Video Games
How to play Grand Theft Auto V
Play the single-player story of Michael, Franklin and Trevor through missions, driving and open-world exploration.
What you need
Grand Theft Auto V Story Mode on a supported platform
Set up the game
- Choose Story Mode, not the separate GTA Online character progression. Complete the opening sequence and learn driving, aiming and the map.
- This page covers single-player progression and avoids presenting GTA Online events, money or missions as Story Mode rules.
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Playing Grand Theft Auto V
- Follow a mission marker and read the current on-screen objective. Drive to locations, use cover in combat and complete mission-specific tasks.
- After more of the story unlocks, switch among the protagonists when the game allows it; each has their own abilities and plot threads.
- Between missions, explore optional activities or prepare with ammunition, armor and suitable vehicles. Failure normally restarts from the mission's checkpoint rather than ending the entire game.
- Continue main story missions toward an ending shaped by the final decisions. There is no universal point score for free roaming.
A checkpoint after a failed escape
A mission asks you to escape a pursuit. If you lose the car and fail, restart at the mission checkpoint, then choose a cleaner route and use cover or vehicle control differently. Your story progress outside that attempt is not a score race.
Read each mission's on-screen requirement
A getaway objective may require reaching a particular vehicle or location, while another asks you to switch characters. The large map is not itself an instruction to complete every activity. Following the mission prompt is more reliable than treating all jobs as identical drive-and-shoot loops.
Beginner decisions
- In a difficult chase, focus on the marked route and vehicle control rather than shooting at every pursuer.
- Use cover before reloading in a firefight; standing in the open can end an attempt quickly.
Common rule mix-ups
- Mixing GTA Online rank and business systems into a Story Mode walkthrough.
- Assuming every open-world activity is required to finish the main plot.
Questions about this game
Can I free roam without starting a mission?
Yes after the introductory sequence opens the world, though some areas and characters unlock through story progress.
Is this suitable for children?
It is rated for mature audiences; check the platform's current rating and content information before giving access.
Sources and edition notes
Grand Theft Auto V single-player Story Mode; GTA Online is a separate evolving mode. Exact missions and controls differ by platform and version.
Sources and stated format checked October 13, 2026. This records a document check, not a claim of hands-on testing.
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