Los Santos - Guide for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Its been clear that in the state of San Andreas, you'll be able to explore not one 
not two but three cities.  One of them is Los Santos.

                                     The Grove

Orange Grove, known affectionately by its residents as simply The Grove, is the 
neighborhood where CJ grew up, and naturally it will become his home base after he's 
escaped the mean streets of Liberty City. Not that Los Santos' streets are any less 
mean, mind you; after all, The Grove is home to the Orange Grove Families, the gang 
CJ will return to and will eventually take control of as he rises to power among the 
criminal underworld of the city, and, eventually, the state. CJ's experience in The 
Grove will be intensely personal, because he returns to a home that's minus one 
mother and one younger brother. As a result, CJ will have to reconcile the loss of 
his family while running the streets with his older brother Sweet.

                                     Vinewood 

Far from the crime-ridden neighborhood of The Grove is the glamorous, fast-paced 
lifestyle and the dirty sidewalks of Vinewood. On the Vinewood strip, you'll find 
tourists by the dozens eating up the rich history of this glitzy district. Keep an 
eye out for such landmarks as the Cathay Theater, the walk of fame, and the famous 
Vinewood sign, nestled high up in the Vinewood hills. And if you want to visit the 
real Vinewood aristocracy--and perhaps some prime robbery targets--you can head up 
into those hills to find the truly impressive mansions and estates of the area's 
elite. Vinewood's population runs the gamut from the poor and destitute to the rich 
and famous.

                                      Rodeo 

Vinewood may be the old seat of Los Santos' glitz and glamour, but the truly rich 
and snooty prefer to live and shop in Rodeo. This is the most affluent area of Los 
Santos, and it's where you'll find the most plastic surgery and designer clothing of 
any district in the city. If you're not thinking Beverly Hills yet--well, we just 
said it, so now you are. Think lots of trendy architecture and beautiful plastic 
people, and you're thinking the neighborhood of Rodeo. 

                                     Downtown

Given CJ's way of life, downtown Los Santos may not seem worth visiting. It's the 
financial center of the city, with a skyline that can be seen from miles around. 
You'll find all manner of bankers, businessmen, and other people in high-powered 
suits milling around downtown, not to mention landmarks like the Los Santos 
Convention Center and the Doc G Records Building (inspired by the famous Capitol 
Records building). 

You'll be able to zip in to and out of the downtown area with ease by riding the 
Brown Streak railroad, Los Santos' public transportation line. The Brown Streak 
travels to all parts of the city, making it a cinch to get from place to place. Just 
make sure you're on the train and not in front of it.

                                     The Beach 

we can appreciate the delicious irony that the beaches of Los Santos will be a 
likely place for CJ to visit for a swim. And swimming won't just be a way for your 
virtual alter ego to cool off, because it'll serve as good exercise to keep him in 
shape too. The beach is also a great place to go if you're just looking to stir up 
trouble among the populace, because it'll always be crowded with tourists and 
sunbathers during the sweltering daytime. You'll even find attractions--like an 
amusement park on the pier and the Santa Maria boardwalk--that will make the beach 
worth a visit, in addition to the occasional beach party that may be going on well 
into the night. But if you attract the attention of the coppers, beware. Whether 
you're on foot or in a car, the sand will always slow down your getaway. 

                                      The Freeway

New to the Grand Theft Auto experience are the twisting freeways that will serve as 
your rapid conduit through and around the city, as well to San Andreas' other major 
cities of San Fierro and Las Venturas. If nothing else, the Los Santos freeway will 
be a welcome time-saver, because local street traffic can often delay your trip from 
one place to another. If you're trying to get somewhere in a hurry (and what street 
thug isn't), the freeways will be the way to go. In case you were wondering, 
Rockstar assures us the traffic on Los Santos' freeways will never be as bad as the 
standstills you see on those of the real Los Angeles. 

If you do keep to the city streets, you'll get a little extra navigating help in the 
form of street signs that you can use to locate buildings by their actual addresses. 
Unlike in the cities Liberty and Vice, Los Santos' streets actually have names, and 
you'll need to pay close attention to names and intersections if you want to really 
learn your way around the place. 

                                        Tatoos

Getting a new tattoo will be as easy as visiting a tattoo artist, browsing and 
selecting from the included assortment of designs, and then telling the artist where 
you want the artwork to appear. In keeping with the gangsta rap spirit of the 
storyline and your surroundings, the tattoos that will be available will be of the 
gangs-guns-and-girls variety. 

With this degree of customization--from your fitness to your haircut and from your 
threads to your ink--you'll essentially be able to mold CJ into just about any 
character you can think of. 

                                  Count on Your Crew 

You'll get a real sense of where you belong in Los Santos and the other areas of San 
Andreas, because rival gangs control various sections of the cities and surrounding 
areas. This can work both as a help and a hindrance. If you're being chased by the 
police or by enemy gang members, you can try to lure them on to your home turf to 
let members of your own gang come to your aid, bailing you out of what would 
otherwise be a rough situation. But beware: If you stray into the turf of a rival 
gang, whether in a car or on foot, you will be attacked--and not even all at once. 
Gangs will use varying tactics to take you out, by splitting up, sending ahead 
advance attackers, and using other wily maneuvers. 

The communication between gang members in GTA: San Andreas will mark the most 
complex character interaction yet for the series. You can expect to see guys 
greeting each other, talking on street corners, and flashing gang symbols. These are 
key signs you'll need to watch for. 

                                     Protect Your Ride 

Unlike in Liberty City and Vice City, where every car is apparently new, right off 
the lot, the cars of San Andreas aren't always in the best of shape. The rides 
you'll pick up, even new ones, will get dirty simply from constant use. As a result, 
you'll see dirt showing up around the wheel wells, on the windshield, near impact 
points after a fender bender, and in other common trouble spots. If you want to keep 
riding around in style, keep a look out for car washes that you can use to maintain 
the sleek look of your vehicle in Los Santos. 

Some of the cars you jack will sport some pretty serious damage, too. Look for 
everything from broken windows to loose bumpers and even bullet-riddled doors. 
Apparently, some of these cars have already seen a good deal of action. 

LOS SANTOS IS CLEARLY A BIG PLACE SO MAKE USE OF THE DIFFERENT GAMEPLAYS IT 
PROVIDES.