(Death) Match Point
We’ve been waxing lyrical about the pioneering multiplayer modes, but sometimes it’s worth reflecting on the sheer brilliance of a good old Deathmatch. After all, we’ve been getting our kicks fragging one another online for years, so where better to take things to the next level than Liberty City? A neat option is ‘Police Presence’ - if you whack it on, your grievous misdeeds to fellow players and citizens will result in your heat meter rocketing through the roof. To escape, you’ll need to get outside of the grey perimeter and cower for ten seconds in order for the police to move their attention onto someone else. The game is based on line-of-sight, aided by the fact that locking to covers vanishes you from the radar. So, steer clear of the fuzz and you should be alright. Er, should.

Other details

As well as island hopping, you’ll be able to modify your multiplayer parameters to your heart’s content. We’re talking stuff like friendly fire, police presence, traffic levels, number of pedestrians, respawn times, auto aim, weapon types, time of day, aiming reticule size, voice chat, Gamertag display, duration of match, team numbers and format - plus, the all important radio selection. Phew! If you can’t find a combination that suits your own particular tastes from that lot, then you’ve got Grade A problems. Fact.

In multiplayer, cash is often king and the difference between winning and losing. You’ll earn dollars for offing the opposition, but victims also hemorrhage cash wherever they’re slain. So, in theory, while you might not take out as many people as your rivals, youcould still win the round because you swiped more discarded wonga - it’s $100 per kill (what price for a human life?), and then whatever you scavenge from your and others’ victims. Cue some dastardly tactics and much banter through the headsets...