Despite the hype for its release, GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition had a disastrous launch by any standard, and this has also been acknowledged by Rockstar. Lots of the things in the game look different from the original version, and somehow they’re worse. But luckily, even though they’ve been mistreated by Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive before, modders came up and gave their best effort in fixing  GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition.

Here, I’ve made a list of the ten best mods that improve the quality of GTA San Andreas: The Definitive Edition in terms of its graphics and gameplay. All of the files can be downloaded, and it’s easy to install them. You just need to extract all the RAR files of the mods, and place them in:

GTA San Andreas - Definitive Edition\Gameface\Content\Paks\~mods

1. Fog Distance Fix

One of the things that make GTA San Andreas: The Definitive Edition look different than the original is the lack of fog without using a cheat code. And, once you use the cheat code, the dynamic weather will be disabled, meaning that the fog stays until you deactivate the code.

Now, Fog Distance Fix works by adding fogs without having to disable dynamic weather. So, you’ll find a natural transition of weather all across San Andreas.

This mod also managed to balance the draw distance in GTA San Andreas: The Definitive Edition. Because the game map looks much smaller without the fog.

Download link: Fog Distance Fix

2. Make Los Santos Great Again

Similar to the previous mod, Make Los Santos Great Again works in altering the graphics entirely. The purpose is to bring back the classic vibe of the PS2 version of GTA San Andreas to the Definitive Edition.

This mod offers numerous re-shade presets made by the creator. Each preset works best in certain times of day: dawn, noon, and evening. You just need to find the preset that matches the time.

However, the re-shade presets affect your performance. So, I’d recommend using Fog Distance Fix over this mod for regular use.

Download link: Make Los Santos Great Again

3. HUD Toggle

As the name suggests, this mod allows you to toggle the in-game HUD with just one click. It’s perfect for taking clean screenshots without the map or weapon HUD on the screen.

Download link: HUD Toogle

4. VR First-Person Mode

Some modders managed to tweak the file settings in GTA San Andreas: The Definitive Edition and find a way to create a first-person mode. These settings are apparently still being developed as Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, recently announced that they’re developing a VR Mode for GTA San Andreas.

To activate this mode, you just need to open the file “CustomSettings.ini” that can be found in:

C:\Users\(your PC name)\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA San Andreas Definitive Edition\Config\WindowsNoEditor

Then, under gta.CamZoomThree, you just need to add a line “gta.vr=1” to activate the first-person mode. And, to deactivate it, change the value “1” to 0. However, this mode can only work when you’re on foot.

I put these four mods and settings at the top of this list as I find them helpful for taking high-quality screenshots. Because a decent photo mode in modern games is essential. Yet unfortunately, Rockstar doesn’t provide this feature in the Definitive Edition.

5. Better Rain

I feel that I’m obliged to mention the Better Rain mod on this list. The rain effect in GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition looks rather crude, and, this mod is meant to fix it by providing better rain particles. Although Rockstar claimed that they’ve fixed the rain effect on patch notes 1.02, I personally don’t see much of a change. So, I believe that Better Rain is a mod worth installing.

Download link: Better Rain

6. Next-Gen Weapon Sounds

One thing that bothers me in the classic version of GTA San Andreas is the crude weapon sound effects. Even GTA Vice City and GTA 3, which were both released before it, have smoother sounds. Unfortunately, Rockstar didn’t provide significant changes in the Definitive Edition to solve this issue.

Next-Gen Weapon Sounds replaces all of the weapon sound effects in GTA San Andreas: The Definitive Edition. The creator used the sound effects from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019, and they sound a lot better than the original version.

Download link: Next-Gen Weapon Sounds

7. Simple Reticle

The weapon reticle in GTA San Andreas: Definitive Edition also seems larger, which can be a nuisance for some players. This mod changes the reticle with a much simpler dot like the one in GTA V.

Download link: Simple Reticle

8. No Target Outline

Having an NPC highlighted with a target outline can be helpful if you’re playing GTA on a smartphone. But on PC or consoles, this effect can be a bit weird as it may ruin the immersion. Luckily, there’s a mod that allows you to disable this effect in GTA San Andreas: The Definitive Edition.

Download link: No Target Outline

9. All Radio Songs Restored

GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas have been known for the iconic radio songs that define the era/timeline these games take place in. But unfortunately, Rockstar had to remove some of these songs due to licensing issues. But now there’s a mod that restores these songs. Now you can fully reminisce with the Definitive Edition.

Download link: All Radio Songs Restored

10. Water Ripple Fix

One of the things that GTA San Andreas Mobile carried over to the Definitive Edition is the water effect. For a remastered version released in 2021, surely these effects look a bit shabby. But no worries as a modder has created a fix for this issue. You can see the video above to find out what the mod is bringing to the game.

Download link: Water Ripple Fix

So, those were the ten best GTA San Andreas: The Definitive Edition mods that I highly recommend installing. Bear in mind that this article was written ten days after the game release. So, it’s possible that there are some other mods that I didn’t mention on this list.

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