Grand Theft Auto V gameplay premiere

Rockstar Games has released the first official gameplay video for Grand Theft Auto V, giving gamers a glimpse into the world of Los Santos ahead of its launch this September.

The full trailer is available below. For more, check out GameSpot's editor analysis of the new footage.

A narrator describes the world of GTAV as a "sprawling, satirical re-imagining of modern southern California covering mountains and oceans, expensive stores and strip malls; urban decay and untouched wilderness; beaches and backwoods; the sublime and the ridiculous; greed and hypocrisy."

The video also explains how the game's three-character system will work. During one mission, the player is shown switching between Trevor, Michael, and Franklin during a heist. One character is shown piloting a helicopter, another rappels down a building, while the third stands atop a faraway building and assists by firing on enemies from afar.

When not in a combat mission, players can switch between characters "for a touch of voyeurism," the video says.

The video also reveals that players will be able to customize cars, fly planes, purchase clothes, play sports (golf, tennis, and bike riding were shown), hunt animals, and dive for underwater treasure.

GTAV launches September 17 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.