Gang signs.

Gangs are a part of street life in San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will bring the gangs to life in several ways. When you come across a gang they won’t simply be standing around on a street corner. They will be given a life of their own, and you’ll see them drinking, smoking, talking, and flashing their gang signs.

According to Leslie Benzies of Rockstar: “We spent a lot of time getting that level of interaction right, and making it unique. We wanted to convey very clearly that the gangs had a certain way of communicating, very definite mannerisms, and yet had to create signs and language all our own that was faithful to the world we’re trying to depict. It was challenging, but it adds a startling level of detail to the game.”

Get in good with one of these gangs and you’ve got yourself some serious backup. If the police or a rival gang try to mess with you on your gang’s turf, your gang will automatically come to your defense. You can even make a run for your hood while being pursued and once your gang comes to your rescue you can duck out and go back about your business leaving your gang to take care of your would be attackers.

On the downside you’ll need to be careful before entering a rival gang’s turf. Whether in a car or on foot, enemy gangs will do their worst to make you pay for violating their turf. The way each gang will attack you will vary so there’s no set way to outsmart the enemy. Some will mass attack you, while others will send a few gangbangers at a time to slowly wear you down. Don’t be surprised if you find a gang that likes to use hit and run tactics to stay fresh while they slowly grind you down.

Street gangs are just one of the many changes in store for Grand Theft Auto in San Andreas. This and other new features should make the game even more fun to play than before while giving it a distinctive Californian, er, San Andrean feel.

Once you’re in with a gang you’ll want to show your affiliation and loyalty by getting a tattoo. You can even cut your hair and change your clothes to match your gang’s style.

“We wanted people to be in complete control of their characters. If they didn’t like the way he dressed, they could earn enough money to buy new clothes. The tattoo feature works the same way, only the motivation is different. If you were in a gang, you’d get a gang tattoo showing that,” says Leslie Benzies.

To get a tattoo you must first locate a tattoo parlor. You then select a tattoo and where on your body you’ll want it placed. There are a lot of tattoos to choose from including heavy ink tattoos of the type popular with gangsters. The tattoos are not your standard videogame-style icons in San Andreas – Rockstar has enlisted the help of Mister Cartoon, a legendary tattoo artist, to create the look of the tattoos.

The tattoo selection will vary depending on which city you’re in and will reflect the style of each city. Los Santos tattoo parlors will feature a lot of guns, girls, and gang names all in heavy black ink. San Fierro parlors feature Aztec signs, drug icons, and other tattoos that reflect its laid back nature. In Las Venturas it’s all about luck, so look for tattoos featuring cards, dice, and good luck charms.