Because it had the right amount of "travel distance" between the cities. Compare San Andreas in the PS2 version to the PS3-4-5 version/GTA5. It's night and day how much the draw-distance and map spacing/size helps.
I mean, shit: GTA5 didn't even have San Fran or Las Vegas in it, when GTA:SA basically was a shrunk down "major cities in the South West" style map.
Because it had the right amount of "travel distance" between the cities. Compare San Andreas in the PS2 version to the PS3-4-5 version/GTA5. It's night and day how much the draw-distance and map spacing/size helps.
I mean, shit: GTA5 didn't even have San Fran or Las Vegas in it, when GTA:SA basically was a shrunk down "major cities in the South West" style map.
Would be amazing though to see San Andreas at the full scale of GTA: 5. Plus I just like taking virtual road trips.