As previously mentioned the mobile phone is your way of connecting characters and storylines together and this keeps it all in a very unobtrusive and familiar menu system rather than having to press the start button all of the time. However what I did not mention is that this is also the main portal to get to your online gaming fix. Yes that’s right, GTA has finally gone online.

Rather than just a few of the usual deathmatches (yes they also are there), Rockstar have really pulled out all of the stops to make the online experience the best possible, and for a first time out, this just can’t get any better.

There are loads of different modes to choose from and each one can be played ranked, unranked or on party mode where you can gather your friends together to play against another group. Ranked allows you to earn cash for all of your kills and mission achievements, and at certain amounts you will rank up, this will open up a few extras along the way. Most of the games offer up to 16 players, with a few capped at 4. In the main lobby, if you are the host you are able to choose which area to play the game in and there are also a few other options to make the game more interesting, depending on what mode you play. All of the modes have vehicles available to hijack and use as you see fit, as a getaway or as a weapon. I have found that turning up the traffic , especially on the Cops N Crooks game makes for a more interesting game as you are not running around so much trying to escape, and also there is nothing more satisfying than unloading a full clip into an oncoming car, watching it get riddled with bullets and crash with an online friend slumped at the wheel.

When you begin multiplayer you have a tutorial which takes you through the basic controls and a few of the modes available, this is very helpful for newcomers. Whilst the controls are similar to the single player mode, there are a few extras, like holding down on the d-pad to bring up the current game rankings. You are also able to alter your character, at first you can only choose from a select few faces and clothing, but there is enough variety as to not have the same characters running around shooting at each other, also as you rank up more will become available so you can pimp your avatar as much as you like.

Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are your classic online modes, up to 16 players run around the city shooting at each other, the highest amount of kills win. The map in the bottom right will have coloured dots that indicate a player, this makes the game more fast paced and does not allow for any sneaky hiding, whilst many people will not like this, I find it refreshing as the size of the city can easily allow for players to snipe a few kills and hide away to win the game. The map also shows the location of nearby weapons. All of the weapons from the single player are there, the sub machine gun and rocket launcher are very satisfying to use in a crowded area.

Mafia Work and Team Mafia Work involves calls being made from Kenny Petrovic to all of the players, here he will give orders like complete a hit, steal a car or collect and deliver some goods. The area will be marked on your map and it’s up to you to get there by any means possible. This makes for some very aggressive fights as you are all playing for the same goal.

Car Jack City and Team Car Jack City has Kenny Petrovic wanting some new cars, they are marked on your map, your job is to steal them and deliver them, however, at any point another person or team can hijack you, making for some great moments (ever been hijacked by a maniac with a sub machine gun on a moped?)

There are a few racing modes to play through as well, Race Chase allows you to choose your car from the group selected by the host and race through checkpoints, there are plenty of car groups and boats to choose from, race cars and the police vans being my favourite at the moment. GTA Race is similar to Race Chase but this time weapons are involved, grab a weapon and cause severe damage to the car in front, take out the wheels for a real advantage. Whilst these modes are OK, there are problems with the size of the city, if you are on a larger course and get knocked off the road, it is very hard at times for you to get back into the race, also miss a checkpoint and there is a lot of hassle of reversing or turning around, essentially taking you out of the race.

Cops N Crooks is by far my most favourite mode of any game, here you have two teams, one playing the Cops, the other playing the Crooks. It is split over two rounds so you will each get a go. There are two game modes to select from here, All for One and One for All. In All for One the cops have to take down a mob boss and the crooks have to protect one of their randomly selected mob bosses who is highlighted with a cross. In One for All the cops have to take down all of the crooks, thankfully you start off in groups in a police car so you can each perform drivebys and get to the targets quickly. The crooks all have to get to the escape point, usually a helicopter, by any means possible. Here you can steal a car, swim across a river, run over rooftops, just as long as you are not shot down. The cool part of this game is that as long as there is a crook alive and still on the run the game will not end, so if crooks left someone behind, it is up to them to save their escapee before the cops get to them. This mode will really benefit from the party play option and I hope to see plenty of clans pop up over the next few months. I really have not had this much fun online since Counter Strike on the PC all those years ago.

There is also a free mode which allows a group of players to just hang out in the city and do whatever they feel like.

Overall the online experience is amazing, there are a few niggles, like when the action gets really heated there are points that the game will freeze up and jump, I think this is more to do the with servers and the other players ping rather than the game though as I have had a few local games and it ran perfectly. The other problem is the players themselves, even though this is a new game, there are loads of know-it-alls that get upset if you take a wrong turn or make a mistake, making themselves heard all of the time, hopefully after a while these players will go back to Halo or whatever and leave this top game for the rest of us to enjoy.