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I saw a small one line blurb on an online game site about stealing cars and decided, what the hell, I'll let it download overnight.  About 2 weeks later a friend came over and was playing the Myth demo on my computer and wanted something else to play.  I started going through the demos I had downloaded and mentioned something about Grand Theft Auto.  I had not installed it yet, and frankly was not expecting much, but he seemed interested so I installed it.  Four hours later we pried ourselves away from the demo and we have been addicted ever since.  Never before have I had a line of people waiting to play a game, but then again, never before has there been a game quite like this.  If you have not checked out the demo yet, DO IT NOW!!!  

I have played both of the 3DFX demos (be warned these only work with the VooDoo chipset currently and will NOT run on the VooDoo Rush chipset.  According to the DMA, a patch is in the works to correct this).  

You start the game by first choosing a character and then changing the name of that character, if you so choose.  As far as I've seen character choice does not effect how the game plays, it only affects what name is placed on the top 3 public enemies list should you beat one of the 3 top scores.  

The first demo lets you play for 6 minutes within Liberty City where you receive your missions from a set of pay phones just south of a large park.  The missions I've encountered so far include, stealing a car and taking it to a specific location, driving a get-away car for a bank robber, stealing a motorcycle used to run narcotics, driving a tanker truck rigged with a bomb to the police station to take out the chief of police, stealing 2 yellow cabs and running them to a crane on the docks, and performing a hit.  

The second demo let you play for 5 minutes within San Andreas where you have to try and kill 5 federal agents within 5 minutes.  

After you get into the game it becomes obvious that running around the city on foot is not how the game is intended to play.  You can drive any vehicle in the game by simply pulling the driver out of the car and taking it for your own.  You will also notice that a yellow arrow is right next to your character indicating the direction your next mission is in.  After you complete a mission you will receive a new mission and your arrow will guide you appropriately.  There is no in game map to guide you, only the arrow, so becoming a aquatinted with the city will improve your overall performance.  

The level of detail is very good and the graphics really put you in the atmosphere of the game.  The roadways especially look like actual overhead shots of roads. They show wear and use, and even the sewer grates have discolorations around them.  There are various objects to interact with such as barricades, traffic cones, and potted plants.  You will also leave tire tracks if you take a turn or stop quickly.  As you ram into things your cars appearance will change with dents and scratches appearing wherever you got hit and it will run less reliably.  As you drive along you will pass under elevated train tracks, grates, fire escapes, and cat walks that are far above the city streets.  The one thing I would like to see added to the graphics engine is the ability to have a little camera control.  There were a few times that I wish I could have zoomed in or out, but for the most part it is not necessary.  

The graphics are great but the sound is even better.  If you drive up on the sidewalk for instance, people will scream out expletives or run for their lives screaming in terror.  If you walk down the street and run into someone they will also respond appropriately.  The voices are well recorded and even have an echo effect making the in game experience that much better.  As convertibles drive by you will hear the bass from their speakers trail off as they drive away from you.  Even the car doors sound authentic and real, just as if you were standing right next to the car.  The only complaint I had about the sounds is that some of the cars seem like they could have had more authentic sounds.  Don't get me wrong, the car engine sounds are for the most part great, but there are a few that could be better.  

I downloaded the demo so it had no music, but from what I've heard there will be a variety of cd music in the game from well known recording artists.  It is rumored also that the music will change from car to car.  You may be listening to techno in one car, but if you get out the music will stop until you get into another car which may have its radio tuned to a country & western station.  You can of course change the radio station in case the owner of the car you jumped into has poor taste in music.  

The police AI seems fairly good also, although it can be quirky at times.  As you commit more crimes the police may soon come looking for you, but nothing attracts them  more than plowing over a group of citizens.  Plow over 3 or more and they will start looking for you, get out of your car and start gunning down the local populace and you will soon be on the most wanted list. The local authorities will put up barricades, they will speed ahead of your car and try and cut you off, and if they get close enough they will yank you out of the car and arrest you, but don't worry you will soon be back on the street breaking the law once again.  

I have been playing the two 3DFX demos for about 2 weeks now and haven't played much else.  The demo is DEFINITELY worth the minimal download time.  

According the DMA web site the worldwide release date is November 28th.  
  

Music	NA
Sound	99%
Graphics	95%
Playablity	98%
Multiplay	NA
Score	97%