Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

In 1992, after five years in Liberty City, gangster Carl "CJ" Johnson (Young Maylay) returns to Los Santos following his mother's death in a drive-by shooting. He is intercepted by corrupt Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) officers led by Frank Tenpenny (Samuel L. Jackson), who threaten to implicate CJ in the killing of a fellow police officer unless he co-operates with them. CJ returns to Grove Street and reunites with his siblings, Sweet (Faizon Love) and Kendl (Yo-Yo), and members of his old gang, Big Smoke (Clifton Powell) and Ryder (MC Eiht).

Discovering the Grove Street Families (GSF) have lost much of their territory, CJ restores the gang to power by helping reunite the various sets who had splintered and allying himself with Cesar Vialpando (Clifton Collins Jr.)—Kendl's boyfriend and leader of the Varrios Los Aztecas gang. He also helps his neighbour, aspiring rapper OG Loc (Jonathan Anderson), launch his career by stealing the rhyme book and killing the manager of successful rapper Madd Dogg (Ice-T).

CJ and Cesar later witness Big Smoke and Ryder meeting with Tenpenny and the rival Ballas gang, discovering they betrayed the GSF and were responsible for killing CJ's mother. Suspecting an ambush, CJ rushes to Sweet's aid in a showdown against the Ballas. Sweet is wounded and incarcerated, while Tenpenny exiles CJ to the countryside, forcing him to eliminate witnesses to CRASH's corruption in exchange for his brother's safety in prison. CJ befriends an ageing hippie and marijuana farmer named "the Truth" (Peter Fonda) and blind Triad leader Wu Zi Mu (James Yaegashi).

He engages in illegal street racing and wins a San Fierro garage, which he turns into a profitable chop shop with Kendl and Cesar's help. Learning that the Loco Syndicate, Big Smoke and Ryder's drug connection, is based in San Fierro, CJ infiltrates the organisation and identifies its leader: the affable but mysterious Mike Toreno (James Woods).

Alongside Cesar and the Triads, CJ destroys the Syndicate's drug factory and eliminates its leadership and Ryder; however, Toreno survives and later contacts CJ for assistance, revealing himself as an undercover government agent. CJ performs several shady operations for Toreno in return for Sweet's freedom, and relocates to Las Venturas, joining Wu Zi Mu and Ran Fa Li (Hunter Platin) as co-owners of a casino. Facing competition from the Mafia, CJ and Wu Zi Mu plan and execute a robbery of the rival Mafia-run casino, Caligula's Palace. During this time, CJ finds Madd Dogg attempting suicide after his career was ruined; he intervenes to save his life and sends him to rehab, eventually becoming his new manager. CJ helps take back Madd Dogg's Los Santos mansion from drug dealers and retrieves his rhyme book from OG Loc.

After his release, Sweet and CJ revive the GSF, drive off the rival gangs from their territory, and rebuild throughout Los Santos. Tenpenny is arrested and tried for several felonies, but the charges are dropped due to lack of witnesses, prompting a city-wide riot. CJ soon discovers Big Smoke's hideout, and the two engage in a gunfight. CJ wins, and before dying, Smoke confesses that he had become obsessed with money and power. Tenpenny arrives, holds CJ at gunpoint, steals Smoke's drug money, and escapes after causing an explosion in the building.

He drives off in a fire truck, followed by CJ and Sweet, but eventually loses control and crashes over the side of a bridge overlooking Grove Street. CJ and his friends watch as Tenpenny dies of his injuries, ending the riot. In the aftermath, CJ's family and friends celebrate their success at the Johnson house. In the midst of the celebrations, CJ leaves to check on the neighbourhood.