While Grand Theft Auto V falls short of its potential, it's still a trip worth taking (review)

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 of survival.

GTA V (out Sept. 17 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) is full of such little details. The next entry in Rockstar Games’ blockbuster open-world crime series, reportedly costing $265 million to develop, puts you in control of three characters: Franklin, Michael, and Trevor. You’ll help them make a dishonest living in Los Santos, a satirical take on Los Angeles and the areas surrounding it. Anyone familiar with the real city will recognize the accurate but slightly skewed re-creations of places like Beverly Hills and the TCL Chinese theatre as you lie, kill, and steal.