The Warriors

With just a few weeks to go until The Warriors is released on PS2 and Xbox, Rockstar has released some more details of what we can expect from your actual gameplay.

The Warriors, in case you didn't know, is based on Walter Hill's cult 1979 film and follows the adventures of a New York gang which has been wrongly accused of murder. They've got to make it all the way across town and back to Coney Island without getting decked - which is no easy task when every badass futhermucker in the city is after you.

Read on to find out more about some of the activities you can get up to along the way - including robbing car stereos, looting local shops and mugging innocent people. There's no word on any kind of happy slapping option yet, but we live in hope.

Petty larceny

Precision control is required here. Whenever you enter a petty larceny scenario, you'll be given onscreen instructions in how to proceed - usually by waggling the right analog stick or some such. Complete petty larceny missions to earn you cash for weapons, spray paint and Flash, an "amphetamine-type" street drug that restores health. Unlike actual amphetamine-type street drugs of course, unless feeling like your head is about to burst open like an egg in a microwave is a sign of health.

Scooping the loot

As you wander round the streets of New York you'll find all manner of shops displaying valuable goods - and they're yours for the taking. First off, you'll need to smash the shop window by chucking something at it or simply landing a firm punch.

Then, once the whole gang is inside, you can use the War Chief command 'Mayhem' to start your fellow Warriors smashing display cases and pocketing the loot.

Sometimes you'll come across a shop with an actual security system and you'll have to pick the locks. Do it right and the lock will spring open - do it wrong and you'll have to make a run for it before the police hear the alarm bells ringing.

Car crime

Once you've cleaned all the local shops out, you might like to try your hand at robbing a car stereo. This is easily done by breaking the window and unscrewing the stereo from the dashboard - but you've only got a limited amount of time to get all four screws off before someone sees what you're up to and calls the cops, or perhaps even decides to take you on themselves. Pesky neighbourhood watch, it seems there's no getting away from them - even in late seventies gangland New York. Boo.

Don't mug yourself

Mug someone else - it makes much more sense - using precision control to get them to hand over their cash. If they break free they'll run off and call the cops, so you'll have to give chase and then teach them a lesson.

Running the gang

You'll need to use War Chief commands to keep your gang in order and fight off rival gangs. This is done by pressing R2 to access the command menu, and then using the right analog stick to select an order. The other Warriors will follow your instructions without question, because that's how big and hard you are.

The commands you can issue are as follows:

WRECK 'EM ALL - Warriors will attack the nearest enemy, or at the very least find a weapon and get ready to rumble.

LET'S GO - Makes the rest of the Warriors follow you.

WATCH MY BACK - Your chums will defend the turf you're standing on and attack anyone who attempts to have a go.

MAYHEM - Everyone will go mental and smash anything and everything in sight, then raid busted up shops and cars for loot.

HOLD UP - Warriors will stop what they're doing and await your next command.

SCATTER - Useful when the police are on your tail, this command instructs the Warriors to split up and find places to hide.

So there you have it - a brief guide to just some of the exciting illegal activities and violent crimes that can be carried out in The Warriors. Read our preview for more info, or just buy a copy of the film, it's wicked.