a step up a game could be from the previous. I can always boot up San Andreas and just mess around here and there even now. The world is so good, and I thoroughly enjoy the characters and how they make the world feel alive and not centered around CJ.
Oh my god, the jumpscare of *«WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!»* from your older reviews caught me off guard so much, I never knew I needed to see it again, but I am glad I did XD
A the time I had to wait for the PC release which came out a year later. A friend of mine who had only a PS1 used to come to my home to play it. We took turns on the gamepad challenging each other at making the longest wheelie possible using a BMX.
We then grew and lost contact. He passed a few years ago and this is how I remember him.
This is still one of my favourite GTA games. It's because of San Andreas, along with Need for Speed Underground 2 & Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal is why I got into gaming in the first place.
My cousin brought over this game. (I forgot which one in this series it was.) I remember finding it so hilarious that you walk up to a car, push a button, and the character just steals it while saying a catch phrase.
I also remember that me and my sister saw the taxi as "the special car" and we kept fighting over who gets to steal the taxi.
"No fair! You stole the taxi last time!"
"You can steal it on your turn!"
"But I couldn't find it on my turn!"
I also remember one time when my cousin tried to get me to play the game the right way. She started a level, then handed the controller to me and said, "Now shoot at the cops," but because I was a goody-two-shoes child, I cried and ran away. I mean, we're talking about a child that was afraid to kill bad guys in video games because "...but if they die, they'll go to hell. I don't want them to go to hell! 😭"
I'm glad a nabbed the og version on Steam a few years ago. It's like holding a lost relic.
I've just finished completing the PS2 version. Got a few saves. One before the riot, one as the riots happening & one after the story has been completed.
1:11 OOOOHHH SHHHHIT JAK THE FIT HE'S SERIOUS
Great video as always. You should trying playing Nier Replicant and Automata. I know that your channel is focusing on older games but this series will be a treat for you and maybe a 10/10 contender.
My girlfriend and I enjoy this game so much! So many twists and turns! Hope 6 is worth it in the end! Great video as always! Can’t wait to see more!
I may get blasted for this for I really enjoyed playing the Definitive Edition of the games, specially San Andreas, the games look just like I imagined as a kid what they would look like if videogames were more real. I really enjoyed the 150 hours I put into San Andreas.
Great video!
Surprised SA:MP was not mentioned.
I never fully 100%ed this game until I was 21 lol as a kid all the stuff in this game just felt overwhelming but damn is it fun when you really get into it
Babe wake up, new SquareEyedJak retrospective just dropped.
48:37 I had never even considered this.. 10/10 big brain plays
can i just say 56 minutes? beautiful.....simply beautiful
I have a handful of pretty strong memories of this game, despite not owning it until much later on...
And NONE of my memories have anything to do with the story because I never got near finishing it. Not even close!
It just goes to show how you could truly do anything... and still find fun in all the little things.
I remember laughing with a friend when we made those cars with the hydraulics bop around to music on the radio... (Which I reckon I have a crappy quality old phone video of that somewhere)
Then finally playing it for myself and using the flying car cheat to pretend I was flying the deloroan from back to the future part 2...
And using the jetpack to fly downwards, making it look like CJ could sprint really fast.
I remember it being one of the first games I truly enjoyed driving around aimlessly. With no destination in mind... Just roaming around and seeing the sights.
And that a particularly scratched copy I borrowed from another friend broke my original ps2's capability to read discs properly... So San Andreas is literally the reason I got a slim PS2 replacement many years later.
And I remember borrowing a strategy guide from that same friend and never giving it back as revenge! I still have that thing! 😂
Definitely need to fire it up again sometime after watching this as it's probably been 10+ years since I even played it at all... But now I really want to 😁
Top notch video!
I appreciate the green jacket. Nice touch.
My biggest memory is absolutely cleaning up on horse races in the beginning and making hella cash. The really cleaning up when the casinos opened.
This is a game that, at the time of release in 2004, my brothers and I were forbidden from playing. The following summer, the Hot Coffee controversy brewed (no pun intended), and the game was sold Adult Only. Eventually, with autumn on the horizon, our parents relented. San Andreas is an experience like no other. There’s so much hidden within the game that, 20 years or so later, is still being discovered.
17:35 And the air around him too, the car he rides can make him more attractive to girls in the area.