GTA 5 – all the new information in one handy round up

The GTA 5 GI issue is finally out and with it is loads of info. Here’s the whole game laid bare: everything from the three main characters, the new switching mechanic to change between them, minigames and plenty more.

Three main characters, (from left to right above):

• Trevor, a burned out trailer trash hick with constipation and a character described as “a deranged Dennis Hopper character”. He lives in Blaine County, a backwater desert region full of bikers and meth heads
• Michael, a retired bank robber, “living a lavish lifestyle thanks to an unconventional deal with the FBI”. He and Trevor appear to be old friends.
• Franklin, a repo man who hasn’t known the other two that long. First appears in Vespucci (Venice) Beach.

You can switch between each of the characters at anytime using a radial dial you call up on screen. Outside of missions you’ll find them going about their daily business when left unattended. We’re told you might be “surprised by the situations they find themselves in” when you check back on them. Inside missions switching offers you different options. One example gives you the choice between flying a helicopter in a chase, firing at pursuing choppers from the back or sniping from a nearby building. While each character has their own story arc playing as one can affect the others.

Other characters:

• Lamar – “Franklin’s Crazy friend. Described as “a lunatic version” of the more “serious and ambitious” Franklin.
• Jimmy – Michael’s son. “A whiney pot smoking 20-year-old kid”.
• Ron -Trevor’s best friend. “A paranoid conspiracy theorist living in the next trailer”.
• Amanda – Michael’s wife. He’s mistreated her in the past and they hate each other but are stuck together.

Each character has unique hobbies with Dan Houser talking of, “One or two key minigame activities per character”. Trevor will have access to planes “very early on”. Activities mentioned include, yoga, Triathlons, jet skiing, base jumping, bike riding, tennis and golf.

You can insult people. At one point Trevor flips the bird and you’ll get different reactions according to who you do it.

Ammu-Nation is back, the only named “familiar businesses” so far.

Planning and pulling off multi-stage heists are a large theme. Dan Houser talks about, “investing the story and design for some of the missions into making these built-out series of heists”.

One mission see the trio rescuing a hostage, Trevor flies the helicopter, Michael abseils down a building and Franklin provides sniper support from another building. When you smash through the window to grab the victim you’re shown an icon indicating you can switch mid-mission. You can stay as Micheal to fight it out close up, or change to Franklin to snipe from a distance.

There’s no RPG-style player customisation but you can customise a character’s clothing.

There’s no romance this time. Partly due to the nature of the characters, and the complexity of having three on the go at once.

There is an economy. No property but “loads of other stuff”.

There will be random missions where you can stumble on things like broken down cars or hitchhikers, or two parked cars and “a sea of dead bodies”. You can then, “investigate if you want”.

Multiplayer is in but not being discussed yet.