The most eagerly awaited videogame since CJ rolled through the streets of Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Ventura, is finally upon us with the worldwide release of GTA4. Marking the series' first appearance on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, after an agonising delay, Rockstar North's latest opus arrives to an unparalleled level of fanboy hysteria, boardroom expectations, and mainstream controversy - surely, it's going to be bigger than anything that's come before?

Taking the centre role this time around is Niko Bellic, an immigrant from Eastern Europe who's hiding a sinister past and seeking a better future with his cousin in Liberty City. Remodelled beyond recognition and bearing an unmistakable resemblance to New York City, in true GTA fashion, it's not long before Bellic becomes embroiled in the misadventures of a group of narcissists, egotists and homicidal maniacs, the quintessential cast of Liberty City's shady civilians.

Booting GTA4 up for the first time is a moment of intense anticipation and trepidation; after so many years of waiting, it's finally upon us, but can it truly live up to all expectations and deliver the defining open-world game on the latest generation of consoles?