Five Years ago Carl Johnson escaped from the pressures of line in Los Santos, San Andreas, a city tearing itself apart with gang trouble, drugs and corruption. Where film stars and millionaires do their best to avoid dealers and gang bangers.

Now, its the early 90s. Carls got to go home. His mother has been murdered, his family has fallen apart and his childhood friends are all heading towards disaster. On his return to the neighborhood, a couple of corrupt cops frame his for homicide. CJ is forced on a journey that takes him across the entire state of San Andreas, to save his family and to take control of the streets