Let's cut right to the chase: "Grand Theft Auto IV," out today, is not a video game for kids, tweens or even young teenagers. As with its controversial predecessors, the latest in the 70 million unit-selling series is a Mature-rated adventure, created for players age 17 and older as it gives you a virtual taste of the criminal underworld. Think of it as an interactive episode of "The Sopranos," if you will.

The Rockstar Games release has a tremendous following, and will likely be the best-selling game of 2008. It's available on both high-definition consoles, the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3. It also helps that it is the first game in the series to offer online multiplayer modes. Having spent the better part of 10 days living this dangerous alternate life, rest assured this "GTA" sequel more than lives up to the hype.

In "Grand Theft Auto IV," you play as Niko Bellic, a tough-looking character who arrives in the U.S. from somewhere in Eastern Europe, expecting the streets to be paved with gold. It seems Niko's American cousin, Roman, lied about his extravagant lifestyle: Instead of being wealthy, Roman is indebted to loan sharks and lives in a cockroach-infested apartment the size of a walk-in closet.

Nevertheless, Niko decides to help Roman with his rundown cabstand and keep thugs off his back until he can figure out how to make money and connections in Liberty City, the same city as 2001's "Grand Theft Auto III," modeled after New York City and New Jersey.

"Grand Theft Auto" games offer "sandbox" play, meaning you can virtually go anywhere and do anything in this fully realized 3-D city with pedestrians, traffic and storefronts. This play from a third-person perspective includes carjacking any vehicle, listening to more than a hundred songs on car radios and playing minigames such as billiards, darts, bowling or arcade games.

But it's the seedy missions that unravel the lengthy single-player story. In person or via his cell phone, Niko will be asked to perform missions that include escorting someone, taking out drug dealers, evading police cruisers, racing to one end of the city before someone else, flying a helicopter, retrieving stolen money or looking up an informant's address. In many cases you'll have three offers at once and will be forced to make decisions, which will affect the storyline and your friendships.

But "Grand Theft Auto IV" offers high-def graphics that trump 2004's "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" and adds more hand-to-hand combat and optional in-car GPS to help you better navigate the city.

The biggest new feature is something gamers have been asking about for years: multiplayer modes. In "Grand Theft Auto IV," up to 16 gamers can play online in a host of cooperative and competitive games. Xbox 360 gamers will also be able to download bonus missions and other content later this year, via the Xbox Live service.

Expect a lot of bang for your buck in this highly polished sequel.