MyMMO editor Dariusz once tried to complete everything in GTA, but ended up failing miserably.
When I was about in fourth grade, I played GTA San Andreas for the first time way too early at a friend’s house on the PlayStation 2. Back then, we had little interest in completing the game’s story. Instead, we just messed around and crashed a lot of cars. Of course, cheat codes were also a must, which you could enter in GTA since forever through key combinations. We had infinite ammunition, spawned powerful war machines, and could fly cars through the night.
Years later, I found GTA San Andreas in a bargain bin at the supermarket and recognized it immediately. However, since I owned neither a console nor a gaming PC, I could only play it when I visited my older sister and her boyfriend during the holidays.
But that didn’t stop me from playing San Andreas multiple times. Often I used some smaller cheat codes:
- a stylish sports car for the long drive to Las Venturas
- new martial arts for CJ that you would normally learn in a martial arts school
- ammunition and weapons, in case the pocket arsenal runs out
- driving in slow motion, during that one damned race at the arse end of the world that I simply couldn’t win as a noob
For the most part, I played the game “normally”, especially after the first playthrough. But eventually, the spirit of an achievement hunter grabbed me – at least for a short time.
From Noob to Achievement Hunter, back to Noob
During another playthrough, I felt the urge to complete the game at 100%. In GTA San Andreas, this means: complete all missions, pass tests, challenges and races, find all collectibles, and much more.
Additionally, the game warns you: using cheats may risk you not being able to reach 100%. So I completely abstained from cheats for the first time.
Playing San Andreas without cheats was not a problem and I made good progress on my 100% hunt. But on one fateful day, I was inattentive.
I started San Andreas and saw CJ standing there without any muscle mass, staring blankly into the world. His skinny arms hung like spaghetti from the tank top. A skeleton would have more meat on its bones than the protagonist of the action game.
How muscular dear Carl is depends on how much exercise he gets. There are actual gyms where he can train and pump up his muscles – of course, controlled by the player. Alternatively, he can also gain weight if he eats too much.
Laziness Punished, Save File Ruined
Like in real life, I also never wanted to go to the gym in GTA San Andreas. However, since Carl had no time for visits to the local fast-food chains, he remained scrawny all the time. And then it happened.
Without thinking, I entered a cheat code. CJ suddenly turned into a true muscle powerhouse. Then I completed a few missions, advanced the businesses and did what I had to do for the 100%. Of course, I saved in between.
Hours later, it hit me like a lightning bolt: “Crap, I cheated muscles earlier.” I hadn’t even thought of that. Damn… and then I had already saved multiple times.”
My attempt to achieve 100% has died, buried under mountains of muscles. That was the last time I actively tried to achieve 100% in a game and collect special achievements.
