Tiscali Games - Latest Tips

The mean streets of Liberty City are no place for a rookie! Tiscali Games has teamed up with BradyGames, the creators of the official guide to GTA IV, to offer you a handy selection of top tips to become lord of Liberty City.

Keep your flak jacket topped up
It may sound boring but the $500 you spend on a bullet proof vest will be the wisest investment you make in Liberty City. Find it in any backstreet gun traders and buy one before you get that snazzy micro SMG.

Use the cover position
Facing heavy fire? Press the right shoulder buttons to adopt a cover position new to this episode of GTA IV. You can then either fire blindly or be patient and lock on to a target while still remaining in cover yourself.

Don't go to work on an empty stomach
Health is received by eating food but it's all too easy to lose track of your health metre in the heat of the moment. Before arriving at any new mission why not stop off at a street vendor or cheap burger joint to stock up on much needed carbs.

Losing the heat
You no longer have to rely quite as much on Pay n' Sprays to lose your Wanted Level. To lose the Wanted Level now all you have to do is escape the wanted zone - but the more stars means more heat and a larger zone to drive out of.

Take to the skies
In the early levels stealing a helicopter isn't only a nice way to travel but it's also a great way to lose your Wanted Level without being shot at!


Play nice
The best way to keep a clean wanted level is to not shoot at cops. In the early stages at least they can be pretty much avoided meaning your Wanted Level remains at minimal stars.

Taxi!
Want to plough through the game without ploughing into parked cars? Hail a cab. A new innovation to the series allows you to whistle a taxi, jump in as a passenger and instruct the cabbie where to take you. It saves time and a lot of lives.

Trains
You can catch the El-Train or subway and get to the next borough in moments - ideal for losing minor Wanted Levels. As with cabs you can choose to skip the trip although the train rides do offer spectacular views.

Helicopters
The standard Maverick chopper is available to steal from the Helitours location in Algonquin and from a private heli-pad in northwest Alderney. Heavily armed Annihilators appear on top of a police building in northeast Algonquin and in the northern area of Francis International Airport.

Not on the job
Dateable women only answer their phones when Niko is between missions. Once you've triggered a mission, any call to a girlfriend goes right to her answering machine until after you complete or fail your task.

.com romance
If you're having difficulty getting on with in-game girls then drop into one of the many Internet Cafes and try your luck online - there's plenty more fish in the sea!

.Mr Lover Lover
Niko can date as many woman as are available at your current point in the game. At most you can date one 'story' woman (Michelle or Kate) and three Internet women. Of course, it's quite a challenge to give that many women enough attention to remain in all of their good graces while still proceeding with missions.

Flying Rats
Flying Rats are the term used for pigeons. There's 200 that need to be eliminated by any means possible throughout the game, just listen for the tell-tale 'coo'. Why bother shooting the feathered friends? Wiping out all 200 unlocks the Annihilator - a helicopter with more heavy weaponry than you could shake a chain gun at.

Trigger Happy
Auto targeting is often very handy but every so often the system picks up a target that you don't want to shoot at. For total control squeeze the trigger halfway and move the cross-hair. Voila! You're now able to aim where you please.

Tooled Up
If you're running short on money and weaponry make sure you stay friends with Little Jacob. All the best weapons go through this colourful character; although the cheapest way is to take them from the hands of dead gangsters.

Health and ammo
Dial GTA-555-0100 (482-555-0100) to restore Niko to full health and a complete complement of ammo.

Weapons
Dial GUN-555-0150 (486-555-0100) to unlock some seriously heavy new weapons, including an RPG, grenades, a sniper rifle and a baseball bat.

Lose the heat
Dial COP-555-0100 (267-555-0100) to remove Niko's wanted level if you've got too many of Liberty City's finest on your tail.

Gain the heat
Dial COP-555-0150 (267-555-0150) to add a star to Niko's wanted level if it's all proving just a bit too easy for your criminal mastermind.

Grab a chopper
Dial FLY-555-0100 (359-555-0100) to spawn a police helicopter.

Change the weather
Dial HOT-555-0100 (468-555-0100) to change the weather in Liberty City.

Drifting
To drift Lay on the normal brake first for a quick controlled slowdown , then add in the handbrake as you turn while releasing the normal brake. This should adequately slow your vehicle down , then break your rear traction and spin the back end of your vehicle into the direction you are heading. Drifting through corners gives you sharper, faster turns.

Losing the heat
If you get a Wanted Level before racing the start line you must lose it or you may miss the chance to race. If you head toward the starting line while trying to ditch the cops the other racer may get skittish and take off.

Race Scores
Check out the Stats menu under 'Score' to see how many races you've won and lost as well as your record time in each race. This helps you track which of the nine races you still need to beat for 100% completion of the game.