How I spent my first 3 hours in GTA 5

Finally, Grand Theft Auto V has been released on PC. While Chris is busy working on our review, I’ve been having my own fun in Los Santos and the surrounding countryside. Here’s how I spent my first few hours in this sprawling open world.

All of these screenshots were taken by me using the Rockstar Editor.

The amount of detail packed into the streets of Los Santos is dizzying. I started by finding a nice car and going for a drive, listening to the radio and watching the bustle of the city. Switch to first-person mode and can admire the detailed interiors of the cars.

A poodle! This little guy was wandering the streets alone, with no owner in sight. There are animals all over the place in GTA V, from friendly cats and dogs to aggressive cougars that lurk in the mountains and can kill you in one hit. Sometimes you’ll see people walking their dogs on the beach.

GTA V is never prettier than at sunset. Wherever you are, whether it’s in downtown Los Santos or deep in a forest, the orange glow of the sun as it descends is a sight to behold. This was taken in Raton Canyon, one of the prettiest locations.

Down on Vespucci Beach, which is based on LA’s Venice Beach, I found a load of Jet Skis left unattended. So of course I borrowed one and went for a ride in the sparkling blue ocean. The swell and froth of the water is really impressive.

Vespucci Beach’s equivalent of Muscle Beach is full of iron-pumping bodybuilders. I got too close to one and made him drop his weights, and he responded by kicking my stupid face off. These guys and girls don’t mess around.

The moment I saw the colossal Mount Chiliad looming in the distance, I had to climb it. I thought rather than fly up there or drive, I’d just walk. It took a good while, but the views of Blaine County and Los Santos far in the distance were worth it. On the way I saw hikers with backpacks, doing the same as me, which was a nice little detail. I love how the NPCs around you in this game fit the context of your surroundings.

At the peak of Mount Chiliad I found a peyote cactus, and ate it. Suddenly I was flying high above the mountain as an eagle. It was a beautiful, stirring moment, until I pressed a button and the eagle did a massive shit. Oh, Rockstar.

People say GTA is wanton and violent and a blight on society, but look at this. I’m having a lovely swim with a manta ray! I didn’t even kill it or anything.

What’s an open world game without the ability to jump out of aircraft from a great height. Skydiving in GTA V gives you some spectacular views of your surroundings, and you can get so high that you can see the curvature of the planet. As I was parachuting down to safety, a random AI jet flew under me. If I’d been just a little faster I would have slammed into it, which would have made a much better screenshot.

Of course I did.

Off-road vehicles are really fun to drive in GTA V, especially the Sanchez dirtbike. The expansive Grand Senora Desert is a great place to take one, with lots of hills, bumps, and natural ramps to really test that bouncy suspension.

Oops.