Grand Slam Theft Auto IV

Moar hookahs to get my health back for my face! Can't wait to play it!

Grand Theft Auto receives acclaim

Grand Theft Auto IV is expected to sell six million copies in a week.

Highly-anticipated video game Grand Theft Auto (GTA) IV has received a string of near-perfect reviews ahead of its worldwide release on Tuesday.

The game is expected to break records for the fastest-selling game of all time and many shops are opening their doors at midnight for gamers.

The game has been classified as 18 in the UK and Mature for US gamers.

In the US, regulators have reminded parents that the title is not designed for children under 17 years old.

In a joint statement the ESRB and the National Institute on Media and the Family urged parents to check ratings on games for their children.

It said: "With the latest installment of the Grand Theft Auto series... parents need to be reminded to make sure their kids are playing games appropriate for their age and level of maturity.

"It is critical that parents consider the assigned rating carefully."

GTA IV is set in a fictional New York.

The GTA series has proved incredibly popular and almost equally controversial in the last few years.

More than 70 million copies of the franchise's titles have been sold worldwide but the series has also been criticised for glorifying violence.

In 2005 the developers Rockstar were criticised after hackers found a way to play a normally inaccessible sex "mini-game" inside the title Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

The mini-game, dubbed Hot Coffee, was never designed to be played by gamers but was unlocked by hackers.

Controversy over Hot Coffee resulted in the title being re-rated in the US for adults only, and games being withdrawn from sale so that stickers with the new rating could be applied.

Reviews for Grand Theft Auto IV have been unanimous in their praise.

UK-based games website Eurogamer called it "game of the year" and handed it a 10 out of 10 review score, while the New York Times said it delivered a "new level of depth for an interactive entertainment experience".