May 2008 edition of UK magazine XBOXWorld 360 has a 17 page preview with a few titbits of info. Some may be info you DON'T want to know yet so dont say i haven't warned you.
*First the controls
A - Run, Handbrake
B - Push, Cinematic Camera
X - Jump, Cycle Through Weapons
Y - Enter Car, Exit Car
Left Stick - Move, Steer
Right Stick - Camera, Aim
Click Left Stick - Crouch, Horn
Click Right Stick - Look Behind
LT - Lock On, Brake
RT - Shot/Attack, Accelerate
LB - Call Cab, Shoot
RB - Take Cover, Handbrake
D-Pad Up - Use Phone
D-Pad Left/Right - Cycle Weapons, Cycle Radio Stations
*Walking is handled by pressing and holding A, tapping A sends Niko into a sprint. Preview not sure how well this works at the moment, but reckons one could get used to it - bit weird from the sounds of it (why not just have analogue walking / running?)
*Niko grabs onto ledges automatically.
*Nikos martial arts are "courtesy" of former UFC heavyweight champ Bas Rutten, a scary Dutchman who is a qualified instructor and high level black belt in Thai Boxing, Pancrase hybrid wrestling, Kyokushin Karate and Tae Kwon Do.
*Smash head long into a wall and you run the risk of being propelled through the windscreen of the car.
*If you commit a crime in a car and "lose" the police they may set up roadblocks in a wide circumference around your position and then begin searching within that circumference - the previewer playing the game said switching cars, unseen, can get you out of the situation, as the police are looking for you in a particular car / on foot. If you drive sensibly you can even go past the police who are on the search for you.
*Cover system is fluid, blind firing is possible like GoW, and Niko rols between different adjacent forms of cover, and will stay locked to the wall until you move away.
*Day/Night cycles are 48 minutes (twice as long as previous GTA games, 1 RL min - 30 GTA mins).
*Cafes and Delis serve food to regain health, and is also used to conduct business and social engagements. Niko wont pack on pouns tho, like CJ.
*Police cars can be used to access their database computers to find phone numbers of anyone you get the name of ingame, even off the ingame internet (which includes mock versions of craigs list called "crap list"). So find a name (can also be found on flyers, scrawled on walls or signs), ring 911 to call a police car, hijack the car and hack the computer to find that persons number. Then give em a call to further the mission, get aid, arrange a date, stalk, whatver.
*Furthermore, you can snap any random person on your phones camera, upload them to the police car computer, and find their full profile and address.
*Any addresses you gleam from the police car computers wil be added to your GPS unit in any police, or upmarket car, and will give you full directions to the destination.
*Minigames include pool, darts, basketball, bowling, GoGo Space Monkey, golf driving range amongst "others".
*SA's RS Haul is back and will include missions centred around it, immigrant missions FTW!
*The Gruppe Sechs securicars are back also, but now theres a bigger emphasis on jacking them, nicking the money and destroying the evidence. Stealing them, and getting away from the aftermath is described as "tough" though.
*There is speculation within the preview (read SPECULATION) that there is strong hints that you will be able to upload your photos taken with the mobile, to other GTA IV players. (Why you would want to, i dont know)
*Stallion and Comet are definitely in, the Shtzu NRG500 has been replaced by the FASTER (!!!) NHG900RR.
*There will be a full indoor shopping centre in Alderney with clothes shops, food shops and more.
*The news tickers around Star Junction (Times Square) and elsewhere, will update all the time, including descriptions of perpetrators - including you.
*The Hot Coffee incident is referenced in the poster for Bean Machine Coffee signs everywhere - th eposition of the beans being no accident apparently.
*Flushing Meadows is featured in its entirety. As is a recreation of Astroland at Coney Island. Rides such as the Corpse Ride and Cyclone Rollercoaster (renamed The Screamer) can be tested (!!!), and the major tourist spots will play a part in some missions.
*There are a variety of games to play in the Videogeddon Arcade - keep an eye out for people and posters attacking violent video games.
*The LCPD badge worn by all officers has a silouhetted logo of 2 cops dragging a guy by his legs away.
*As well as the subway and taxis, you can also take a ride in the skytram.
*The incar shooting mechanics have finally been "nailed" according to the preview - takes some practice, but it really works now.
*You can listen to the radio in the multiplayer lobby. Once you get an updated MP3 phone, you can also carry on listening to the music on foot, ingame.
*You can blow up an entire petrol station with rocket launchers. (Was in a multiplayer segment, unknown if its SP too, or if it "respawns").
*Races are not limited by the car you start off in, can switch cars mid race.
*In a nod ot Mario Kart et al, you can pick up new weapons by driving over their respective floating icons - there is also a pure racing mode with no weapons.
*Your health is represented by a bar around the compass (as is the armour) and also by 8 blocks around the targetting reticule. Holding a triger down halfway will allow you to free aim. for the head etc.
*AI shooting is based on true line of sight schematics, if they cant see you, they really cant hit you. Being in cover also removes you from the radar - interesting for mp!
*While you can call a cab after a failed mission, you can also use the mobile to instantly restart the mission.
*Theres a massive 6 page section on the multiplayer alone, not with anything really that new, but they describe it, among other things, as sublime. They didnt expect anything, they were surprised by how complete a package it is.
*They did say that friendly fire, police prescence, traffic levels, ped numbers, respawn times, auto aim, weapon types, time of day, aiming reticule size, voice chat, gamertag display, duration of match, team numbers and format and radio station selection can be changed amongst other things.
*Killing gets you cash, BUT you need to collect the cash from the bodies - sniping campers beware!
*If you time it well enough, you can leap onto and cling to the undercarriage of a helicopter taking off by AI.
*There WONT be a recreation of Bronx Zoo in South Bohan, dogs are in the game though.
*You can get onto the top of most of the iconice towers, including Empire State, Chrysler, Metlife (Getalife), and Hearst Towers. At the top theres incredibly no pop up. At all. Apparently.
*City wide terrorist threat is the reason why the bridges will be cordoned off until you get beyond a certain mission point. This time its perfectly possibly to TRY and get across the bridge, but that large number of stars instantly appearing on your screen might mean you wont make it across, alive.
