Grand Theft Auto V

It feels like an eternity since Grand Theft Auto V was first announced on 25th October all the way back in 2011. The title was revealed in familiar Rockstar Games fashion, with a single unexpected Tweet effectively bringing the Internet to its knees. That initial tease was followed by a mysterious trailer a week later, and then the company said next to nothing for almost a year, before blowing the doors off the title as part of a Game Informer exclusive.

And now, the release is finally here. The wait has been so excruciating that its arrival almost feels like an anticlimax, but judging by the early reviews, any malaise that you may currently be experiencing will almost certainly be squashed the moment that you pop the disc into your PlayStation 3. Remember that you’ll need to sit through an 8GB install sequence before you can actually play the game, but that should give you plenty of time to turn on the kettle and steady your nerves before the action inevitably unfolds.

If you’ve been living in a nuclear bunker for the past couple of years, Grand Theft Auto V takes place in Los Santos, and sees former bank robber Michael De Santa lured back into a life of crime alongside nutcase Trevor Phillips and automotive repo man Franklin Clinton. You’ll play as all three characters, and will be able to switch between them on the fly, providing the backdrop for some interesting missions, as well as plenty of downright chaotic sandbox action.

While the single player undoubtedly represents the primary lure of the package, it’ll be accompanied by an ambitious online component on 1st October. This will provide you with access to a fourth protagonist – one that you create – and will allow you to engage in online activities with up to 16 friends or strangers. You’ll even be able to construct your own content, such as jet-ski races and much more.

But you already knew all of that, didn’t you? The chances are that you’ve been avidly scouring every video game website under the sun for additional Grand Theft Auto V details for the past couple of years. We know, because, well, we’ve been doing the same. With the game finally here, though, we want to read your first impressions. What do you think of the opening mission? Are you taking the day off work to play properly? Did you attend a midnight launch? Don’t be a mute, and let us know in the comments section below.

And before we forget: happy GTA day, everyone.