Grand Theft Auto IV will be arriving in only a few short days so you better get yourselves prepared. Are you sure you can keep up with Niko Bellic? Here's some brain food from us to you: Everything you need to know about Rockstar's upcoming GTA game. Head over to the full article for the second of our two-part feature on Grand Theft Auto IV, where we talk about the game's combat system, missions, multiplayer modes, and more!

If you wanted to find out more about Grand Theft Auto 4's (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3) multiplayer mode, then you're in luck. Some scans from the Spanish version of the PlayStation Magazine has revealed a lot of information about this feature that fans of the series may want to know about. Head on over to the full article.

With all the survival horror games out in the market, Alone in the Dark producer Nour Polloni was able to state that the game will be able to reclaim its title as the best horror game through its unique gameplay, ability to build tension, and its graphics. Find out more on the interview after the article.

Wondering what sort of innovations (aside from the stunning visuals) Take-Two Interactive has lined up for us when they finally release Grand Theft Auto 4 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360?

The devs have recently featured a demo for this upcoming title, revealing some new features we imagine you guys would like to know. They're listed in the the full article.

 

Here's something you've been itching for: new details straight from IGN's preview of Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox 360, PS3). From what we've been hearing, GTA IV isn't just all about hype - looks like Rockstar will really deliver a phenomenon as promised.

Some of the info listed have been revealed before, but we're sure that a snippet or two will catch your interest. Summing up IGN's report, here is what's hot with GTA IV:

• Star Junction, Rockstar's version of Times Square, is very lively. Pedestrians are more realistic, performing various activities like smoking, reading, eating, or dialing phones while not paying attention.
• Cabs can take you anywhere, call them anytime by whistling.
• Every street has a name.
• Internet can be accessed from any working computer. Browse various sites, use online dating services, and even send resumes online.
• After sending a resume, it normally takes some time before getting a response (must be one of the time specific missions Rockstar was talking about).
• Missions will require some investigative elements.
• Shooting people is more realistic, matching the game's look.
• Cops have a circular area of given radius depending on the severity of the crime, must get outside radius to remove wanted stars.

More after the jump!

A few months before it starts wreaking havoc on the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Sony PlayStation 3,Grand Theft Auto IV details have already begun circulating throughout the gaming community. We already know quite a lot, but GamePro Germany has a little bit more to add. Check these out and see if any of these details ring a bell:

1. Multiple animations when breaking into cars- Rather than the usual punch-and-throw animation, Rockstar says that there will be several more realistic scenes witnessed when Niko tries to hop aboard a vehicle he intends to steal. This includes breaking the window open with an elbow shot and looking to check for potential witnesses while he hotwires a car.

2. Less unrealistic gameplay bells and whistles- Developers say that unrealistic markers and arrows will be minimized and other in-game devices will be employed to give direction to players. Do we smell GPS here?

3. Every street will have a name- Developers are still deliberating on the prospect of whether or not they should give every street a name which will be displayed onscreen when you enter it. Another issue which we already know of is still undecided: Whether or not the city will be fully accessible from the beginning or not.

4. Xbox 360 vs PS3- Dan Houser of Rockstar says that the idea is to not have any hint of bias towards any of the platforms. He says there won't be any differences between the versions for each console.

5. Downloadable extras- Rockstar reveals that there will be some freebies, but there will be some things you have to pay for too.

We certainly like what we're hearing and from the looks of it, we may have a more realistic crime spree than ever. We've already seen the screens, so we know it'll look good. The only thing left to find out is that if Niko and his city stacks up to his older brothers from consoles past.

Popular Mechanics asks that question: how does the technology used by Capt. Mitchell and his Ghosts stack up to that used by the Army today?

Okay, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 is a (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, PSP) game, so there are compromises made so that it can be played by someone who hasn't gone through boot camp or Ranger School or its equivalents. Still, with the Tom Clancy prefix as a hallmark for researched (and at least plausible) realism, PopMech wanted the comparison.

The closest equivalent and real-world inspiration to CrossCom 2.0 and the rest of the Ghosts' combat system is the US Army Land Warrior System, a similar integration of high tech and hot lead. Of course, the plausible-fictional tech of 2013 is most certainly a (fictional) step forward from the still-being-evaluated tech of 2007, but there are drawbacks that bite into their tactical utility. For example:

• While CrossCom's ability to keep track of friendly assets is real-time, Land Warrior's equivalent GPS tracking was found to have a lag time "of at least a minute." It's better used as a strategic tool to help in the deployment of large forces in conventional warfare, than at the squad-level urban combat as in GRAW2.
• Land Warrior literally is a load on a grunt's shoulders: that plus the soldier's basic load equals eighty pounds to heft - and it affects his movement. Ghost tech certainly didn't feel that heavy to Capt. Mitchell.
• PopMech suggests it's going to take a massive leap in real-world AI for a computer to tell the difference between a neutral and a bad guy, and superimpose a red "Shoot Me" diamond on the bad guy, as it's done in GRAW2.

To be fair - and not fair as in "the tech will get smaller and lighter, the AI will become smarter" that PopMech used - GRAW was deigned to be playable, so even if it draws its inspiration from real-world equivalents like Land Warrior, because it's still a game, accessibility and fun factor are still priorities over "unflinching realism". On the other hand, PopMech's suggestion that

it's time for a game where military planners make mistakes, high-tech gear falls short in the field, and warfare feels as visceral, as uncertain and as terrifying as it always has been

might not be too bad either. The high-tech really is ultimately meant to make the soldier's job easier (or at least more survivable). It would be interesting (if not pants-wetting harrowing) to see a GRAW where the tech ultimately fails you in the middle of a firefight.

Creativity and uniqueness always score brownie points in a game. In Test Drive Unlimited, not only are you offered with awesome experiences and challenges, but you are also afforded this opportunity to jazz up your performance and appeal by visiting the car and bike dealers scattered all over the island. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Aston Martin are only but a few of the high-end names in dealerships you can rub elbows with, in addition to the access you'll have to the actual manufacturer's options. Here, the choice is in your hands if you'd change your rims, paint, or interiors.

Test Drive Unlimited also takes you into the glamorous world of car and bike collection, with 90 vehicles on the DVD alone, and more coming from the online marketplace. But of course, you can't just keep on collecting these toys if you don't have enough storage for them! So to add to that pimped up factor, apart from collecting those phat automobiles, you also get to collect luxury homes! The island is a pretty tight neighborhood with a tight selection of celebrity homes for that almost-celebrity lifestyle you'll be living. 60 houses on the island makes for a pretty exclusive subdivision. Of course, your character needs to be dressed for the part, so you also get to edit your appearance with the editor available in your dressing room, which contains tons and tons of your designer wears!

The game itself pretty much takes you on a ride through everyday life: dressing up, picking which car to drive (alright, so that one is more of a fantasy), driving out, and looking for ways to spice up your day. Here is where the challenges come in.

On the general map, you can find the hotspots for all the raving challenges, building, players and bookmarks. That would be on the first layer. On the second layer, it functions more as an info editor of some sort as you are able to specify specific elements you want viewed (available challenges, gained achievements, unlocked challenges, etc).

To help you get to that race you so want to conquer, the GPS is there to aid you find it in the shortest possible time, weaving you through the quickest routes for you to have that grand entrance. While the storyline may be found to be a bit reminiscent of PS2's Need For Speed Underground (you come from the airport, drive around in a borrowed car, pimp your ride at the shops, enter races and collect cars), TTU adds and offers so much more to auto racing and collecting!

With all these features onboard, Test Drive Unlimited brings in a whole new meaning of pimping up your ride, and your lifestyle!