Twelve things the Game Informer cover story told us

The world

The headline is the weather. Leonida gets tropical storms and full hurricanes, driven by a dynamic wind system, so a sunny Vice City afternoon is never guaranteed. It is Florida's bad days as much as its postcards.

The map is the biggest Rockstar has built, roughly twice the size of GTA V's, and the north of the state is not filler. Rockstar talks about it with as much affection as the city, and its explanation for returning to Vice City is simple: it is the place that best fits a story about chasing the good life.

The wildlife

More than 170 animal species live across land, sea and air. Some of them are legendary animals that can be tracked down, which turns the swamps and the Keys into somewhere worth exploring rather than just driving through.

Jason, Lucia and everyone else

Whether Jason and Lucia fall for each other is partly up to you. The relationship is something you shape, not just something you watch in cutscenes.

The supporting cast is fuller than the trailers suggested, and the people on the street get the most attention Rockstar has ever given to NPCs.

Phones, heat and robberies

Your phone runs a lot of the game. Two in-world apps, RydeMe and WAiNK, came up by name, and Leonida's social-media obsession is built into how you get around and find trouble.

Robberies are planned and messy, and the police respond through a Heat system rather than a simple star count. The cover story also lists the activities confirmed so far, and is honest about a few things that might not make the launch.