Beginner tips: your first hours in Leonida

The fastest way to get good is to build habits early. Play the opening missions as a tutorial, learn the weapon wheel and the driving model, and save before you take risks.

Play the opening missions first

Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos start out in the Leonida Keys, working off their rent by doing collection jobs for Brian Heder. Stay with the story for a while instead of driving across the whole state. The early missions teach you the controls and unlock the contacts you will need later.

A character wheel lets you play as Jason alone, Lucia alone, or control both. Try it when it unlocks, but get comfortable with one character first.

Learn the wheel before a fight

• The weapon wheel has two tabs: weapons and items. Switch with R1 on PlayStation or RB on Xbox.
• Find your healing items and body armor in a quiet place, not in the middle of a shootout.
• Always start a fight next to solid cover.
• Focus slows time for precise aiming and highlights escape routes and police. Learn to trigger it early.

Brake before the corner

Cars feel heavier than in GTA V and traffic changes how roads flow. Practice short, normal drives first: accelerate, brake, turn, park. A flipped car cannot be rolled back with the steering stick, so do not use curbs as ramps.

Vehicles also need energy. Combustion cars refuel at gas stations and electric cars use chargers. Check the level before long trips.

Understand the police before you explore

• Police identify you by your looks, your clothes and your vehicle. Changing clothes or cars helps you escape.
• People react the moment you pull a weapon. Do not turn small confrontations into shootouts.
• A criminal profile tracks how clean or how violent your crimes are, and the world reacts to it.
• Random encounters offer choices such as Greet, Taunt and Defuse. Look at the options before you shoot.
• Always know your exit and the route to your car before you start something.

Spend early money on problems, not looks

Cash on hand and your bank balance are shown separately. Know which number you are looking at before you buy.

Prep before every mission

• Weapons: you carry two long guns and two handguns. Everything else stays in your car trunk.
• Consumables: know where healing and armor sit in the item wheel.
• Vehicle: check fuel or battery and what is stored in the trunk.
• Route: look at the destination and at an escape route.
• Save: do not assume arriving somewhere saved your progress.

Just need to get somewhere? The RydeMe app on your in-game phone calls a driver.