Ever since Rockstar’s press embargo was lifted earlier today, there has been an unstoppable rush of GTA IV goodness from every gaming press site you can think of. So instead of having you crawl all over the web like a hungry spider, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to compile a list of some major reviews for this year’s most highly anticipated title.

•  IGN – 10/10
  • “Grand Theft Auto III was a revolutionary title, one that inspired a whole new generation of 3D action games. Grand Theft Auto IV is just as big a leap forward, though perhaps in subtler ways, and sets a new benchmark for open-world games.”

• GamePro – 5/5
  • “It’s the best GTA ever, in all ways. If you thought the other GTA titles were impressive, just wait until you get your hands on GTA IV.”

• GameSpy – 5/5
  • “The very nature of the American Dream is the central theme in Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto IV, a gaming masterpiece that is a picture-perfect snapshot of the underworld of today’s big cities. This is not only the finest title of the generation thus far, it is one of the best games of all-time”

• TVG – 10/10
  • “ Fundamentally, it follows the format of its predecessors. Rockstar North has focused intently on ironing out the niggles and flaws of the trilogy, refining the rough edges, and polishing an already glistening videogame into something that transcends all forms of art: the plot of a good book, the razor-sharp dialogue and action of a stylish movie, a soundtrack that’s worth playing loud – and the violence that you choose to wreak.”

• Game Informer – 10/10
  • “Grand Theft Auto IV doesn’t just raise the bar for the storied franchise; it completely changes the landscape of gaming. Once you play it, you won’t look at video games the same way again.”

• EuroGamer – 10/10
  • “Ever since GTA III, they’ve all been standing on Rockstar’s shoulders and leaping off in new directions, like war and destruction in Mercenaries, super-heroics in Crackdown, and goblins and Jean-Luc Picard in Oblivion. But Rockstar kept its eye on the zeitgeist, and GTA IV’s big innovations aren’t amazing physics, spectacular graphics and epic environments – although it has all those – but convenience and multi-tasking. There is no longer any wasted time.”

• GameTrailers – 98/100
  • “Its hard to get more mileage out of a $60 game than you can with GTA IV.”

• Games Radar – 10/10
  • “There will be detractors, for sure, but we’re convinced that 97% of the gamers who purchase this whether they’re existing fans or not will find themselves hooked on it at least until the release of new downloadable content (currently 360 exclusive) later this year. As for the future of the series? This bodes well. And we’ve been assured the next instalment will raise the bar even further…”

• 1UP – 10/10
  • “None of these little flaws take away from Liberty City’s breathtaking vistas, incredibly varied scenery, and lived-in look (the PS3 version has the slightest visual edge, plus motion-control support — but then it’s missing Achievements and the eventual downloadable episodes exclusive to the 360 game). The city just feels alive.”