5 biggest downgrades in GTA 5's San Andreas map

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GTA 5 was a revolutionary game in many aspects. Rockstar Games pushed the boundaries of NPC AI, driving physics, and overall visual fidelity. Back in 2013, this title felt magical and extremely fun. While it was great in several departments, an argument can be made that GTA 5's San Andreas map was lackluster, especially when compared to previous titles like GTA 4 and GTA San Andreas itself.

Here are a few aspects where GTA 5's map felt like a downgrade from previous titles.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

5 massive downgrades in GTA 5's map compared to previous titles in the series

1) Lesser enterable interiors

GTA 5 has considerably fewer enterable buildings (Image via Rockstar Games || GTA Wiki)

GTA San Andreas' map might not be as large as GTA 5, but it has loads of enterable buildings in single-player. Places like Burger Shot or Cluckin' Bell restaurants, the casino, and gyms were quite popular where players are able to enter a enjoy a meal or work out.

In GTA 5, there is no way to enter restaurants or head to the gym. In single-player mode, players cannot even enter the Diamond Casino and explore it.

Hence, the lack of enterable buildings is one of the biggest downsides of the latest San Andreas map.

2) Less distinct neighborhoods in Los Santos

Neighborhoods within Los Santos do not have enough visual distinction (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Rockstar Games)

While Los Santos in GTA 5 is an extremely unique city with loads of different localities, an argument can be made that the city feels the same from most angles. Whether you are walking down Davis or driving through Vinewood Hills, the overall look of these areas can feel the same.

For example, Grove Street does not have enough graffiti, apt music playing from homes, Ballas and the Families NPCs, and other suburban population.

Compare this to GTA 4 or San Andreas; there was a distinct change in landscape and culture when players went from one area to another.

3) No other major cities

Los Santos is the only large city in GTA 5 (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Rockstar Games)

GTA 5 only has Los Santos as the main city, with Sandy Shores and Paleto Bay being small towns out in Blaine County. Since Los Santos is located at the bottom, the entire map can also feel lopsided and unbalanced at times.

On the other hand, GTA San Andreas has three major cities: Los Santos, San Fiero, and Las Venturas. These three are based on Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. Different cities allowed players to experience different cultures, and even enabled them to travel from one city to another, which can feel quite fun and relaxing.

4) Less densely populated areas

Apart from Los Santos, other GTA 5 areas are quite dull and empty (Image via Rockstar Games || GTA Wiki)

GTA 5 has Los Santos as its main city, filled with skyscrapers and loads of people roaming the streets. However, once you leave the city, you will notice that the rest of the map does not have a lot to offer. Apart from small towns like Sandy Shores and Paleto Bay, the rest of the map is quite barren.

In GTA 4, the entire map was a city: Liberty City, resulting in no areas feeling barren or flat. Though GTA San Andreas had vast flat and dull areas, they consisted between three major cities, which felt realistic instead of boring.

5) Limited roads to drive across the map

Lack of road options to drive across the map for missions (Image via GTAweb.eu)

GTA 5 and Online have many missions where players are required to drive from one end of the map to another. If players are planning to go from Los Santos to Paleto Bay, road options are limited to the East and West highways.

Back in GTA San Andreas, there are various roads that lead to each of the cities, making driving interesting and more engaging during every long trip.

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About the author

Akshat Kabra

Akshat has been a Minecraft writer at Sportskeeda for almost three years. He has loved gaming since childhood, and the fact that Need For Speed Most Wanted is still installed on his PC is proof that the flame burns strong even today. This love for the racing franchise spilled over to F1 fandom, leading him to cover the sport as well for the company.

Akshat's articles have accrued over 19 million views so far at Sportskeeda. He prefers both solo and multiplayer titles and is a huge admirer of popular gamers Shroud and Philza. Akshat places huge emphasis on accurate, relevant, and ethical content, and does thorough research using social media, videos, and a multitude of websites before writing an article.

Akshat's other hobbies include cars, mechanical keyboards, psychology, and philosophy. He would recommend indie and Slice of Life games to a gaming skeptic because of their ease of play, compelling storyline, and message.

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