Best Story Missions In Grand Theft Auto 5

Key Takeaways

• GTA 5 story missions are praised for building character bonds and incorporating controversial elements like torture.
• Unique GTA 5 missions, like Chop and Fame or Shame, highlight the game’s narrative depth and diverse gameplay.
• The heists in GTA 5, such as The Big Score and The Paleto Score, showcase high-action and stealth options for players.

There has been plenty of discussion as of late about the development of the next installment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. While players are likely years away from experiencing GTA 6, it is worth noting that the latest iteration is still alive and well.

And while the online mode in Grand Theft Auto 5 has kept many players busy, the game’s main story mode still stands out as one of the best the series has ever seen. One aspect of the main story that stood out was how incredible the story missions were, no matter how simple at times. Here is a look at a few of the best missions in GTA 5‘s single-player mode.

Updated November 19, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the greatest video games ever made. Players control three protagonists in missions that range from comedic to death-defying as the trio unite to take out their foes and complete heists.

The storytelling in Grand Theft Auto 5 is as cinematic as it comes, courtesy of the missions that are constructed with great care, regardless of how linear they may be. Some of the best missions in GTA 5 are a joy to complete, featuring everything from memorable interactions to adrenaline-pumping set pieces.

1 Chop

A Fun Mission That Fleshes Out Franklin’s Bond With Chop

• Mission Giver: Lamar Davis
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Franklin Clinton

Despite Chop being Lamar Davis’ dog, he stays with Franklin most of the time for safety reasons. The first mission featuring the debut of this dog is a memorable one as players are tasked with hunting down a Ballas member, a mission that fans of San Andreas will appreciate.

Chop gets his time to shine as he sniffs down D, hunts him down, and gives him a painful bite for good measure. It’s a great mission for building up the bond between Franklin and Chop, even if the action present here is relatively muted compared to some of GTA 5‘s best missions.

2 Franklin And Lamar

The First Mission Of The Game That Introduces Franklin

• Mission Giver: Simeon Yetarian
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Franklin Clinton

After the prologue is over and done with, players get their first taste of Los Santos when they step into the shoes of Franklin Clinton, a man trying to earn a living while living at his thankless aunt’s place. His best friend, Lamar, can be a bit too much to handle, but Franklin is close to this man as he interacts with Simeon Yetarian and agrees to a repossession job.

They acquire the cars and are subsequently chased by the police, with players being introduced to Franklin’s supreme driving skills as they avoid unwanted attention and lose the heat before finally bringing the cars over to Simeon. It’s one of the best missions in GTA 5 that adeptly introduces Franklin and sets the stage for his eventual rendezvous with Michael.

3 By The Book

A Controversial Mission Depicting Torture

• Mission Giver: Steve Haines
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips

At the time of its release, Grand Theft Auto 5 was the subject of much controversy because of this mission, which involves Trevor torturing an innocent person to gain information. It’s a hard moment to digest, and most people would agree that the mission could’ve been developed without this controversial touch.

However, Grand Theft Auto 5 fans know that this series loves to feed itself on controversy of all shapes and sizes. As a result, one can surmise that Rockstar intended for this mission to be controversial. Barring this torture section, this mission may not be all that noteworthy, but the buzz generated by its infamous inclusion is enough to establish it as one of the most notable missions in GTA 5.

4 Fame Or Shame

Features A Tense Reunion Between Michael And Trevor

• Mission Giver: None (Michael and Trevor go to the Fame and Shame audition to prevent Tracey from humiliating herself)
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips

After the heist at the jewel store, a loudmouthed Michael leads to Trevor figuring out that his ex-partner in crime was alive and well after all. This leads to a tense reunion where the duo reunite at Michael’s house when familiar tempers are flaring. However, their reunion has to be cut short once Michael finds out that his daughter is going to perform at an audition for Fame or Shame.

Not wanting her to embarrass the family on live television, the duo heads to the audition, where they see Lazlow Jones getting a bit too comfortable with Tracey. Her father is enraged, leading to a chase where the duo corner Lazlow and force him to humiliate himself before promising to never lay his hands on Tracey again.

5 Daddy’s Little Girl

A Tumultuous Time With Michael’s Family

• Mission Giver: Jimmy De Santa
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Michael De Santa

Michael’s dysfunctional family is a highlight in the early goings of Grand Theft Auto 5. Players love seeing his hilarious mid-life crisis play out, with his wife being a cheater, his daughter being a rich spoiled brat, and his son being a weed-huffing gamer. This is one of the best missions in GTA 5 where Michael tries to enjoy some valuable family time, only to see his daughter exhibiting problematic behavior on a luxurious yacht.

This prompts Michael to go on a rage-fueled tirade and disturb the party, enraging the party-goers who chase him on the water as Michael tries to make it to safety. Instead of bonding with his family, Michael ends up alienating them and adds fuel to the flames instead of extinguishing the tension.

