First Look - Grand Theft Auto IV multiplayer

With Grand Theft Auto IV due out April 29, RockStar has finally let loose details of the game's four multiplayer modes (the main reason for the big delay last year):

• Co-op (aka Hangman's NOOSE): Up to four players work together to complete short missions that offer a variety of possible paths.
• Deathmatch/Team Deathmatch: Up to 16 players, alone or in configurable teams, roam the city and try to mop up the most enemies and the cash they drop. Just like in real life, the one with most dollars at the end wins.
• Race/GTA Race: Up to 16 racers aim for checkpoints in open-ended, city-wide races reminiscent of Midnight Club with weapons.
• Mafiya Work/Team Mafiya Work - Up to 16 players, alone or teams, try to assassinate a target.
• Cops N Crooks: In a twist on the mercs and spies multiplayer dynamic from Splinter Cell, the criminals work toward a marked finish line but can't see the cops. The cops can see the criminals on their police radar but don't know where they're going. Up to 16 can play.
• Free Mode: Basically, a big sandbox for up to 16 players to create random chaos together. Do whatever you want. Have fun. Destroy things.

In addition, there are yet-to-be-detailed multiplayer modes called Car Jack City, Turf War and Deal Breaker, plus two Bomb da Base variants and a mysterious 15th mode. In all modes, the host can decide whether to open up the whole city or just a section of it and select weapons, weather, traffic conditions, time of day, auto-aim, friendly fire and more. And all of this is on top of the 50+ hour single player game. No wonder Hollywood is holding its breath to see if GTA IV can take down the Iron Man movie's opening weekend...