Grand Theft Auto IV: Kikizo Preview 2
Kikizo's second massive first-hand preview of GTA IV is so detailed that we're a bit worried about our own mental health. Get your FULL update on the game of the year fresh from our extensive meeting with Rockstar.
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An interesting feature about the phone is Niko doesn't have to accept phone calls if he doesn't want to, but if someone is intent on reaching him, they'll become increasingly annoyed. This call we just took from the lawyers though, and when we set up the appointment with Karen, it automatically dropped that appointment into our organiser on the phone, to remind Niko when it's time. "We really want to use the phone as the primary gateway into Niko's life", explains Rockstar, "it's his contacts list, a daily calendar, organiser, text messages and camera, all working through his cellphone, and of course that's exactly how life is for most of us these days." It also helps to hide the game mechanics, in an interface that 99% of us are already intimately familiar with, of course.
Right now we've got a bit of time to kill until our appointment, so we're going to hail another cab and meet up with McReary in person, who has some other favours to ask.
"During our journeys, we made a note of the commercials we hear, and here's the first..."
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We exit the cab. Holding A makes Niko run at a good pace, although control layout is not finalised, and even changes from build to build during development. Still, the center of gravity that Niko has, and the very convincing, organic animation of his body tilting slightly when steering his direction, was still as impressive as the first time we saw it in May. In this scene, we hear birds singing, in a peaceful and relaxing pedestrianised area next to the river, with a circular water fountain area, views of the city and scrapers, and a glimpse of the Statue of Happiness quite close in the background. We see a yellow light cone representing an objective, and walk to it to trigger a cut scene.
In GTA IV, the cut scenes look better than ever, with up-close texture and animation detail on the characters' faces and bodies really shown off. Here the cut-scene is with Niko and McReary, who is wearing a black suit and tie, and sports a moustache and strong side parting in his slicked blonde hair. Niko still looks best though with his unshaven face, his eyes blink and flick left and right as he scans the horizon and they both lean against the railings overlooking the river. "Now we can really convey emotions and subtleties that weren't possible previously", comments Rockstar; the expressive body movement of both characters during the conversation is impressive, and the Statue of Happiness is in the background at Niko's five o'clock.
Rockstar told us that there are reasons for Niko being in Liberty City beyond just escaping his past, and in this scene, there is a plot spoiler, so the rep had to mute the TV for a few sentences of this section. (That means don't worry, there's no plot spoiler here). Here's the dialogue:
McReary: "Were you followed?"
Niko: "Hey, strange seeing you here, Officer McReary."
McReary: "I told you to come here, you fucking maggot!"
Niko: "You did? Why?"
McReary: "I know about you."
Niko: "Know what?"
McReary: "I know enough, boy."
Niko: "Oh, what do you know, boy?"
[Rockstar mutes the TV because of a plot spoiler in the dialogue]
Niko: "I don't know what you're talking about, chief."
McReary: "Do you think this is a town that can keep a secret?"
Niko: "I really don't know what you're talking about."
McReary: "Yeah you do. You know that a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. The people ain't perfect, their life is a mess..."
Niko: "Sure, everybody knows that."
McReary: "So. You look out for me, and I don't look out for you. Know what I mean?"
Niko: "I think so."
McReary: "So, there's a guy trying to blackmail me."
Niko: "Who?"
McReary: "I don't know. Thinks he's getting paid though. The guy's smart. He arranged to do the exchange by the Humboldt River off Silicon Street, said to call him from the viewpoint there."
Niko: "OK..."
McReary: "Listen, I did what I did. I made a mistake. That don't make me the devil. Now obviously I can't go, because then he gets a picture of me giving him money and then I'm admitting guilt. I ain't guilty of nothing, other than being a man."
Niko: "To be honest... I don't really care one way or another..."
McReary: "Call me when you get to the spot."
So, Officer McReary's asked Niko to retrieve a memory stick with compromising images of him from an unknown blackmailer. The only information McReary has is the blackmailer's location and his telephone number. So Niko's going to make his way to the viewpoint of this location at Union Drive East. He's going to phone McReary, who will then text Niko the phone number of the unknown blackmailer so Niko can call him and hopefully pick him out in the crowd. And once he knows who it is, he can do whatever is necessary to retrieve the memory stick.
(Continued...)
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