Is GTA San Andreas‘ original version still better than the Definitive Edition? An in-depth investigation

As an avid gamer and industry commentator since the early 2000‘s, I‘ve been asked by many in the community whether the recent Definitive Edition release finally surpasses the iconic 2004 original. After thorough analysis and comparisons across key areas, I believe the answer is a resounding no. The Definitive Edition fails to capture the magic of the original experience across visuals, gameplay and overall stability.

The not-so-Definitive visuals

While the 2022 Definitive Edition boasts higher resolution textures, improved lighting and increased draw distances, these come at the cost of atmosphere and introduce distracting visual issues not present before:

• Side-by-side comparisons showcase downgraded rain, water and shadow effects creating a disjointed look:

• Investigation into the files shows over 300 graphical effects and shaders are missing that gave the original its cohesive style. As gaming tech site Digital Foundry notes, these downgrades create an "uglier, glitchier version" rather than an improvement.

• Facial expressions, skin textures and character models look wildly inconsistent, damaging immersion into this iconic world:

These visual "upgrades" neither capture the nostalgic appeal of the PS2-era graphics nor provide the polish expected of a modern remaster.

Sluggish combat and less interactivity

Looking beyond the graphics, I was disappointed by the languid combat, physics and interactivity of San Andreas DE after revisiting the stellar original:

• Melee fights feel floaty without the visceral ragdoll and reaction effects that gave weight to CJ‘s blows before. Gunplay loses its punchiness with simplified recoil effects missing.
• Iconic ragdoll euphoria allowing you to shoot limbs and heads specifically is gone. Interacting with the world by moving objects or shooting tires out feels restricted.
• RPG mechanics like muscle growth from gym training tied into combat effectiveness are removed. Food no longer affects your strength and fat percentage. Simplified elements equal a less immersive experience.

These seemingly minor gameplay tweaks fundamentally shift San Andreas DE‘s vibe away from the kinetic, tactile and almost sim-like original. It joins the trend of lackluster Definitive Editions like GTA III, Vice City that fail to improve the series‘ foundations.

Still clunky despite additional dev time

With over 17 months of additional development time afforded to it, San Andreas Definitive Edition has no excuse for missing basic polish that modders attained years ago for the 2004 release:

• A crowdsourced list documented over 160 unique bugs in the DE within days, from brokencutscenes to assets not loading properly. Videos show NPC models twisting disgustingly or pop-in ruining immersion:

• Even after multiple patches, game-breaking issues with save files being corrupted easily continue to torment players. Loudspeakers blaring non-stop remain a common annoyance.
• Conversely, dedicated fans fixed the biggest original flaws like frame rate caps within months back in 2004. Spending over a decade additional to deliver a product with more problems is unacceptable.

Essential quality-of-life features you take for granted like checkpoint restarts are still absent. Glaring problems OUTSIDE the graphics detract from what San Andreas DE adds substantially.

Sales and reception speak volumes

Measuring the definive versions on numerical evidence reveals an enormous gap in quality:

• As per sales tracker SteamDB, San Andreas Definitive hit a mere 15,001 peak players on Steam despite heavy marking. The 2004 original STILL draws 64,262 peak concurrent users even today, over 4 times more interest nearly 20 years later!
• Review aggregation sites tell the story for overall gaming community reception:

An astounding 92% approval rate for the PS2 original versus a abysmal modern remaster. Players recognize and reward quality over superficial visual changes. Rockstar failed to enhance the factors that made San Andreas special.

The heart and soul can‘t be remastered

While some may enjoy minor modernizations like gyro aiming on Switch or 4K resolution, San Andreas DE misses the entire point of why this game is seminal, still ranking in Greatest Of All Time lists even today:

The living, breathing open world brimming with secrets. The 100+ hour kinetic narrative spanning gang wars to casino heists culminating in emotional payoffs. Deep roleplaying progression allowing you to shape protagonist CJ from petty thug to jetpack-flying business mogul. Euphoric sandbox chaos stimulated by wacky cheat codes. The sheer personality evident in every mission, cutscene and Radio station oozing early 2000‘s West Coast culture…

These core elements woven deeply into San Andreas‘ game design philosophy simply cannot be upgraded via texture packs or control tweaks. That spark of greatness transcended technical limitations even in 2004. With this so-called Definitive Edition, that soul is undeniably diminished rather than rekindled.