6 Trevor Philips Industries

Protect Trevor’s Meth Lab

• Mission Giver: Tao Cheng
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Trevor Philips

After a successful heist with Frankin and other members of the gang, Michael gets a bit loose and utters a line that Trevor hears on the news, making him realize that the man he concocted numerous heists was alive and well all along. Players finally get to control the craziest Grand Theft Auto protagonist of all time, with his off-the-wall ventures including a meth lab that funds his lifestyle of debauchery.

One such mission involves players having to defend said meth lab from the Aztecas, a rival gang that hates Trevor’s guts. The shootout is memorable and helps one of the best GTA 5 missions stand out even more, but his erratic way of conducting business doesn’t impress a prospective partner, who leaves after seeing how unhinged Trevor is.

7 Prologue

Shows Michael And Trevor’s Past

• Mission Giver: None (the game opens with this mission)
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Trevor Philips, Michael Townley

It’s only fitting that GTA 5 starts with a heist that introduces players to two of the game’s three main characters. Both Michael and Trevor are criminals at odds with each other, leading to the former staging his death just to get away from the craziness of Trevor’s antics.

Before that point, players are introduced to the game’s many mechanics and have to run away from the law as they flee with the haul they’ve stolen. It’s a fun mission set against a snowy backdrop that serves as a strong and impactful introduction to the world and characters of GTA 5.

8 Mr. Philips

Introduces Players To The Madman, Trevor Philips, After A Brief Appearance Early On

• Mission Giver: Michael De Santa (indirectly)
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Trevor Philips

After a series of mishaps forces Michael to stage a heist and get the money required to fix a powerful rich man’s house, news of his exploits reaches his former companion who had believed Trevor to be dead for the longest time. While in the middle of something not PG, Trevor hears one of Michael’s iconic lines: “You forget a thousand things every day, pal. Make sure this is one of them.”

This line makes it clear to Trevor that his former partner in crime is still alive, letting players finally control this psychopath after the longest time. Trevor is one of the most entertaining GTA protagonists of all time, and this mission is memorable simply because of the unique nature of his re-introduction into the game’s main narrative.

9 Complications

Michael And Franklin Meet For The First Time

• Mission Giver: Simeon Yetarian
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Franklin Clinton, Michael De Santa

Most of the early missions of the game revolve around Franklin repoing cars for his boss Simeon Yetarian. This mission asks the player to sneak into a fancy house and drive a yellow SUV out of the garage and back to the dealership.

Part of the way through, however, Michael awakes from the back seat and points a gun at Franklin, telling him to drive the car into the dealership. It’s a fun stealth mission, which leads to cutting ties with an annoying boss. The player even gets to beat up Simeon as Michael.

10 Friend Request

Michael Gets A Job At Lifeinvader

• Mission Giver: Lester Crest
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Michael De Santa

Sometimes, the best missions are the ones where most of the activities are small and mundane but lead to a funny series of events. That is the premise of “Friend Request,” which is the player’s introduction to Lester in the main story. Here, Michael will be asking for Lester’s help with a heist, but Lester wants a favor in return.

Michael then is tasked with going to the Lifeinvader office to bug a phone prototype that will explode if a certain number is called. The mission involves Michael getting dressed up in casual work clothes and hanging out in an office of weird tech dudes as he is asked to clear viruses off a desktop and pretend that he’s just one of them.

11 Marriage Counseling

Michael And Franklin Pull Down A House

• Mission Giver: Michael De Santa
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Franklin Clinton, Michael De Santa

This mission starts with Michael finding his wife cheating on him with a tennis coach. The mission involves him and Franklin chasing the tennis coach to a house on the side of the cliff. The insane aspect of this mission is that Michael destroys the house by hooking the foundation and pulling it down.

This leads to a chase where Franklin needs to avoid gangs that are shooting at them. Michael and Franklin learn later that they destroyed the house of Cartel leader Martin Madrazo’s mistress, which sets off a whole new chain of events.

12 Minor Turbulence

Land A Plane Inside Another Plane

• Mission Giver: Michael De Santa
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Trevor Philips

There are quite a few flying missions available in GTA 5, especially if players buy the McKenzie Field Hangar to run smuggling missions. These are all possible due to Trevor Philip’s experience as a pilot, though he was discharged from the army before receiving his license.

“Minor Turbulence” sees Trevor flying a small jet to intercept a large Merryweather cargo plane while also avoiding radar. Not only do players get to land a plane inside of another plane, but they can also ride a jeep out of the crashing plane Fast And Furious-style, further elevating the solo mission.

13 Friends Reunited

One Of The Few Stealth Missions

• Mission Giver: Trevor Philips
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Trevor Philips

After living in San Andreas for many years, Trevor has realized that his old pal Michael is alive. So, he and Wade go on a road trip to Los Santos to pay him a visit. Along the way, they take care of some loose ends with the remaining members of the Lost MC.

