Have you ever been to Los Angeles? Rockstar has - and it shows. Los Santos, the city that forms the backdrop to much of Grand Theft Auto V , takes the best and most extreme elements of the City of Angels and distils them down to their essence: the fake Roman columns, the manicured lawns, the...

Biggest and most interesting open world yet; Incredible range of activities to enjoy; The best mission design in the series' history

Story tries too hard to be edgy; Shooting mechanics still not best-in-class; That's it

Without a doubt, we can say that it's mission accomplished for Rockstar North and this new Grand Theft Auto. Of course, exploring the vast environment populated with people that walk around like it's real at our pace remains the key element of the game, but for me the magic of GTA V is really in its...

is not only a preposterously enjoyable video game, but also an intelligent and sharp-tongued satire of contemporary America. It represents a refinement of everything that GTA IV brought to the table five years ago.

Incredible world; Gripping story; Varied; thrilling missions; Spectacular heists; Bitingly funny

Nobody makes an open world quite like Rockstar. Others may be bigger, moodier, or crazier, but between Rockstar's obsessive attention to detail and its anarchic approach to gameplay, something emerges that's deeply memorable and filled with a constant sense of discovery.

+ Offers a gigantic state in which to run amok in countless unique and interesting ways; + Story is long; engaging; and packed with fun missions and fascinating characters

- As much as Rockstar played it up; you won't get rich quickly; and buying property is pretty shallow once you do; ?

Only one word can describe how I felt when I blasted Eddie Murphy's "Party All The Time" from my car as the cops chased me down a busy boulevard: magical. In that gloriously random moment, Grand Theft Auto V gave the obscure '80s hit new meaning, evolving from a cheap pop song into a rousing anthem...

Quenching your wanderlust After a lengthy introduction, I grabbed a car and drove as far as I could just to see what was in store for me over the next couple of days; GTA V has the largest map Rockstar has ever made in any of its open-world releases.

Uncomfortable brush with reality I've always considered GTA games like cartoons; They're super violent, but they're also foul-mouthed and silly looking enough to not take them too seriously (like South Park ).

Grand Theft Auto V's three antiheroes feel as though they were torn straight out of Sigmund Freud's structural model of the human psyche. The wild, feral Trevor represents the id: a psychopath led by instincts and urges without any consideration for others.

An immense amount of content; Swapping between three interesting characters; Huge improvements to every element of gameplay

Occasionally unsatisfying plotlines; Being overwhelmed by choices; Waiting for GTA Online

Modesty isn't GTA's strong suit. The latest game doesn't have the emphasis of its prequel's opening line "daddy's back, bitches"; the slower-burn story takes its time getting up to speed, but when it does you're treated to radio adverts and player conversations taking pops at thinly-disguised Call...

Insanely detailed setting; Endless in-game distractions; Smart; satisfying heists; Almost all boring bits removed; Massive online potential

Let's be honest here, an entry in the Grand Theft Auto series needs no introduction. In fact, Rockstar could very well get away with simply announcing a new title and leaving the marketing down to its fans passing word of mouth.

It's a reaffirmation of the message that been evident from the start of the game. We're all in sun-kissed Los Santos for one reason: to have a good time. And Rockstar makes sure good times are had.

A staggering technical achievement that is matched only by the depth and ambition of its gameplay – this is not only the best-looking GTA ever but by far the most fun to play.

Impossibly good visuals, in terms of scope and attention to detail; Excellent and varied mission design; Great car handling and much improved gunplay; GTA Online is still to come

The story is as vague and meandering as usual, with not a single virtuous character in the whole cast; Gunplay could still be better and helicopters are a pain