GTA's continued success is due, in large part, to its relevance to popular culture. By setting the wacked-out, cartoonish mayhem that the gameplay provides against a backdrop full of references to the world we live in, the games strike some kind of nerve. San Andreas is easily the most accomplished yet, in this regard. You play the role of Carl Johnson, a Los Santos native who's recently returned home after a five-year stint in Liberty City (GTA III's setting). It was his momma's murder that brought him back, and upon arrival, he finds his home turf in disarray. His old gang -- The Orange Grove Families, of which he and his older brother, Sweet, were prominent members -- has seriously fallen off, with their rivals, The Ballas, controlling much of the area once theirs. The Ballas are pushing crack into the neighborhoods, among other sketchy ventures of which CJ and his crew disapprove. To make matters worse, CJ is framed for a cop-killing by a group of shady officers the minute he sets foot in Los Santos, thus putting him on the short leash. All of this ties together, as you'd imagine, in very unexpected ways.
As a character, CJ develops though the game in very satisfying ways. Visit gyms throughout the world, and he'll get in better shape. You can jack up his muscle mass and stamina by means of Track and Field-style mini-games, and as these increase, so do a variety of other values: how much he appeals to women, which dictates how willing they are date him (which opens another set of mini-games); how well-respected he is by other members of his gang (which allows him to recruit higher-numbers of members for raids); and how long he can sprint and swim. These values can decrease, though, if you don't make sure to eat at the game's restaurants frequently, and they can even reverse if you aren't careful about what you eat. Indulge in too much junk food, and you'll see your "Fat" meter rising alongside your decreasing "Muscle" rating.
Throwing toast while you ride: one of the basics of thuggery.
CJ's skill in wielding various firearms also rises as you play the game, and ditto with piloting each type of vehicle. High weapon ratings improve how accurately you can fire guns, as well as dual-wield certain weapons or walk while shooting certain heavier ones. Upgraded vehicle ratings improve handling when behind the wheel (or stick, as it happens) of the different machines, as well as affect how likely you are to wreck when performing reckless maneuvers. This is more readily apparent when you're riding motorbikes, or the newly-added bicycles; at the game's outset, you'll be bailing left and right, but as those ratings start to rise, they slowly start to become more viable means of conveyance.
The way you choose to dress and groom CJ will also have a bearing on certain ratings. Put him in OGF colors, and his homies will show him lots of love, but the women won't necessarily be into it. Conversely, his gang members will probably clown on him if he's rocking khakis and a button-down, but he'll have no shortage of dates. A bunch of clothiers and barbers are located throughout San Andreas, and it's unexpectedly fun to change CJ's look depending on your mood and agenda.
The coolest thing about these dynamic systems is how naturally they occur as you play. Except in the case of working out, all these things will happen regardless of whether you decide to pay them any mind. They're also a satisfying reward for just simply messing around; it's great when you see your "driving" skill increase when you're engaging in a leisurely urban demolition derby.
