Grand Theft Auto IV

Also known as: GTA IV, GTA 4, Grand Theft Auto 4

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GTA IV: 4 new screens and updated info

Brand new screens and eyes-on preview

Words: George Walter, GamesRadar UK

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The ebb and flow of the world around you is noticeably more advanced than seen in San Andreas or Vice City, where regardless of the time of day, the same amount of cars and pedestrians would loop their way around the streets. In GTA IV it's much more complex - in the harsh dawn sun the streets are quiet before a commuter rush around 9am when you'll see office workers making their way to the daily grind. In the late evening there'll be less people and traffic about. Equally (and we'll be interested to see how in depth this is) workers go about their business depending on their vocation. We're shown this when Niko arrives at a ship yard by the river where a group of employees go about their boat-based business.

While we might appear to be obsessed by GTA IV's impressively realised game locations (see here and here ) it's good to hear that pretty much all the obvious New York locations will be immortalised in Liberty City. However, this is still an interpretation of the Big Apple, and so not every street is in there - this isn't The Getaway for New York. Whether it has an importance to missions is unclear, but each street is now individually named. This suggests that Niko will be required to navigate in a more traditional manner rather than simply relying on a marker point on a map. It's also made clear, that Niko's main method of communication will be a mobile phone and for the first time, the player will be able to call other characters, rather than wait for them to call you.

While, it's difficult to tell from the released screenshots, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center are absent (the game is set in the 'now') and Rockstar has stated that that while it would be impossible to ignore the events of 9/11 the story would more likely satirise the way that people have sought to capitalise on the tragedy rather than address it directly. Which leads us on to planes, or lack of them.