Sounds great!
We've been playing around with an early version of the game and it certainly adds a whole new layer to the gameplay. As does the other stuff.

Such as?
Remember in GTA how you could get into any vehicle and drive it around? Well, in GTA 2 the size of the vehicles you can drive depends on how many you've got in your party. As you progress through the game, if you've pleased a gang enough they'll reward you with some sidekicks who'll protect and look after your character. This means if you've got a gang of six, you're going to need to steal buses or estate cars or whatever to fit 'em all in - you can't just jump into a mini and pootle off.

Lawks! What about the police? Are they still dumb?
Not by a long chalk. There are now four levels of law-enforcement in the city, including military police, but even your basic coppers will now chase you all over the city. It's no good giving a cop car the slip and getting out and legging it because the plod will jump out and come after you on foot too.

Sounds like they've taken the basic GTA premise and kind of beefed it up a bit.
Doesn't it just.

* Different gangs all vying for power
* The cops' AI has been completely overhauled
* It's gorgeous to look at now
* Cunning missions utilising the game's new features
* Hasn't the novelty worn off a bit?