Created by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games, Grand Theft Auto V hit shelves September 17 and made waves. Being one of the most anticipated games of 2013, Grand Theft Auto V sold over 1.3 million copies within the first 24 hours of the game’s release.

            The story revolves around three criminals who are looking for opportunities to make money. Franklin, being the first playable character, is a kid who is just trying to make some money and make a name for himself. With help from Michael, Franklin is given the chance he needs to make some money and finally earn respect.

            Michael, being the second playable character, is an ex-con and a professional criminal who went into a retirement after a job went badly and was arrested. After learning that Franklin broke into his house to steal his son’s new car, Michael holds Franklin at gunpoint and forces him to drive to the dealership that hired Franklin to steal the car.

            After the first heist you then take control of the third character, Trevor. Trevor, being a maniac and drug user, is an unpredictable killing machine who is just after a cheap high and a big score. Just like Michael, Trevor is a professional criminal who, rather than retire, created a company based on drugs and guns.

            GTA V is set in the sunny paradise of Los Santos that was the same site of a previous game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. GTA V has the largest map of any previous title being over 7 miles long including both the city and countryside. The city is a sun soaked metropolis for fading celebrities, self-help gurus, and up-and-coming starlets; however, the countryside is a different story altogether, home to drug dealers, a military base, and criminals on the run.

            Starting the game you are immediately thrown in and shown how to use some of the new features, like switching between characters and the heist mechanics. While this part plays a major role in the game it can be hard to follow, Michael, Trevor, and an old friend of theirs Brad are robbing a bank in a small northern town near Canada. As they pull off the heist and make a getaway they are ambushed by FIB and police who shoot Brad, killing him, and Michael, while Trevor makes a safe escape. Nine years after the heist we see Michael speaking with his therapist, Dr. Friedlander, trying to come to terms with his past and try to adjust to his current life in the witness protection program. As he leaves he sits on a bench facing the beach while Franklin and long time friend Lamar walk behind him. Franklin and Lamar are on a job to “repossess” some cars that were bought from their boss Simeon. As they steal the cars and head back to the dealership they run into Jimmy, Michael’s son, who is buying a Hummer like vehicle and being called many names by Simeon, who then changes his attitude to get Jimmy to buy the car. For about three or four missions you only play as Franklin until a mission appears from Simeon asking Franklin to steal the car that he sold to Jimmy a few missions before and wants it back. As Franklin steals the car from inside the house and drives it to the dealership he is surprised with a gun to his head from none other than Michael who was hiding in the back seat.

            After you finish the mission as Franklin, you are able to play as Michael who tells him to stop by his house later for a beer as a reward to Franklin for being someone who can get the job done. When you start the mission you are treated to a cut scene that shows how Michael spent his money from the first mission. About middle of the scene, Franklin comes in to accept his reward. While talking Michael receives a phone call from Jimmy saying that he was kidnaped while trying to sell his dad’s boat so he could buy another car. Michael and Franklin race off to save Jimmy and get the boat back. During another cut scene we learn that Amanda, Michael’s wife, has been cheating on him with her tennis coach. Furious Michael calls Franklin and the two steal a tow truck and follow the tennis coach to his house. Once you arrive you are shown a cut scene where the coach and a Russian woman are standing on an overhanging patio looking down a cliff. While Michael yells at the coach he ties the cable to a support beam and drives the truck bringing the house down. Getting back to Michael’s house, Franklin and Michael are met by a drug lord named Martin who informs them they tore down the Russian woman’s house and not the coach’s. While Martin was beating up Michael he tells him that the house they destroyed was worth $2,500,000 and they needed to pay all the money back within a week or his family will be killed for the compensation. Needing money quickly Michael turns to an old friend named Lester who is a computer hacker and heist planner. Lester suggests that a jewelry store would be an easy heist and big score, so he sends Michael and Franklin to gather the supplies needed. During the cut scene you get insight into the next heist mechanic, choosing how to approach the heist, who you can hire for it, and how the game splits the money you steal. Once you finish the heist you are shown a cut scene with Michael and Franklin celebrating as an FIB agent named Dave, who made a deal with Michael before his final heist, enters the room and informs Michael to be careful about the attention he attracts from the crimes.

            Seeing the news about the heist in his trailer, Trevor becomes curious and heads out to finish some work he had started with The Lost, a motorcycle gang from Liberty City another previous city used in many GTA games. Killing the club’s leader, Trevor goes to their camp and wipes most of them out leaving a few to tell the rest of the gang what had happened. Telling Wade, his dumb friend, to look into someone named Michael Townley and see if someone is impersonating Michael. Finally finding out that he is still alive Trevor heads to the city to find Michael and speak to him about why he played dead.

            Once all the characters are together they pull a few more heists and find new enemies and opportunities. The new heist mechanic added a new way to make money in the GTA world. With the ability to choose the way you approach a heist you may end up with different dialogue and outcome, examples ranging from smart choices to full on brutal approaches. Other mechanics have been added to change the way you play, such as, a new weapon select screen, special abilities, and smarter AI. Some minor glitches with the game have been found by both players and Rockstar, but have since been fixed. Some of the glitches would cause you to lose cars you saved and customized in game, but Rockstar had patched the car-deleting problem in the time since.

            While new mechanics, better graphics, and amazing story are some of the best parts about the game, there are a few bugs Rockstar still needs to work out with both single player and multiplayer, but beside these few glitches the game deserves a 9.5 out of 10.