Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The ROMANOV Archive returns to Los Santos for a sweeping analysis of post-Soviet paranoia, Russian mafia tropes, and Cold War residue in Rockstar’s most ambitious crime saga: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
From Russian gunrunners flooding the streets with AK-47s to angry babushkas and ex-Soviet nuclear physicist cab drivers, the game paints a satirical—but revealing—portrait of Russian émigrés, arms trafficking, and linguistic blunders across its diverse cast. This deep dive unpacks Cold War echoes hiding beneath the gang wars, government corruption, and radio satire of the early 1990s.
What does San Andreas tell us about America's anxieties after the USSR’s collapse? And how did Rockstar blend real-world geopolitical fallout with urban chaos, racial politics, and gangsta rap? Find out below!