The iconic Grand Theft Auto 5 is all about immersion, exploration, and trying hard to finish every single mission and objective the game has to offer. That’s a particularly tall order, especially when hidden missions abound all over the vast expanse of the map. Many GTA 5 fans uncover new details every time they play through the game, but some are hidden quite well. Hunting down these secret missions involves following clues, having a keen eye, and venturing off the beaten path as if it’s a lifestyle.
Most of these missions are far more bizarre, hilarious, and satirical than the regular fodder, which is why they should be sought out, if not for the rewards, then just for the sake of experience. While they may not add value to the main campaign, they do help build the world of Los Santos and its outskirts, from the beautiful and rare encounters in GTA 5 to the totally awkward. In the end, it is up to the player to explore and find these hidden missions.
Most GTA 5 fans have enjoyed almost every aspect of the game, but a lot of them can’t seem to get involved with the therapy sessions that players must go through as Michael. Due to that, it is reasonable to believe that not many have discovered this little interaction with the therapist Isiah Friedlander. Players have to actually visit the doctor enough times to trigger a scene where he says that he is leaving the city to go star in his own reality TV show.
Isiah even tells Michael he needs to find a new therapist and even implies that he is ready to share his patients’ secrets under other names. The game then prompts the player to chase him down and eliminate him in case they don’t want any of Michael’s family secrets to get out. Players have the option to let him leave if they prefer. The entire sequence is quite hilarious and it’s the kind of thing only die-hard fans seem to uncover.
One thing that stood out about this game is that it has some fun connections to the rest of the Grand Theft Auto franchise. That includes mentions and appearances of characters, with one notable cameo being Patrick McCreary from Grand Theft Auto 4. In the previous game, he was a close friend of the protagonist Niko, and would make money with him committing crimes. Here, players stumble upon him during a heist and if they choose to be his getaway driver, they can contact him later for more work together.
In GTA 5, Patrick McCreary is mainly used as a heist companion. He can be selected as one of the operatives in heists, both in the single-player mode and in GTA Online. Contrary to his role in the prequel, however, McCreary does not have much of an impact on the main story of the game set in Los Santos.
The hunting mini-game is one that pretty much everyone knows about. It is part of the Strangers and Freaks missions and when players complete a kill, they are tasked with sending a photo of the carcass as confirmation of what has been accomplished. However, it can go further. While working for the Paparazzo named Beverly Felton, the player can take part in Wildlife Photography Competitions.
Exclusive to Franklin in GTA 5 are then tasked with taking specific images of animals in certain locations. In total, players have to take pictures of 20 different animals – and, despite the name of the mission, Wildlife Photography Challenge, players can take pictures of pets in the city. After the player completes them all, they unlock the Kraken submersible, which can then be used to take to the seas.
For the most part, this is not a specific mission that is given to the player by someone in GTA 5. Instead, it is an option that is always available to players if they dare. For the gamers who want to be all-in on the action, they can attempt to rob any armored truck they find. To do so they must have explosives as they are needed to blast open the doors in the back. Once that’s taken care of, they must battle with the guards who are not easy to put down.
This is not an explicitly stated quest, but an objective that can be accomplished. The game does not tell players to start an assault on the armored trucks that roam Los Santos, but they are a great side objective that, once completed, can earn them some extra cash in the process. That is not to mention that the spontaneity of it is thrilling.
Since GTA 5 came out way back in 2013, having a reference to a film from 2009 was not all that out of place, even if it feels odd nowadays. The popular comedy film The Hangover can be re-enacted in an unexpected way. At one point in the game, players can come across a man tied to a lamp pole while wearing only his underwear. As they investigate, they should find that it’s the aftermath of his bachelor party. At this point, they are given the option to get him to his wedding in time.
The hungover groom, the outrageous conditions in which he is found, and the pressure of getting over the past night’s events and getting ready for the big day are all fitting and match The Hangover, even if it is never mentioned by name. The groom’s arrival makes for a memorable reaction.
The Epsilon Program makes a comeback in GTA 5 through a series of unique side missions. In order to start them as Michael, players must go to the Epsilon website and take a quick survey. After that, a question mark will be placed on the map to start things off. Michael must endure grueling grunt work on behalf of the cult before shelling out a hefty sum to join up. For the final mission, Michael is then tasked to deliver a car containing over $2,000,000 in the trunk to another cult member.
Players can then choose whether to deliver the cash or keep it for themselves. For such a hot number, this is one mission worth playing. This is also a fairly funny questline to follow, as it mocks the cult-like activities in real-life Los Angeles and even gives them a sinister air, as if there are enforcer henchmen ready to take out anyone who deviates from the path.
One of the hidden missions in GTA 5 that fans are not likely to forget involves a cannibalistic cult on the far reaches of the map. To access it, the Nervous Ron mission must be completed as Trevor, which will then trigger a text message telling the player about a cult in Blain County. The next step is to visit the Altruist Camp at the very center of the Chiliad Mountain range.
After four successful “offerings,” all of which involve taking people to the location, the cult members will betray Trevor and attempt to kill him. To escape the camp, players must fight their way through the cultists, while picking up five briefcases that each contain $25,000 dollars. It is a lucrative, and downright disturbing hidden mission just waiting to be uncovered, even if its awkwardness has made it quite popular.
After completion of The Merryweather Heist, the option to buy the Sonar Collections Dock in GTA 5 becomes available to any of the three main characters. Along with the property comes a submersible that can be used to start the collection of 30 nuclear waste barrels spread around the shores of the map.
Each collected barrel will earn the character $23,000, and a $250,000 bonus can be earned after collecting them all. They can be found using the Trackify app on the cell phone to make things easier. The submarine itself is fun to ride in, and it’s an excuse to earn a hefty payday at the same time.
After completing the Repossession mission early on in the game, all three of the characters can start collecting the 50-letter scraps that are placed around the map. Rockstar has included all 50 locations in the Checklist tab if players have a Social Club account. If they do not, they are encouraged to follow a guide to grab all letter scraps without getting lost or potentially missing one of them.
Once all 50 have been collected and Franklin reads the letter, players are directed to the killer, Peter Dreyfuss, who is at his home in Vinewood. During the cutscene, Franklin reveals to Peter that he knows he’s the killer, which causes him to run. Players can allow him to escape, or kill him. There’s no reward for this mission besides an Achievement, but for many completionists, that’s enough.