There aren’t many stealth missions throughout GTA 5, but one of the best ones is in “Friends Reunited.” It tasks the player to place sticky bombs on many of the trailers in the Lost MC’s park and set them all off as Trevor gets away. The reward is a hilarious back-and-forth between Trevor and Wade on their trip south.

14 Crystal Maze

Trevor Goes To War With The O’Neil Brothers

• Mission Giver: Tao Cheng
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Trevor Philips

Through the first few missions with Trevor, it’s easy to see how he’s a lot more impulsive and has a lot more people after him, than Franklin and Michael. This is seen in Crystal Maze as he goes after the O’Neil brothers. After the family steals Trevor’s business, he decides that he’s going to take out every last one of them.

This is a typical shootout mission where players must kill all the targets after them. The cherry on top, though, is being able to blow up their house at the very end in a dramatic fashion.

15 Did Somebody Say Yoga?

Going On The Wrong Type Of Trip

• Mission Giver: Michael De Santa
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Michael De Santa

Michael has a lot of family drama throughout the game as it is a consistent theme, but it all boils over in “Did Somebody Say Yoga?” The mission starts with Michael being invited to do Yoga with Amanda by the yoga instructor Fabien. After the players do a few poses, things go haywire when Michael gets jealous of Fabien’s touching Amanda.

After Amanda and Fabien storm away, Michael convinces Jimmy to spend time with him. They stop at a Burger Shot for Jimmy to pick up a drink, but when Michael goes to sip that drink after driving away, he realizes he has been drugged by Jimmy. This leads to a series of hallucinations that end with Michael being truly alone.

16 I Fought The Law…

Features High-Speed Races And Hilarious Fake Cops

• Mission Giver: Devin Weston
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Franklin Clinton, Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips

Franklin’s special driving ability comes in handy during the “I Fought The Law…” mission as players are forced to race a couple of supercars that have been targeted by Devin Weston, one of GTA 5‘s main antagonists.

However, players also get the chance to play as Michael and Trevor, who are hilariously posing as fake motorcycle cops to pull over the speeding supercars. Both angles to the mission offer different ways to enjoy the three main characters while taking part in a high-speed chase on the freeway that is instantly memorable.

17 Deep Inside

Franklin Steals A Stunt Vehicle

• Mission Giver: Devin Weston
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Franklin Clinton

Continuing with Devin Weston’s obsession with collecting cars, he tasks Franklin with breaking into Backlot City and stealing a JB 700. In other words, a stunt car that is used in the movies being filmed there. What follows is an absurd yet hilarious mission that gives players a choice.

While players can come up with their own way of getting to the vehicle, they also can steal the costume of the main actor to get the easiest access to the JB 700. When Franklin drives away, there will be an actress in the passenger seat. Luckily, the vehicle is equipped with a unique eject button.

18 Caida Libre

Michael And Trevor Team Up To Take Down A Plane

• Mission Giver: Martin Madrazo
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Trevor Philips, Michael De Santa

The “Caida Libre” mission is one of the many jobs to come from Mexican Cartel leader Martin Madrazo. He enlists Michael and Trevor to help him take out his cousin Javier, who is flying into Los Santos to testify against Madrazo.

Players get the chance to first shoot Javier’s incoming plane out of the sky using a high-powered mounted sniper rifle. The mission only gets better when it switches to Trevor, who hastily follows the crashing jet on a dirtbike to finish the job, which includes an amazing in-mission jump.

19 Three’s Company

The First Mission That Unites All Three Protagonists

• Mission Giver: Dave Norton
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Franklin Clinton, Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips

This is the first mission that involves all three playable characters in the main storyline. The mission is to help the FIB steal Ferdinand Kerimov, an individual the FIB presumed was dead but turns out is alive and is being interrogated by the IAA.

This mission is a blast because each character serves a different role in the mission and the player gets to experience each of them. Trevor flies the helicopter while Michael rappels down to kidnap Kerimov. Meanwhile, Franklin is on standby for backup with a sniper rifle.

20 Nervous Ron

Trevor and Ron Take On The Lost MC’s Airplane Deliveries

• Mission Giver: Trevor Philips
• Protagonist(s) Involved: Trevor Philips

The player first meets Trevor as he kills Johnny Klebitz, ticking off The Lost MC. This leads to a series of missions of taking them out, but one mission, in particular, goes from zero to 100 in a way not many missions do in GTA 5. In Nervous Ron, after finding out that the gang went through his trailer, he decides to intervene in a weapon shipment the gang was going to receive.

At the Sandy Shores airfield, Trevor uses a sniper to take out gang members and lights that would catch Ron planting a bomb on a gas tank. This leads to an epic shootout on the airstrip, Trevor and Ron hijacking the two planes, and killing numerous gang members including one hanging on a wing. The rest of the mission gets players used to flying around the map.