Of all video games (except possibly Portal), I'd say that the Grand Theft Auto series is my favourite. It allows you to live the life of a criminal in a big city that you can freely explore and interact with and undertake missions if you want to follow the story. The games have a keen eye for pop culture and cutting wit when it comes to poking fun at society.
Grand Theft Auto IV is due for release on the 29th of April (sadly right in the middle of my 6 week holiday) and is set in the present in a version of New York City called Liberty City.
Recent news indicates that for the first time (officially) there will also be multiplayer options available in the game, allowing you to play cops'n'robbers with up to 15 other people online, making full use of the city environment, the various vehicles and weapons and whatever else they choose to throw in.
This is the list of multiplayer game modes that are believed to be coming:
1. Hangman's NOOSE
2. Car Jack City
3. Bomb da Base
4. Bomb da Base II
5. Mafia Work
6. Team Mafia Work
7. Deathmatch
8. Team Deathmatch
9. Turf War
10. Cops n Crooks
11. Race
12. GTA Race
13. Deal Breaker
14. Free Mode
15. (some other mode?)
# In Race and GTA Race, the host gets to decide which vehicles are involved, and the number of laps to be played. You can shoot and throw molotovs from the window, and even steal your rivals' car.
# In Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, the host gets to decide whether the police can intervene or not. The host also gets to decide the number of pedestrians, the amount of traffic, and the type of weapons.
# In Cops n Crooks, one team play as cops and the other play as criminals. The cops must stop the criminals from escaping. They can monitor the locations of the criminals on their GPS systems, while the criminals have no idea where the cops are.
# In Mafia Work and Team Mafia Work, you play as one of Kenny Petrovic's mafia henchmen. You must complete hits ordered by the boss (via the cellphone) before your rivals are able to do so.
# A single-player mission called "Hangman's NOOSE" features co-op. You and your friends will be able to escort a mobster, while being pursused by a SWAT team.
# The map used in multiplayer is the same map that is used for single player.
Can't wait.
There's also a stack of nifty media treats over on the official GTA IV website - including this recruitment video for the Liberty City police
