GTA V is jam-packed full of cool features and things to do. We’ve been playing Rockstar’s latest open-world game religiously over the weekend and we’ve chosen just 10 things that you may not have heard about just yet.
There are mild spoilers ahead so don’t read on if you don’t want to know.
1. Heists are even more brilliant than you think
The way GTA V handles heists is excellent. Pulling off the perfect robbery isn’t always about going in all guns blazing; it’s about careful planning and execution. In GTA V there’s an engaging build up to each heist. You’ll stake out the building that you plan to rob. In the first heist, for instance, Michael and his team plan to steal jewels from a well-secured Jewellery store.
You head down to a local store to kit yourself out with a nice suit, have meetings with the surveillance guy on your team before getting fitted with some equipment that allows you take photos from inside the store. Finally, you pose as a customer while taking snaps of the security that you’ll need to bypass.
You then have to carry out missions to get the necessary equipment to help you, such as stealing a van full of tear gas. You then choose who you want to come with you on the mission, picking from a selection of characters who have skills in areas such as driving or shooting. Finally, you have two options to choose from – whether to take a heavy approach or a smart one. This will determine how the heist plays out. Heists are entertaining, fun and designed to get your adrenaline pumping.
2. Impress the girl at the strip club and bring her home
There’s now more interaction in the strip clubs. Ask one of the ladies for a private dance and you can rub your hands all over her body to fill up a ‘Like’ meter. Be careful though as the doorman is watching from behind the curtains. You need to time your molestation perfectly whenever he moves away from the door. If he catches you too many times you get thrown out (though we do find the best way to combat that is to return armed with a machine gun to enact revenge). The idea is to compliment the stripper and feel her body until the meter is full. If that happens, you may get to take her home.
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3. Buy additional weapons with real money micro-transactions from Ammu-Nation
We believe that once the GTA V servers get switched on, players will be able to walk into Ammu-Nation, access the PlayStation Store and buy certain items. In one store we visited there was the option to access the PS Store while buying a weapon. It’s going to quite tempting early on to buy these weapons too. In one early mission we needed a pump-action shotgun but didn’t have enough in-game cash. The temptation to just purchase it from the store rather than work for it in game is going to be a temptation for many. We’re unsure whether this feature will be available at launch. It’s great to see that Ammu-nation is stocked full of upgrades for weapons. From suppressors to flashlights, there’s plenty of opportunity to pimp your weapons.
4. Customise your number plates
For the first time in GTA you can customise your number plates. You can do this through the iFruit app on iPhone and iPad.–“Download the iFruit app on your personal smartphone or tablet” it tells us. We’ve had a look on our smartphones and can’t yet find it so maybe it will be available after launch. We also don’t know at this point to what extent we can customise.
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5. Control a sexually frustrated Rottweiler and change his behaviour via an app
Franklin has a Rottweiler called Chop who he can call on to search for hidden packages, help sniff out hidden enemies and maul them if requested. Chop, however, does get distracted easily and goes off humping any bitches he finds, but you’ll be able to train him and improve his behaviour via an app. Like license customisation this will be done via the iFruit app for iPhone and iPad.
6. Use the snap-o-matic to take pictures anywhere and upload to the social club
In GTA V you can take pictures of anything at any time and immediately upload them to the Rockstar social club for others to enjoy. This is done via the in-game cell phone. There are some amazing sights throughout Los Santos to snap. Whether you’re standing on the hills above the Vinewood sign and looking over the city or at the top of the big wheel on the end of the pier, there’s no shortage of nice things to ogle at.
7. Trade in stocks and shares and make some serious cash
We’ve already purchased a $10000 stake in a Burger Chain in Los Santos and we can watch its performance on the share market via the LCN (offline) or BAWSAQ (online) stock exchange on the mobile phone. The tip here is to buy low and sell high. It’s going to be an excellent way to win (and lose) money and a great way for players to try and get the cash to buy that luxurious mansion they’ve been dreaming about. Players can even influence the BAWSAQ figures!
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8. Buy properties and earn from them
There are many properties you can buy in GTA V. You can pick up a car crushing business that earns money each time a car is crushed in Los Santos, buy an aeroplane hangar and score cash each time you bring in deal, or buy a dream house for mega bucks and rent it out. You might instead decide to invest in a marijuana shop, a brothel and much more. These properties are cool to have on your property portfolio but can also generate much needed capital with most properties giving you a weekly return.
9. Smoke dope, get high and kill aliens
GTA V is full of great side missions. One of our favourite ones so far is meeting up with a guy who is petitioning for the legalisation of weed. He invites you to smoke a joint with him which makes you hallucinate. Michael sees aliens all around him and you’re tasked with shooting them before they melt your brain. If you do well, you get a boost in your shooting skills. There are many missions that help boost certain attributes, including the excellent triathalon races to help increase stamina.
10. Character switching is awesome
Once you’ve been introduced to all three characters you can switch in-between them outside of missions. The camera pulls out above the head of your characters and then pans across the city toward your chosen character. It hovers above the city for a few sections before zooming down and into the new character’s body. It feels like the new character really has been just getting on with his own life while you haven’t been in control because when you activate him again he’s always in the middle of something.
There’s also instances in the game where you need to help each other out and are forced to switch. One example is when Michael holds someone hostage around the neck but is surrounded by gun-men. Switching to Trevor with his sniper rifle allows you to take them out.
There are also times you can switch between them just to get a different viewpoint on a current mission, or partake in a different task. In a helicopter scene, for example, you can use Trevor to fly, or Michael to shoot out of the window. The transition is seamless.
Stay tuned for PSU’s GTA V review.