Coming Home
CJ (Carl Johnson) returns to Los Santos from Liberty City after five years, drawn back by his mother's murder. The Grove Street Families — his gang — have fallen apart. His brother Sweet is trying to hold things together. His childhood home is a crime scene.
From this low point, CJ's journey takes him across three massive cities (Los Santos, San Fierro, Las Venturas), involves him with corrupt police, the mafia, government agents, and ultimately brings him back to Grove Street to settle everything.
Act 1: Los Santos
The first act focuses on rebuilding Grove Street Families influence across Los Santos. Key missions include:
- Big Smoke's missions: Establishing that Big Smoke is hiding something from the beginning
- Ryder's missions: Weapon acquisition and territory disputes
- Sweet's missions: Gang warfare and protecting Grove Street turf
The corrupt cops Tenpenny and Pulaski frame CJ and exile him from Los Santos at the end of Act 1.
Act 2: San Fierro & Las Venturas
CJ ends up in the countryside, meets The Truth, and works his way to San Fierro. He builds a car mod shop, works with the Triads, and eventually reaches Las Venturas — San Andreas's answer to Las Vegas.
The Las Venturas arc involves a massive heist at Caligula's Casino — one of the most elaborate missions in GTA history.
Act 3: Return to Los Santos
CJ returns to find Los Santos in chaos. Big Smoke and Ryder's betrayal is revealed — they sold out Grove Street to the Ballas and Tenpenny. The final act involves:
- Taking back Grove Street territory
- Killing Big Smoke in his crack palace
- Chasing Tenpenny through Los Santos in the iconic fire truck finale
Tenpenny dies when his fire truck crashes off a bridge — ironically while cursing Los Santos, the city that destroyed him.
Key Skills to Level Up Early
- Driving: Drive any vehicle constantly — levels up automatically
- Shooting: Visit Ammu-Nation shooting ranges for fast skill gains
- Stamina: Swim or sprint regularly for endurance
- Lung Capacity: Swim underwater as much as possible
- Muscle: Train at gyms to increase health and unlock combat moves
