When you take into account that the first GTA was partially inspired by Atari’s 1987 top-down racing game APB there’s something quite cosy about the name of Realtime Worlds cops ’n’ robbers MMO. By referring, quite subtly, to the arcade origins of its own GTA roots it’s totally separated itself from the complexities of (and comparisons to) Niko Bellic and Rockstar. APB isn’t jumping on the GTA bandwagon; it is the GTA bandwagon reaching out over the internet, and it’s one of the most impressive games we've seen this year.

APB will be like Counter Strike in an open urban world; teams of Pacinos versus De Neros in (and on) Heat instead of mercs. Players choose whether they’re for or against the law, and off they go robbing banks, eating Scooby snacks or upholding the law in groups. It’s beautiful in its simplicity. When a Gang of online players commit a crime like robbing a liquor store (all criminals start off petty), an All Points Bulletin is released and Law Enforcement players are notified. Experience points aren’t awarded for successful robberies because money will be central to this role-playing experience, while abilities with guns and cars will be down to player skill.

A Gang could start off rolling convenience stores with knives and bats and spend the money improving their arsenal and vehicles to the point where they can take on heavily protected banks. Successful criminals will see their notoriety rise and therefore be more sought after. This should provide a natural, almost Darwinian, levelling process where experienced Gangs with military hardware are hunted by promoted and thereby suitably equipped Law Enforcement officers, and fresh-faced criminals will face the wrath of a Police Academy of newcomers.

Interestingly, GTA was originally going to be about a cop catching criminals, something impossible to resolve in a game in which it was difficult to not at least occasionally run over civilians. Since only the basics of the PC version of APB was shown at E3, no 360 specifics are concrete, but still we’re concerned about how naughty players who can’t behave are going to act in the city. Will cops get reprimanded for occasionally knocking down Hari Krishnas? Will bad lieutenants just scour the city looking for ‘n00b’ Gang players to harass?

Presumably a focused defence from co-operating players will make Rambos easy prey, and a cop shooting a Gang member who doesn’t have an APB will be demoted, but a 24-hour city that carries on even when you’re not there could facilitate players who just want to cause mayhem, even if they do get a slap on the wrist, even if they get booted from Live forever. Some people just want to watch the world burn, and if you’ve spend thousands of dollars (and therefore tens of game hours) improving your car (and you can, in minute detail) you really don’t want some idiot to set it on fire when you’ve just popped out to get a haircut.

APB’s character customisation system utilises the same technology used by the game’s designers, and every conceivable detail of a human can be altered, right down to the thickness of veins, the position and density of moles and the composition of tattoos. Realtime has already demonstrated recognisable Peter Molyneux’s and Shiguru Miyamotos running about its world, but once you’ve designed your character, and you could spend hours tweaking and pulling it to perfection, it’s set.

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