New details about San Andreas emerge, as Australian magazine GamesTM publish a twelve-page preview.

The article focuses on the linking of cities, and the areas between those cities, i.e the countryside and the twelve small towns.

So if you follow a pedestrian, say in the morning he gets up, goes out of his house, you'll see that they have a destination to go to, they go to work, go to the store, meet up with a girl..
- Jeff Castenada, Rockstar Games


The change between city and countryside is gradual.
The air in Los Santos has a bright, gritty feel, and occasional bursts of rain; San Fierro is foggy; Las Venturas has clear air and harsh lights; the countryside has a warmer, more natural vibe to it.
The game has an improved use of partical effects. Exhaust smoke, tyres kicking up dirt, clouds of smoke when you stand on the brakes, and sparks flying from bullets.
Carjacking animations have improved. Rather than pulling the driver out of the vehicle, CJ opens the door, wacks him in the face, and throws him onto the road.
Country music is confirmed and will probably be picked up through radio stations in the countryside and small suburban towns
Kendall is angry with CJ because he wasn't around to help the family.
The number of recorded stats has increased. There will be a stat for just about everything you do; driving motorcycles, driving cars, swimming, running, sprinting and so on.
Pedestrians call obese Carl a 'fat ba*tard'. Even your own gang members say "dude, you need to lose some weight".
The pedestrian AI has improved greatly. You may see two pedestrians walking down a street, holding hands. If you break them apart, they'll react, and hold hands again.
Each pedestrian lives a different life. You can literally 'stalk' a pedestrian, watch he/she get out of their house, goto a shop, meet up with a girl, and go home again (for example).
Mt. Chilliad casts a massive shadow. All shadows are drawn by radiosity lighting, which covers the entire map.