Los Santos, three crooks who agree on nothing, and a California torched with satire.

On gut feeling, the community places it just above average, no more. And the detail draws a rollercoaster of a profile. Fun? Ahead of more than nine games out of ten, that ability to chain hours without noticing. Solid in the hands too, and as a desert island pick. But two areas drag the whole thing down: art style lands at the very bottom of the ranking, behind other titles, and attachment to the characters stays low, ahead of barely a fifth of games. That sums it up: a hugely enjoyable playground that leaves less of a mark through its heroes or its visual identity.

Next to other open worlds, it bets on scale and freedom of action more than on emotion. Its real strength is the sheer variety of what you can do.

So, who is it for? For you if you want a lively sandbox, instant fun, replay value by the bucket. Much less if you are after endearing characters or an art direction that stays with you.