yup according to the game I work at a liquor store.

That's what the fully mapped new york city seems to show, other fine highlights include the fact that the spot where my college is...a building waiting to be occupied.

Good Points (keep in mind I'll be talking about the ps2 version)
-resolving street crime finally have a purpose besides raising your rank, it actually opens up stores.
-supposedly whether you're a good cop or a bad cop also changes what type of weaponry or vehicles you have access to (wouldn't know I pussed out and played good cop all the way)
-the transportation system(subways and taxis) in the game makes it so you don't have to drive from one end of the town to the other, it's a great touch hopefully other "urban" sandbox games will adapt
-the bonus game you get at 100% is mindlessly awesome


Bad Points
-"Non-issued" or "purchased" weapons is dropped when you arrest people or enter a vehicle
-even though you're a cop 95% of the time when you're solving street crimes...uniformed cops will brandish their weapons on you, unless you show a badge, it's a minor nuisance.
-The game is a lot more linear than the first, whereas the first one if you fail a mission you can continue on a different branch, the second one also gives you that option...if you fail the "interegation" portion...secrew up anything else you're forced to redo the mission.
-Dying in free roam still doesn't matter as you're not really penalized (only thing is whatever street crime you're pursuing becomes unresolved)
-Most will totally notice framerate hiccups
-A lot of perhiperal things (fighting styles, driving skills) are pretty useless.


it's a solid rent, especially for new yorkers just to check out all the stuff that did make it and what is put in place of it if it didn't.