The Secrets Of GTA V

Rockstar’s latest sandbox stands as a technical and design high-point for an entire console generation. Such is GTA V’s quality that some are still stuck inside Los Santos, enjoying that incredible virtual environment and the wealth of opportunities it offers. But no matter your addiction level, it’s time to move on: the new-gen versions are nearly here.

As such let us present to you a celebration of all that is brilliant about Michael, Trevor and Franklin’s adventure. We’ve got secrets to find, conspiracies debunked, a list of must-do activities, and more. It’s everything you need to get the most out of arguably the best game ever made…

Preparing you for GTA V’s glorious return

Still own a last-gen copy of Rockstar’s seminal sandbox? Terrific. Pop it back in your PS3/360 and cast your eyes over what’s inarguably one of the best games of the last five years. Those sprawling faux California streets hold up surprisingly well, huh? Thanks to a sumptuous lighting engine and some supremely confident animation, GTA V stands the test of time against many new-gen titles. So just imagine what PS4 and XO are going to do for all that remastered Los Santos slaughter…

“LOOK FORWARD TO VERDANT FIELDS AND MUCH MORE VIBRANT CITY LIFE”

If you’ve already screeched around the flats of Serona Desert with your hard earned, Jetsons style Space Docker aren’t you a clever clogs for collecting all those UFO parts? you’ll know all about the criminal capers that lie ahead. But what if you don't know your Franklin's from your FIBs?

Viva the resolution
Let us show sir/madam what’s on offer for this shiny new-gen travel package. First up, say sayonara to the humdrumery of 720p-ville you’ve just been upgraded to the finest 1080p accommodation around. This increased pixel count is further sweetened by greatly increased draw distances; traffic stretches out for miles, building details no longer miraculously pop into view, and you can see the jutting spire of the American Bank of Los Santos even further afield.

The tech upgrades don’t stop there, either. To ensure you get the most out of your Blaine County holiday this November, both the PS4 and XO versions of GTA V boast reworked textures. Finally, no more having to squint to read those low-res, obscenely funny posters. Feel free to down a Pisswasser to celebrate. Shadows are also improved thanks to the presence of ambient occlusion. It’s just as well, because Los Santos and its surrounding countryside has never been more bustling.

Animal house
New-gen travellers to the Morning Glory state can look forward to verdant fields filled with vastly improved foliage and wildlife that boasts actual fur, rather than painted on patterns designed to look like hair. Whether bagging stags in new photography missions or sailing next to orcas in a Speedophile jet ski (oh, Rockstar), holiday goers will be able to enjoy a rejigged, more dynamic weather system.

City life is now much more vibrant, too. Traffic density has been upped big time, while there appears to be a new dashboard cam to really show off the new textures. We can’t wait to see those 1080p speedometers and dials close up in a Grotti Stinger GT. Commuting from felony point A to homicidal site B will also be more diverting thanks to the addition of 100 new music tracks. No more listening to ‘West End Girls’ 14 times in an hour Regardless of whether you’ve 100%-ed the original or never stepped into the sociopathic shoes of Michael and company, new-gen GTA V looks to be a must-buy thanks to its raft of upgrades. And given that Rockstar doesn’t do things by halves, don’t be surprised if there’s even more to come. Plus, with a bolstered GTA Online that increases the player count to 30 and the most beautiful Blaine County ever, crime has never paid out more handsomely.


It just wouldn't be a Rockstar felony-’em-up without enough myths to make Nessie choke on her Irn-Bru. Is there really a giant egg that lets you unlock the game’s long rumoured jetpack? Could Michael and co really walk with dinosaurs thanks to an in game Tyrannosaur? Is Niko Bellic really trapped at the bottom of the sea? Join us, as we debunk or confirm some of GTA V’s most mystifying legends.

Is there a T-Rex in the game ,?

Life found a way… to make up a tantalising rumour about the king of the dinosaurs roaming around Blaine County. The myth was that if you phoned ‘346672877’, which just so happens to spell ‘dinosaur’, while standing in the quarry south of the Grand Senora Desert, a T-Rex would appear. Sadly, the number is always engaged and no tiny-armed dino ever shows up.


Do secret agents appear in the desert ?

Online tittle tattle speculates the FIB get up to some suspect behaviour next to the satellites near Sandy Shores after you finish the game. Turns out, this is actually fact. Complete the story, then drive out to said mega dishes between 10-11am. Not only will you find heavily guarded FIB vehicles, but shady scientists will also be conducting mysterious readings.


Does Fort Zancudo hide a jetpack ?

We know you’ve been gagging to get your Rocketeer on, but could Fort Zancudo really conceal a jet pack at the base of a secret lift? Well, close inspection of the heavily guarded base does reveal an underground elevator, but sadly there’s no way to activate it. Though interestingly, one of the game’s hidden UFOs shines a light upon its location.


Can you find a murder house in Vinewood ?

Rumours say there’s a strange (and super homicidal) house in Vinewood Hills that acts as a nod to 10050 Cielo Drive where actress Sharon Tate was killed as part of the infamous Manson Family murders. Lo and behold, this is true there is a residence that’s a dead ringer for Tate’s home that includes party goers who drop dead if you bump into them.


Does Roman Bellic make an appearance ?

