With the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV, criticism of the controversial series has hit an all-time high. Critics of GTA invariably single out two types of violence as particularly worrisome.
The first deals with violence against the game's virtual hookers. This concern has been voiced by, among others, real-world hooker afficianado Eliot Spitzer. These criticisms generally run along the lines of "you can have sex with a prostitute and then kill her to get your money back."
While technically true, in GTA's sandbox world such activity is strictly optional. The player can choose not to have the virtual liaison in the first place. Or, if the player does opt to indulge, there's nothing in GTA which precludes allowing the hooker to stroll off peacefully in search of her next trick.
The game's virtual police officers, on the other hand, are more problematic.