GTA IV takes flight

If you're still lamenting the loss of flight in Grand Theft Auto IV then you might as well stop, because the game has helicopters after all.

That's according to Game Informer's Andrew Reiner, the only journalist who's seen the game running. "There are no airplanes in the game, but flying is still there. One means of this is the helicopter. As Dan [Houser, of Rockstar] pointed out, this is just one city and a plane really doesn't fit into that very well for gameplay. Flying is still very much a large part of the game," he told fan-site GTANet.

And while Reiner only got to see the game for 15 minutes, it was enough to convince him of its quality - and showcase some neat new features, like a new method of car-jacking. "From what I was shown, the only new element was breaking the window of the car to get in. The animation for this was awesome, and something I wish I had seen more than once," he revealed.

"The car I saw was newer in make - which was evidenced in both the beautiful crimson sheen and suspension that handled pot holes and variances in the road with ease. Now, I only saw one car, but it really did have that new car look to it. It'll be interesting to see how Rockstar handles the shocks and struts for other vehicles in the game."

Rockstar is still playing a lot close to its chest, but there was room for some clarification. You'll be able to go out with women and climb telephone poles for sure, and a cheeky smile or two hinted at returning characters, and the possible presence of boats. Meanwhile, it doesn't sound like you'll be able to build up a property portfolio the way you can in Vice City and San Andreas, and thankfully it also doesn't sound like main character Niko spends as much time in the gym as our old friend Carl Johnson.

Anyway, for more titbits, turn your eyes to GTANet, or check out the trailer on Eurogamer TV one more time. Because you have already seen it, right?