Sex sells. Violence sells. Hire 150 programmers to artfully weave the two together in a crime-laden effigy of New York City and the result is Grand Theft Auto IV, a technical masterpiece sure to carjack the 2008 sales chart.

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Rockstar Games (ENLARGE)

Niko, the main character of 'Grand Theft Auto IV' is shown cruising the streets of Liberty City.

Grand Theft Auto IV Publisher: Rockstar Games Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Price: $59.99 Rating: Mature Score: 97/100 RELATED LINKS • Momania: what does a 'Mature' game rating mean? • Game could set sales record • Review: GTA IV

This formula has been used by developer Rockstar Games since the series' inception in 1997. More than 70 million cash register receipts later, GTA4, released Tuesday, manages to elevate the medium of video games to new heights.

The allure of the franchise has always been its "anything's possible" sandbox-style of play, but the criminal activities that comprise the singleplayer game's 90 or so missions – stealing cars, recovering stolen drug shipments and murdering hospital patients (to name a few) – clearly aren't suitable for youngsters.

For adults with a mildly defective moral compass, here's what makes this criminal rampage so great:

A COMPELLING STORY AND CHARACTERS

Players take on the role of Niko, a morally challenged Eastern European émigré who arrives in Liberty City and quickly learns his aptitude for bloodshed is a marketable job skill. Unlike previous protagonists, Niko is more than a mere thug. A former boy soldier in the Balkans, he's a sympathetic character who "has done some bad things" and sometimes regrets his life of crime. As the story unwinds, the sharp-tongued Niko and his manic friends come to life as fully realized characters.

MISSIONS AND MORE

The missions – obtained from a handy cellphone that works as the game's menu — will take the casual gamer at least 40 hours to complete. Most are of the usual "find someone and kill them" variety, but a few are more clever, including one that involves delivering a bomb in a difficult to control truck.

When not murdering for hire, Niko can use his cellphone to contact friends. Invite a pal to catch the sights at a virtual strip club often enough and he can be counted on to help in a future firefight. Other bonding experiences include power drinking and bowling, darts and billiards contests. When alone, Niko can work as a taxi driver hustling fares or spend countless hours watching TV, surfing a parody of the Internet, checking e-mail or even taking in a live Cabaret show. If that's not twisted enough, Niko can troll for hookers or go on a date. Sex happens, but this time around it's an off-screen affair.

A VIBRANT CITY

GTA4, the first in the series compatible with next-generation consoles (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) is, of course, drastically improved in the graphics department.

The star of the show is the stylized metropolis of Liberty City, the so-called "Worst Place in America." It's huge, encompassing miles and miles of detailed cityscape chock full of cars, pedestrians and criminal activities. Simply driving from one mission to the next can take half an hour, but the city feels so "alive" it's more of a scenic tour than a chore. And the infamous radio stations, be it ribald talk radio or the 16 channels of music, make it a memorable ride, especially when there's a news reports of Niko's latest hit job. For the impatient, taxis can teleport players to locations in a snap. Despite the thousands of pedestrians, it is difficult to find two that look alike. And the amount of conversation overheard on the streets is mind-blowing.

IMPROVED COMBAT

Other than visuals, the most noticeable improvement in the series is the improved lock-on aiming system and the ability to hide behind objects during shootouts, similar to the system used in Gears of War. It's a good thing, because GTA4 features more shootouts than ever, especially late in the game. If injured, health can be recovered by eating, sleeping or using medical kits. As the title suggests, vehicles have always played a huge role in the series. There are hundreds of types of cars that can be stolen, each with believable handling characteristics that make navigating the city at high speed a challenge (especially when drunk). Now, players can break the glass out of any car and fire weapons while driving, a complicated but very useful ability when the cops are in hot pursuit. Police seem easier to ditch than in the past and players are given an option to resist arrest. Fighting to the death simply restarts a mission and is preferable to surrender, which results in a hefty fine and the loss of weapons. Helicopters are the only way to fly. Taking to the night sky for a flight among Liberty City's skyscrapers is an awe-inspiring spectacle. Power boats are another option, and are an excellent way to lose the cops.

MULTIPLAYER

For the first time the series fully embraces online play. After creating a simple custom character, 15 online modes are available that can host up to 16 players. Unbelievably, the entire singleplayer map is made available. Aside from the usual racing and deathmatch modes, there's several unique offerings including "Cops N' Crooks," which challenges a team of police officers to stop a team of criminals from escaping an area.