Busta, Straight Busta

I recently decided to start playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas after thinking about how race is represented in games. So far there's been a mission to spray up over rival gang's graffiti, a fried chicken drive through turned drive by and a crack house slaughter. I think it's worth noting as well that I'm only up to the third mission. What's great about San Andreas is that it takes these racist depictions that favour a white patriarchy and puts it right in our faces. It makes no apologies for putting these moments on the screen but it does have an argument, should you care to see it. As the game goes on it expands it's scope from not just the infamous Compton cul-de-sac, but to the highrises of Hollywood hills, Casino's of Las Vegas and to the representational heart of America's Government; Area 51. It effectively problematises a lot of the representations it draws upon to create it's narrative. But is it's use of ironic humour just adding to the problem it is criticising? I think playing through it with these questions in mind is bound to turn San Andreas into an interesting experience,

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