Several GTA IV characters pop up in Los Santos, leading many to speculate whether Niko’s cousin could be hidden away. Not only is Roman in the game, but he’s trapped in a Lost-style hatch on the ocean floor. Swim to it and you’ll hear someone tapping Morse code, which has since be decoded as, “Hey, you never call, how’d you fancy going bowling?” Not now!


Are there secret numbers you can call ?

Through naughty hacking of the GTA V code, forumites unearthed supposed hidden phone numbers you could ring up, including an army lieutenant, the Truth Seekers Hotline and none other than Liberty City’s bull shark hormone-loving gym freak, Brucie Kibbutz. This is indeed true phone ‘3285550145’, ‘2735550155’ and ‘2735550185’ to get their voicemails.


Is there really a giant golden egg ?

The great mystery of Mount Chiliad and its jet pack conspiracies just won’t die. There’s even a myth about a golden egg you need to collect in order to unlock the alleged flying contraption. Apparently, if you travel to the Grapeseed farm with the silos and climb the ladder of one of the grain pits, an egg will appear. Sadly, the ‘egg’ is actually just a lighting glitch.


Can ou get inside Mt Chiliad via a mine ?

Who wants to journey to the centre of the Ear… uh, Blaine County's highest mountain? In roughly the 17,000th jet pack rumour, it is said the inside of Chiliad might house the mystical item, with a secret mine in Sandy Shores acting as an entrance. Sadly, while there is a mine, it's impossible to get through to the interior. Better luck next time, jet pack obsessives.

Unearth nine ace Easter eggs

1° Drive of your life
Have you heard the story about the scorpion and the frog? Actually, in this case, you’re dealing with the crab and the sociopath. Drape your anti hero in Ryan Gosling getaway chic with a bomber that’s a clear homage to Drive. The ‘Champagne Driver Blouson’ can be purchased from the Discount Store in Grapeseed. Truly the clobber of a real human being and a real hero.

2° Truth or dare
If you want to do a Fox Mulder and really believe, there’s a cute X-Files secret to be found in Lester’s house. You first visit the paranoid technophile’s pad in El Burro Heights during the Friend Request mission. Among the mountain of mint condition figures and surveillance equipment you’ll stumble upon a poster with a UFO labelled ‘Accept the Truth’ a dead ringer for Mulder’s ‘I Want to Believe’ wall covering from the hit paranormal series.

3° To live & rot in LA 
Red Dead Redemption’s Undead Nightmare DLC isn’t the only Rockstar game that can have fun with coffin dodgers. Wander along to Vinewood Boulevard and you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Vinewood Zombie. ‘Graham’, as he’s known to his overbearing mother, is actually just a cosplayer trying to re-enact an old ’80s undead movie. Still, he certainly doesn’t lack for brain-biting enthusiasm, and if you visit him as Trevor the unhinged hillbilly will even admit to murdering his brother in front of the poor zomb.

4° Face to craggy face
Stray off the beaten path near the summit of Mount Chiliad and you’ll discover GTA V’s very own Mount Rushmore… or, to be more precise, some random dude’s face chiselled into the mighty peak’s side. Said face is located on a sheer rock face and is best spotted in a plane, though if you’re a super skilled pilot you can land right next to it and take a selfie of the bizarre mountain mug. For some reason, old Rocky’s visage resembles Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul. Yo, Mr Phillips!

5° Load of Claptrap
The most sly of Borderlands references can be squirrelled out by visiting one of several constructions sites in Blaine County like the one that lies at the Redwood Lights Track near the Grand Señora Desert. Here you’ll find fairly nondescript pieces of machinery that, when viewed up close, just happen to rock a paint job that’s the absolute doppelgänger of Claptrap’s fetching sprayed chassis.

6° Whale of a time
And here you were impressed by Jaws’ toothy cousins. Blaine County’s sharks may pack a bite, but they’ve got nothing on the sheer scale of what appears to be a GTA V’s only whale. Sure, the poor blighter has clearly been dead for a while, but go diving off the west coast of the map and you’ll be treated to one hell of a carcass. Travel to the seaside plaza at Banham Canyon (roughly halfway between the Ammunation and the tennis court) and dive into the murky depths with scuba gear equipped. After a quick paddle along the ocean floor you should discover what could well pass for Moby Dick’s skeleton.

7° Ice to meet you, ET
During the prologue mission set in North Yankton, it’s possible to seek out an intergalactic ice-dweller. As you’re escaping from the fuzz in Michael and Trevor’s getaway car, look out for a train bridge. If you’re quick and can briefly put the police off your scent, a frozen alien awaits under here in a frosted over lake. Judging by Blaine County’s array of UFO parts, the poor dude crashed his ride home.

8° Halo to the Chief
Los Santos attracts all the stars, including John-117 wannabes. Take a stroll along the stars of Vinewood Boulevard and you’ll occasionally find a Republican Space Ranger outside the Oriental Theatre. The star of GTA’s right wing sci-fi series sports a suit that’s pure Master Chief.

9° Better read than dead
Explore Franklin’s Vinewood Hills crib and a lovely Red Dead nod can be found in his bookcase. Among his many novels a tome entitled ‘Red Dead’ by ‘J Marston’ can be spotted. Did bookworm Jack pen a hardback in his old man’s honour? *sniff* We miss you, John.