GTA: SAN ANDREAS: FURTHER REVELATIONS
Hot new plot and gameplay details emerge
11:34 How hot is this? Emerging details on Rockstar's next Grand Theft Auto title, San Andreas, right here, right now.
Due for release in October this very year, the all-conquering Rockstar has kept the game closer to its chest than Jordan's tiniest bra, but now we've got some additional intriguing details.
In San Andreas, which is set in a fictional version of LA, you'll play Carl Johnson, an ex-homeboy who left the pressures of life in the hood of Los Santos, San Andreas five years ago, to escape from a life of gang warfare, drugs and corruption.
Cut to the early nineties and now Carl's forced to return back to the streets he grew up on. Yet this is not the happiest of homecomings: Carl's mother has been murdered, his family has fallen apart and his former homeboys are drifting into disaster. When two corrupt cops frame him for homicide, Carl is forced to re-form his gang, save his family and re-take control of the streets in trademark GTA style. Rockstar are promising a journey which will take him across the entire state of San Andreas.
With our ear closely to the ground, we've also gleaned even more details and intriguing snippets about San An. As Carl, you'll head up a gang of up to four members and housebreaking and burglary are tipped to feature quite heavily - the first time interiors have really played a role in the series.
We've also heard strong rumours that you'll be able to load up your vehicle for some serious four-player drive-by shootings and neighbourhood mayhem. Check out that screenshot and you'll see that those rumours seem to be borne out. Four player drive-by shootings, how terribly gangsta!
One further detail which we've unearthed is that apparently Carl's stamina is going to play an important role in San Andreas. Man cannot live by bread alone and neither can gangstas, so your character will need food to live and fuel his criminal antics. To this end Carl's character model will apparently slowly change to reflect your choice of diet and lifestyle. Load up on fast food and lardy doughnuts and you'll soon become a compact version of the Notorious B.I.G., not much good for quick getaways we suspect.
Fortunately if you do find yourself looking a bit of a porker you'll be able to hit the gym and work off those excess pounds. No word yet on whether the Atkins Diet will feature.
So there you are, a further few tantalising teasers to set you off on the path to San Andreas glory.
Of course the moment we hear even the merest hint of a whisper of a rumour, we'll be bringing you more, but for the moment check out those screens again and rejoice in the fact that in less than five short months, GTA will be taking over your life all over again.
