The next mission we saw was "Deconstruction for Beginners," which was a little more high-class but decidedly less high-tech. Here, Niko hooks up with another one of his contacts, a rich, full-of-himself would-be gangster named Playboy X. Hanging out at Playboy's Algonquin loft, the two hatch plans to retaliate against a union (deeply corrupt and Mafia-controlled, so it's OK) that's blocking one of Playboy's out-of-town developer friends from pursuing a construction project. While Niko and Playboy chat, we're introduced to Dwayne, a friend of Playboy's who just got out of prison, and who - with his rough beard and bald head - looks a whole lot tougher than skinny poser Playboy.

As the mission begins, Playboy and Niko roll out to a parked SUV, where Playboy has hidden a cache of weapons. After arming up, the two take a convenient window-washer's elevator up the side of a high-rise. Their mission: storm the union-guarded construction site across the street, murder three "union leaders" (who are actually Mafiosi) and send a clear message that Playboy's friends are not to be messed with. First, though, Niko will need to take a trio of lookouts - all perched on cranes and other high platforms - out of the picture.

Once on the roof, we were shown two different kinds of sniper rifles, each with a distinct scope. The first one was a low-end sportsman's rifle, and it didn't even have a crosshairs; instead, you'll just need to center it as best you can over your target and hope for the best. The second was high-end military gear, and looking through its scope revealed not only a crosshair, but a wind meter and various digital readouts. Crazy.

The really impressive part was when Niko fired on the lookouts, though. With each successful shot, the camera immediately switched to a cinematic view of Niko's target; the first caught a slug to the head and dropped screaming to the pavement below. The camera tracked him as he fell, and he left a nasty splatter when he landed. The second lookout was a little luckier, doubling over and slumping to the floor of his platform, while the third slammed onto the roof of a van, dropping his gun to the pavement as he fell. With the coast clear, Niko was free to start an all-out assault on the construction site proper.

MC: I got the vibe that Niko and Dwayne would hook up later on...
CB: Yes, there was definitely an unspoken alliance already forming there, though we didn't see it reach fruition in the cutscene.
MR: Yeah, Dwayne seems like he'll be a valuable contact down the road. Like, Playboy X is the idiot you'll have to entertain for a while, and having Dwayne as an ally is the payoff for that.
MC: Maybe they'll do some drinking together.
CB: I have a strong feeling Playboy will not be surviving GTA IV... he's totally that brash, overconfident ass you indulge while it's in your best interest, then take out when a better offer comes along. Much like Diaz in Vice City
MC: Of all the missions, this one reminded me of 'classic' GTA the most, and as such impressed me the least. Just the structure and the way Niko tackled it. It did have some nice grenade and RPG moments, though.
CB: The sniping impressed me. You don't just walk up a flight of stairs and shoot at the ground... you're riding that window washer elevator up dozens of floors. The height of the buildings is daunting... I've never felt so small in a GTA game.
MC: the verticality of everything is really noticeable. reminds me of the first time I went to NY.
CB: The scale and size of the worlds is more accurate to real life, I'd say. And when Mikel and I saw this mission, it was night... Liberty City at night, from the top of a skyscraper, is a visual marvel. So many twinkling lights.
MR: I was especially intrigued when the Rockstar guys said, "oh, there are other ways to scale buildings." When I asked about it, they confirmed that you'll be able to climb stuff, assuming there are ledges within grabbing distance - although they added that "it's not Prince of Persia."