GTA 5
GTA 5 beginner's guide: everything to know before you start
Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5) is still one of the best open-world games around, and it's a great warm-up for GTA 6. Here's what we'd tell a friend starting it today.
Story Mode or GTA Online?
Start with Story Mode. It teaches you the controls and tells a complete story. GTA Online is a separate multiplayer game with its own money and progress.
Your three characters
| Character | Special ability | Best at |
|---|---|---|
| Michael | Slows time while shooting | Gunfights |
| Franklin | Slows time while driving | Getaways |
| Trevor | Takes less damage and deals more | Chaos and flying |
Switch whenever you're free to. Each one has their own money, cars and side missions.
Five habits that help
- Save at your safehouse bed, or quick save from your phone.
- Use your phone. It's how you buy cars, make calls and use cheats.
- Get armour before big missions. Ammu-Nation sells it, and it saves restarts.
- Don't blow your cash early. The biggest fortunes come from the stock market and the final heist.
- Practise at the airfield. Flight School is worth doing before the missions that need it.
Will cheats ruin my game?
No, but they turn off trophies and achievements for that session, and there's no money cheat. See all the cheats.
What next?
- Finished the story? Try the 100% checklist.
- Choosing an ending? Read the ending guide, but only when you get there.
Getting around Los Santos
- Set a waypoint on the map, and your route will appear on the mini-map.
- Taxis save time. You can skip the journey once you're in the car.
- Each character keeps a personal vehicle, which you can recover from the impound if it's lost.
Keeping the police off your back
When you've got stars, get out of the flashing cones on your mini-map and stay hidden until the stars fade. Going to a spray shop changes your car's look, and that clears your wanted level if you're not being watched. Don't fight the police unless you have to, as more will keep coming.
How long is GTA 5?
The main story takes most people around 30 to 40 hours. Reaching 100% takes far longer, so it's worth pacing yourself and doing side missions when they interest you.
Should you do side missions?
Yes. Strangers and Freaks missions are some of the funniest in the game, and many lead to useful extras. They're marked with a question mark on the map. You don't have to do all of them straight away.