5 out of 5 stars.

Grand Theft Auto, the famous video game series by Rockstar Games, is back for its fifth incarnation.

Drawing from popular crime and action movie influences, combined with professional voice actors, writers, and music artists, Grand Theft Auto has become one of the most recognizable video game titles of the 2000s.

But with a felony offense in the series’ title, there is no doubt that Grand Theft Auto, or GTA for short, is a controversial game. Depicting violence, illicit drugs, and exploring the darkest depths of the criminal underworld from Serbia to Miami, GTA has come under fire from critics and lawyers who believe it is endorsing violence, misogyny, and inspiring children to become criminals.

But forget the politics. For most right-minded gamers however, GTA is simply a fun and gripping game.

The story’s use of violence is necessary rather than pointless, and every character has their own unique strengths and weaknesses which aren’t always explained immediately. The game world is truly alive, and there is always something new to see. Players can follow a pedestrian around and observe his or her entire 24-hour day schedule, from driving to and from work, to relaxing on the beach, to going home. The countryside is massive, with three full scale mountains to explore, deserts to wander, and wildlife to hunt. Crime is an everyday factor in Los Santos and Blaine County, with countless two-bit heists and stickups taking place on every other street corner.

The game world is absolutely massive, bigger than any GTA game to date. The controls have been simplified from the heavy, slow handling of GTA IV, and the game feels refreshing and interesting.

Almost everything is accessible, but not always from the start.  Like earlier games, money is a dramatic necessity, but can also become a fairly easy to access commodity. Players can manipulate the stock market following the take from their various heists to truly make bank by trading pure alpha.

The game’s story lasts for over 70 full-length missions and includes various side missions that can tie into the main story at times. The story line touches on contemporary issues such as government corruption, date mining companies, and torture.

Grand Theft Auto V truly lives up to the hype that has surrounded it for almost two years, and the game isn’t even finished rewarding us yet. With the single player campaign already having a gripping story and an engaging open world, it’s safe to say that the upcoming online side of Grand Theft Auto V is something to look forward to just as much as well.