Anybody who thinks that this game will corrupt America's youth with the glorification of violence and crime, really needs to pull their head out of their ass. Yes, this game deals with major violence. Yes, this game deals with organized crime but unlike a game like "State of Emergency", you also have to deal with the consequences of your actions.

Sure, that's a serious point of view to take on it, but its accurate. Assassinate a Mafia kingpin and the Mafia will come after you. Carjack somebody and the police will come after you. Make a drug pickup and the FBI will come after you. Blow up the Columbian Drug Cartel's boat and they'll send death squads after you.

Well, I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I wouldn't suggest you blow up any Cartel's boat unless you're a part of a giant CIA or FBI sting operation.

For all the people who think this is corruptive, they need to see what happens through the course of the game. I'd say there are less than a handful of characters who actually survive to the end and if that doesn't tell you how crime is, then you'll probably have to read "Fairy Tales from Cell Block C" to find out what exactly they do to you in prison.

I fear you John Walsh.

Social commentary aside, this is a game with incredible depth. I didn't like either of the first two Grand Theft Auto's and I was reluctant to play this incarnation of the series. But it was one of those things where you start to play and you get hooked. Each mission had its own unique challenge and multiple ways to play them.

All except "Love's Disappearance".

That one fucks you all kinds of ways.

You who have played know what I'm getting at.

Aside from the depth, its refreshing to find a mature game that doesn't treat you like an idiot. To say its a real game would do it some discredit but its at least honest in its approach to the consequences of your actions. Kind of sad though that you do what you do and don't become the King of Liberty City. Shame.

Graphically, its quite impressive with all its 3-D environments and detailed city streets. The people look like something in the same vain as Metal Gear Solid 2 but that's a good thing considering the tone of the game. Its dark, gritty and ready to pop a cap in your ass.

I was pleasantly surprised by the length of the game. "Metal Gear Solid 2" and "Devil May Cry" I had done within the span of two days, but Grand Theft Auto 3 just piled on the gameplay. I for one have no problem with that.

I don't have a lot of gripes on this game. Of the ones I do have, I would like to say that the ending really blew. Go through all this work and you get an ending worthy of "Zone of the Enders" or "Saga Frontier".

Yes, that's a bad thing.

Musically, I wish there were more options. While the radio stations were the perfect addition to an already detailed game, would it have killed them to have a rock station? Or at least one that didn't suck? You would think that this would have been thought of given they're called "Rockstar Games".

The options of stealing a motorcycle or a helicopter would have been welcome as well. Perhaps some more missions to unlock. But overall this is one of the few Playstation 2 games that came out in the last quarter of 2001 and deserved the hype it got. Can't wait for the next installment.

Oh yes, jump the Fire Engine. Trust me.

Grade: B+