Grand Theft Auto IV is a violent, intelligent, profane, endearing, obnoxious, sly, richly textured and thoroughly compelling work of cultural satire disguised as fun. It calls to mind a rollicking R-rated version of Mad magazine featuring Dave Chappelle and Quentin Tarantino, and sets a new standard for what is possible in interactive arts. It is by far the best game of the series, which made its debut in 1997 and has since sold more than 70 million copies. Grand Theft Auto IV will retail for $60.

Hardly a demographic escapes skewering.

It looks like New York. It sounds like New York. It feels like New York. Liberty City has been so meticulously created it almost even smells like New York.

I will happily spend untold hours cruising Liberty City’s bridges and byways, hitting the clubs, grooving to the radio and running from the cops. Even when the real New York City is right outside.

I was sitting in front of my workstation today and something really strange happened. I'm not sure what to make of it...

I was working on something... I can't remember quite what it was. Somehow, almost psychically, I knew that Grand Theft Auto IV was about to hit the shelves. Then BAM! Blackout.

Next memory I can really piece together... I was staring at a an order confirmation screen on Amazon for a Playstation 3, HDMI cable, and a pre-order of Grand Theft Auto IV. I sort of watched myself hit confirm, but really had no control of it.. It really makes me uncomfortable to recount it.. It's hard to explain. I think I even signed up for Amazon Prime to save on the one-day shipping.

I mean, I buy from Amazon all the time. Why now?

Maybe Hillary Clinton and Jack Thompson are right. Maybe these games are brainwashing me. My lord, what could I go and do? Make a facetious post, and then it'd just all somehow go away?! HA. NO. NO sanity here.

Oh no.. I bought an espresso machine last week too... I see the way this is all chaining together. There will be NO productivity. This is a bad rub..

Hide the children! Folks, I'm going to sequester myself in front of an 46" 1080p screen with all the pieces of this puzzle until I figure this out..

Wednesday is the day. Wednesday. Wish me luck!

Grand Theft Auto Takes On New York