Not content with the recklessness of our driving we try some on-the-move shooting. We squeeze the left bumper button, Niko smashes the car window, sticks out his arm and automatically starts blasting away wildly. There's no auto-targetting when firing in-car, so its effectiveness relies totally on your right stick free-aiming skills. Niko can shoot ahead, to the side and behind. Driving, aiming and shooting at the same time is a fiddly business, but it does look totally gangster. A 'centre camera' option would be good for angle-panning moments like this, but there isn't one.

Understandably, shooting from cars makes the LCPD angry and we quickly pick up cop heat. It's a shame Niko can't just roll with his piece resting out the window without shooting, but still. Evading the police with a one or two star wanted level is a breeze and we easily escape the search radius and give them the slippery finger.

Just as we're anticipating our next move, Niko's cell phone rings. We answer. It's someone called Michelle asking if Niko wants to hang out. The Rockstar rep asks us to decline the invitation. Niko says "I'm kind of in the middle of something. Maybe some other time." Michelle is obviously disappointed. She hangs up. Niko's phone is a busy little bastard, buzzing away at regular intervals. In the time we're exploring we also receive calls from Niko's cousin Roman, small-time Russian heavy Vlad, and dreadlocked gun-dealer Little Jacob. It's quite the social network.

With no particular place to go, but with a real hankering to explore, we pause the game and pull up the map screen. We spot a clothes shop, a Pay 'N' Spray and a safe house. We set a waypoint for the safe house. The GPS displays using the on-screen radar, showing the requested route. It works well and makes finding the destination super easy, although we notice that it strictly adheres to main roads - often ignoring alleyways that would make ideal shortcuts. It also respects one way systems, so while it'll be a great guide, there'll be benefits to completely ignoring its route-planning wisdom.

A blue, innocuous looking person-shaped icon suddenly appears on the radar, the watchful Rockstar rep asks us to avoid going any further along that particular road. We change course and the GPS promptly readjusts accordingly. What's the deal with the icon? Rockstar's not telling, so for now it remains a mystery. Intriguing.