We really wanted to hate Canis Canem Edit, we really did. While internet forums, politicians, lobbyists and the mainstream media debated, decried and wholly misrepresented Rockstar's latest opus, we just rolled our eyes at what seemed to be nothing more than a cynical PR stunt designed to flog ridiculous numbers of a redundant game with nothing to offer beneath its tedious blanket of carefully-engineered controversy.

Of course, the truth is, we were as guilty of making unfounded assumptions about Canis Canem Edit as anyone else. If only we'd kept the faith and held off until the game's release. You see, once again Rockstar has surpassed itself with yet another high-concept title with more depth beneath its glossy exterior than most games can only ever dream of.

Part of the its success is down to Rockstar's canny decision to flip its biggest franchise on its head with Canis Canem Edit. Sure, anyone who's dabbled with the Grand Theft Auto series will be right at home with the game's mechanics, but the move from the gritty yet abstract streets of San Andreas to the timeless halls of Bullworth Academy means Canis Canem Edit immediately strikes home with a world that's much more personal and emotionally involving than anything Rockstar's produced before.