GRAND THEFT TIPS
In case this is all too much for you, here are the highlights from the previews:
Gameplay
- There will be five times as many pedestrians as in GTA IV.
- You're given a smartphone - the iFruit - that allows you take photos in-game and post them online to Social Club or your own social network profile. There are a total of nine apps on the phone: "camera, internet, contacts, social media, a calendar, and an option to go back and replay individual missions."
- Combat mechanics have improved, and it's easier to get in and out of cover.
- Pay N Spray is also a mod shop: "your cars can be given paint jobs, new wheels, window tints, grilles, spoilers, plus you can upgrade suspensions, engine and brakes".
- You can customize weapons: "adding laser sights, scopes, silencers, and high capacity magazines".
- You can give your characters haircuts, new clothes, and tattoos.
- You can pick up hitchhikers, do stunt/flying challenges, practice yoga, play golf and tennis, race bikes, and buy real estate.
Missions
- The game opens with Franklin parachuting into the wilderness to meet Trevor.
- Trevor's first mission has him waking up next to a few dead bodies of members from the biker gang The Lost. Trevor climbs aboard a boat, goes out to sea, and then dives in with scuba gear to inspect a wrecked ship.
- One of Michael's side missions has you playing chauffeur for an actress, trying to avoid the paparazzi following you for a photo.
- "Blitz Play" is a mission that brings the three characters together for the first time, in a Heat-style heist at a jewelry store. During this mission, you can switch between characters to accomplish separate parts of the heist.
Characters
- Each character is rated on the following abilities: Special, Stamina, Shooting, Strength, Stealth, Flying, Driving, Mechanic, Lung Capacity.
- Special ability: Franklin can slow down time while driving.
- Special ability: Trevor can do double damage while only taking half.
- Special ability: Michael can enable bullet time.
- Characters can increase their abilities by completing missions.
Character Switching
- Switching between characters is visually like Google Earth - the camera zooms out on the world, goes static, and then zooms in on your newly chosen character.
- Your multiplayer avatar will be available at the character switching area.