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GTA is the blueprint for in-game radio stations.

Even its own OST sounds like a West Coast deep cut, filled with high-pitched synth melodies and hip-hop beats that evoke palm trees, sunsets, and street crime. In a heartbeat, it conjures up the heady, pacey, cannabis-scented streets of a fictional LA in the early 90s. Whether itвЂ™s The Stone RosesвЂ™ вЂFools GoldвЂ™ and its shoulder-rolling, head-nodding intro playing out as you take your first ride out of the city and into the wilderness near Mount Chiliad, or the bass-driven angst of Rage Against The MachineвЂ™s вЂKilling in the NameвЂ™ blaring out of your tinny speakers as you bed down in a car park and make an ill-advised last stand against the Los Santos Police department, the music of San Andreas perfectly encapsulated a time and a place.

READ MORE: вЂCupheadвЂ™ and вЂThe Delicious Last CourseвЂ™: How вЂFantasiaвЂ™ and вЂFinal FantasyвЂ™ collide in this stupendous OST.

ItвЂ™s getting warm in here, and I think itвЂ™s the PlayStationвЂ™s fault.

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As well as loading in to the open world of Los Santos as youвЂ™re cruising around in your boy racer with a flame decal painted on (hey, you were 13, itвЂ™s OK), your poor little PS2 is having to stream high-quality music from the in-game radio station, too. Rockstar made a pretty demanding game here. It takes a lot of effort to run GTA: San Andreas at this point.

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The windows are open, thereвЂ™s a nice breeze coming through to cool down your room, and youвЂ™re glued to a TV screen вЂ“ a fat, CRT deal that hums faintly as your launch PS2 wheezes behind it. This week, Dom Peppiatt turns down their radio, takes a cab ride through Watch Dogs: Legion, and reflects on that special something that makes in-game soundtracks feel authentic, memorable, and вЂ“ most importantly вЂ“ realistic within their own world.

Rock The Spacebar is a twice-monthly column investigating the great music that underpins your favourite games.

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