Grand Theft Auto V is an open-world crime game set in Los Santos, and its Story Mode is the best place to start. You play three characters, Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips, who you can switch between during the campaign. This guide covers what to pick on the main menu, how the first hours work, how to handle money, and the mistakes new players make most.
Story Mode or GTA Online first?
When the game launches you choose between Story Mode and GTA Online. For a first experience, pick Story Mode. It teaches driving, shooting, cover, wanted levels and the map, and it gives you a complete story. GTA Online is a separate multiplayer mode with its own character, and you cannot switch characters there. Rockstar released the Enhanced version for PC in March 2025 with newer graphics and performance features, but the Story Mode campaign, protagonists and mission structure are the same, so the tips below apply to both versions.
The three protagonists
You do not control all three from the start. The campaign opens with a prologue heist, then moves to Franklin with early repo jobs. Trevor joins after a few missions. The full trio unlocks as the story progresses, so keep following the main missions before you worry about every map icon.
- Michael: a retired criminal living a comfortable life with a family. He is the heart of the heist plots.
- Franklin: a young repo man who wants a bigger life. He is the best driver of the three.
- Trevor: the unpredictable one, with a violent streak and a special ability that fits a berserker style.
Each character has their own skills, vehicles and properties. The character switching wheel lets you move between them, and this is not decoration. If a mission marker seems missing, another protagonist often holds the next clean step. A lot of beginner frustration in GTA V is really story-flow confusion, and switching solves more of it than players expect. Character switching only works in Story Mode, not online.
Your first hour in Los Santos
Treat the opening as a tutorial. The prologue introduces cover and shooting. After that, follow the yellow markers on the map for missions. Do not try to clear the whole map at once. The game teaches as you go, and several systems unlock only after a few missions.
- Finish the first missions and let the story open the world.
- Learn to use cover in every real firefight. Standing in the open is the fastest way to die.
- Learn the wanted level. Stars rise when you commit crimes and fall when you break line of sight and hide.
- Visit Ammu-Nation when you can afford it for weapons and armor.
- Save at home. Saving is how you protect progress before heists, Lester jobs and ending choices.
How to switch characters
On console, hold the switch input to open the wheel and pick a protagonist. On PC there are also shortcuts for individual protagonists. You will see a short camera transition as the game moves between characters, and each one may be doing something different when you arrive. Switching is also a quick way to avoid long drives: you can hop to the character who is already near the mission.
Special abilities: what each character does
Each protagonist has a special ability you can trigger once a meter is charged. Michael slows time while aiming, which helps in tight firefights. Franklin slows time while driving, which makes tight turns and chases easier. Trevor enters a rage that reduces damage taken and increases the damage he deals. The meters recharge as you play, so use them in the fights that matter instead of holding them forever. Learning which character suits which mission is a big part of mastering the game, and the mission itself often pushes you toward the right choice.
Driving, flying and getting around
Los Santos is large, and you will spend a lot of time in vehicles. Cars handle differently, so experiment with a few before a chase mission. You can set a waypoint on the map and follow the route displayed on the minimap. Planes and helicopters are available later, and learning to land a plane without nosediving is worth practicing in a quiet area before a timed race or mission. Parachutes are available at certain points, and using one is the safest way to leave a high place.
Health, armor and weapons
Your health regenerates part of the way if you stay out of danger, so retreating into cover for a few seconds is better than pressing forward at low health. Armor absorbs damage first and is bought at Ammu-Nation or found around the map. Weapons are purchased at Ammu-Nation and upgraded with attachments. Beginners do well with a reliable rifle and a pistol, and you can swap loadouts on the weapon wheel. Do not buy everything. Expensive guns are not necessary for the early missions, and ammunition is cheap compared with the weapon itself.
Using the phone and the map
The in-game phone is your menu for contacts, missions, the internet and the camera. Contacts call you with new jobs, and the agenda shows what is available. The pause map has layers you can toggle to spot side content, and you can set a waypoint anywhere. Checking the map often keeps you from missing activities that are right next to your route.
Money: how to earn and what not to buy
The biggest beginner mistake is spending like you are in GTA Online. Early cash is better saved for weapons, armor and mission-related purchases than burned on a garage full of cars. Story Mode vehicle ownership is less forgiving than online, so an expensive car is not permanently protected.
Good money sources in story mode are:
- Heists: the biggest payouts. Crew selection matters, because cheap crew members take a smaller cut, but weaker specialists can make mistakes that cost you money.
- The stock market: tip-offs come from random events such as the first Hitch Lift mission, and the assassination missions that Lester gives you are especially rewarding for stocks. Many players save these missions for later so they can invest first.
- Properties: several properties generate regular income or unlock more missions and activities, though some expensive ones take a long time to repay their cost.
Missions, Strangers and Freaks, and side content
Beyond the main story there are Strangers and Freaks side missions, races, activities, collectibles and random events. A balanced approach suggested by some guides is about seventy percent main story and thirty percent extras. The side content pays off with unlocks and cash, and it makes Los Santos feel alive. Gold medals, the one hundred percent checks for time, shots and no alerts, become easier once you have mastered your skills.
Beginner tips that save the most time
- Focus on the story first. The city opens up as the story moves along.
- Save the Lester assassination missions for later.
- Do not waste money on early extras.
- Use cover in every real firefight.
- Do heists carefully instead of rushing them, and save before each one.
- Practice driving on empty roads before chases. Early chases feel less like panic once you know the handling.
- Learn to land planes before you take on random races.
- Check the phone and the map pause screen. They show jobs, activities and layers of icons.
Common mistakes
New players often wander into combat with low armor, run from the police in a straight line, and buy cars they cannot protect. They also forget to save before big decisions. If you play patiently early, you can be much more chaotic later, because you will have the money, the weapons and the skills to do it. Another common mistake is chasing every collectible before the story has opened the map. Come back for those after the main missions.
After the main story
When the credits roll you can keep playing. The final heist, the Big Score, pays out after the story ends, and the world stays open for side missions, activities, collectibles and property income. This is the point where big purchases make sense, because you will have the money and you will know which vehicles, weapons and properties you actually use. If you want to try something different, you can also move on to GTA Online with a separate character, using the skills you built in the campaign.
Cheats and mods
GTA 5 has a large collection of Story Mode cheats covering weapons, vehicles, wanted levels, invincibility and weather. Using them is up to you, but they can affect achievements and trophies on some platforms, so save first and consider using a separate save file.
Frequently asked questions
Should I start with Story Mode or GTA Online?
Story Mode. It teaches the systems and gives you a full story.
When do I unlock Trevor?
After a few early missions. Keep following the main story markers.
Can I switch characters in GTA Online?
No. Character switching exists only in Story Mode.
What should I spend money on first?
Weapons, armor and mission-related items. Avoid buying lots of cars early.
How do I make the most money in story mode?
Heists with the right crew and approach, plus the stock market.
Does the Enhanced version change the story?
No. It changes the graphics and performance, not the campaign.
How do I lower my wanted level?
Break line of sight with police and hide until the stars fade.