GRAND THEFT AUTO V

Rockstar Games' decidedly adult-oriented GRAND THEFT AUTO V puts players in the shoes of a trio of criminals in Los Santos, a fictionalized version of Los Angeles. One protagonist is a middle-aged gangster who begins the game as a recently retired criminal; another is an unpredictable, drug-addled psychopath; and the third is a young man just starting out on a life of crime. Players have the ability to switch freely among these men as they work through a dramatic criminal saga that sees them carrying out heists, stealing cars, taking revenge on rivals, and killing anyone who gets in their way, including police officers and innocent civilians.

The immense world they inhabit is sprawling and free for players to roam, providing them the liberty to do anything they want -- from piloting boats and ATVs in rural settings to playing golf and tennis at local country clubs -- whenever they like. Though story-progressing missions, which are usually major criminal acts, are always available, a primary part of the game is exploration, allowing players to find side quests ranging from tow-truck jobs to murder mysteries. An online mode not yet released at the time of this writing will allow up to 16 players to engage in many of these activities as a group.