A fan has created a staggeringly lifelike recreation of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in Unreal Engine 5. San Andreas is still considered the best game in the franchise by many fans, and while the Definitive Edition remaster disappointed fans last year, many would still like to see it get the remake treatment it deserves.

When Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was released in 2004, it soon became a fan favorite and often takes the top spot when ranking the games in the GTA franchise. Unfortunately, compared to today's standards, the graphics do show their age. When Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition was announced, including remastered versions of GTA: San Andreas alongside its other 3D predecessors GTA III and GTA: Vice City, many fans were expecting a significant graphical overhaul to bring it to current-gen devices. Sadly, when it launched, GTA: The Trilogy was a disappointment, with constant bugs, textures that had been run through an AI upscaler which caused bizarre changes to shop names and street signs, and missing features when compared to the original releases.

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Therefore fans have taken it into their own hands to give Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas the remake treatment they believe it deserves. A video from YouTuber TeaserPlay has showcased a vision of the titular city remade in Unreal Engine 5 to fully utilize its new features such as Lumen and Nanite which allow for dynamic, real-time lighting, in incredibly detailed photorealistic scenes. This footage was accompanied by CJ's opening voiceover from the game, so TeaserPlay put a new face to the voice by using footage from character artist Hossein Diba's CJ remake project to include a version of the GTA: San Andreas protagonist that also matches the high standards expected in modern AAA photorealistic game models.

The tools offered in Unreal Engine 5 have been a somewhat literal game-changer for the world of game development and virtual productions, and many large companies such as Crystal Dynamics have turned to it for upcoming projects such as the new Tomb Raider. However, due to the engine being free to use and its features being accessible to beginners and experienced users alike, more fan-made projects like TeaserPlay's are beginning to emerge that can showcase the potential for future entries in major franchises, remakes of beloved games, or concepts that showcase the potential that characters such as Superman could have if given their own open-world game.

Fans have been quick to praise TeaserPlay's take on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, with many saying that it's how a remake of the beloved game should be. Although nothing has been officially revealed about Rockstar's next official entry in the series, GTA VI, it will be interesting to see how the developer utilizes modern technology for the title to create a fully new-gen version of its famed open worlds.

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Sources: TeaserPlay/YouTubeHossein Diba/YouTube