Further delaying your start, as the video above shows, the customisation goes beyond being able to create characters so distinct and recognisable that they’re not going to bother with names floating above players’ heads - you’ll know someone when you see them. It also extends to tattoos, decals, clothes and vehicles. Creating designs in another in-game tool is so elaborate it looks like it should be its own £400 art software. Then with your created work, you can apply it as a skin tattoo, which will automatically absorb the pigmentation of the skin to which it’s applied, and adjust accordingly. It will naturally wrap itself around the part of the body to which it’s applied. Or perhaps you’d rather add it to clothing, where once again it is manipulated to look natural on the material to which it’s applied. Maybe you want it on your car - this time it will take on the sheen or shine of the vehicle, again appropriately wrapping itself to where you stick it, intelligently cutting itself off so it doesn’t obscure windows, windscreens, etc. You can then customise your vehicle, switch out body parts, wheels, even the in-car stereo.

The game? The game itself? This is where the truly astonishingly clever ideas appear. You’ll either play as a Criminal or an Enforcer. Each has a distinct style of play, and neither will ever have to sit in a lobby waiting for a game to play. With an intended 100 players on each server, the enormous city is also populated by NPCs who will play critical roles. Firstly they will serve as the city’s initial gangs, and give missions to players. Secondly, and far more interestingly, they also provide the means by which the game’s natural action flows. So let’s say you’re playing as a Criminal. You log into the city and want something to do right away. Why not steal a car? You may well get away with it. Take it out and go for a joyride, look for some trouble. Or you may not - you may get spotted by an NPC who will report the APB. Report it to other players playing as Enforcers. Who then come chasing after you.

Or perhaps you’re an Enforcer and you hear word of a bank that’s moving some money. They need security, so you show up to where it’s happening. But Criminals may get wind of this and attempt to steal that money during its journey. The result of this is the game naturally creating PvP missions for players without ever having to throw up a quest screen, or have you sit around waiting for a match. It’s just so smart. It means they’ve replaced AI players from the game with real world players.

These matches are asymmetrical. If you’re especially good, especially well equipped and known by the game to be part of an especially dangerous gang, it’s not going to send a couple of newbs after you. It’s going to report your crime to players who will present a challenge to you. This might mean it matches up two gangs of equal strengths. But it might just as easily send in a larger number of poorer players. And this will escalate. Say your gang of three manages to take out the three players it sent after you, it might then send five to get you. Then it might alert two gangs, then three. Keep winning and it will keep raising the challenge. The notion behind this is it rewards both sides. The players seeing the game send a dozen opponents after them will recognise the respect the game is showing them. The group of twelve sent after the gang of three will love the fact they’re so seemingly outnumbering their opponents.