The Grand Finale: Understanding the Last Heist in GTA 5 Story Mode
The last heist in Grand Theft Auto V’s story mode is called The Big Score. This monumental heist serves as the culmination of Michael De Santa’s return to a life of crime and involves all three protagonists – Michael, Franklin, and Trevor – working together to hit the Union Depository for a massive haul of gold. It’s a high-stakes operation, marking the end of the main story’s major criminal activities, and allowing players to choose from two distinctive approaches.
The Big Score: A Heist of Epic Proportions
The Big Score is more than just a standard mission; it’s a pivotal moment in the game, bringing together all the skills, planning, and relationships the player has developed throughout the narrative. This heist is meticulously planned, taking place after the ‘Meltdown’ mission when Lester contacts Michael, urging him to meet at the Strip Club to devise the final plan.
Two Distinct Approaches: Subtle or Obvious
Before embarking on The Big Score, players are presented with a crucial choice: they must select one of two drastically different approaches. This decision affects gameplay, setup requirements, and the final experience of the heist.
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The Subtle Approach: This strategy focuses on careful planning, less direct confrontation, and infiltration. It requires more elaborate setup missions, demanding precision and patience. The subtle approach often involves disguises, subterfuge, and coordinated actions to get in and out of the Union Depository with minimal risk of being caught.
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The Obvious Approach: In contrast, the obvious approach embraces chaos and brute force. It requires less preparatory work but relies on heavy firepower and a straightforward assault. This path is action-packed, involving intense firefights with law enforcement and security personnel. If you are someone who enjoys shootouts and explosions, this may be the right choice.
The choice of approach is entirely up to the player, allowing for a replayability factor with significant differences in gameplay experiences. Both routes have their unique challenges and rewards and the approach does not change the amount of gold the heist will yield.
Planning the Heist and Crew Composition
Regardless of the chosen approach, Lester Crest, the mastermind behind the heists, is the one who coordinates all the planning and provides the necessary information and resources. The player characters, mainly Michael, are responsible for making the important decisions regarding which approach to use and which supporting characters to hire. The skills and unique abilities of the crew members are crucial for the heist’s success. Choosing the wrong crew members can result in more losses of the overall take.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About GTA V Heists
How many story mode heists are there in GTA 5?
There are a total of six heists in the Grand Theft Auto V’s single-player story mode. These are: The Jewel Store Job, The Merryweather Heist, The Paleto Score, The Bureau Raid, and The Big Score. The initial heist involving the Union Depository for jewelry is considered the first heist in the game.
What is the chronological order of GTA 5 story heists?
The heists in GTA V’s story mode, in the order they appear in the game, are:
- The Jewel Store Job
- The Merryweather Heist
- The Paleto Score
- The Bureau Raid
- The Big Score
What triggers the start of the last heist?
The last heist, The Big Score, is triggered after completing the “Meltdown” mission. Following this mission, Lester contacts Michael and asks him to meet at the Strip Club to start planning.
What is the highest payout heist in GTA 5 (single-player)?
While The Big Score is the last heist in the game and offers a significant payout, it is not the highest payout in GTA 5. The payouts differ based on approach and hired crew. The maximum payout possible is around 40 million dollars. However, the Diamond Casino Heist, is the highest paying in the entire game, but this heist can only be done in GTA Online.
Can you replay heists in the story mode after completing them?
Yes, after completing the main story and all the heists, you can replay them via the mission replay option in the pause menu, allowing you to explore both the subtle and obvious approaches of The Big Score or any other heist again and experiment with different crew compositions.
What is the hardest heist in GTA 5?
The story mode heists are not considered extremely difficult compared to the online heists. However, the Paleto Score is considered the most difficult of the single player heists due to its reliance on heavy combat and shootouts with law enforcement. In GTA Online, the Doomsday Heist is generally considered the most difficult due to its length and complexity.
How do you get the Criminal Mastermind bonus in GTA?
The Criminal Mastermind bonus of $10,000,000 is only obtainable in GTA Online by completing all heists in order, with the same team, on hard difficulty and without any deaths.
How long does it take to finish the GTA 5 story mode?
The main story of GTA 5 typically takes around 32 hours to complete. Speedruns of the game can bring this down to around 20 hours. The inclusion of side missions, the story mode heists and world exploration can significantly extend the playtime.
What can you do after completing the GTA 5 story mode?
After completing the story, you can explore the world, complete side missions, and collect collectibles. Players can also continue in the open world, engage in random events, and pursue side objectives like stunt jumps and unique encounters. Many also transition to GTA Online for more heists and multiplayer content.
How can you make the most money in GTA 5 story mode?
In the story mode, you can maximize earnings by completing story mode heists, assassination missions, and engaging in collectibles, bail bonds, and random encounters. Additionally, robbing armored trucks can provide a quick source of cash. The stock market can also be manipulated, though it requires some time and careful planning.
Can you do heists after beating the story mode in GTA 5?
Yes, after completing the story mode, you can replay all the story mode heists through the pause menu. However, new heists introduced in the GTA Online DLCs are only accessible via the online mode.
Is the Doomsday Heist 2X money in GTA?
Rockstar Games occasionally offers double GTA$ and RP for certain activities in GTA Online. The Doomsday Heist often features as part of these bonus events, increasing the payout and experience gained.
What are the payouts from story heists?
Payouts from story heists vary depending on the chosen approach, the crew members used, and their skill levels. The Big Score can yield around 40 million dollars maximum and the other story mode heists yield significantly less.
What is the easiest heist in GTA Online?
The Fleeca Job is often considered the easiest entry-level heist in GTA Online, it is the first available heist and has a relatively straightforward setup process and mission structure.
Can the Casino Heist be done solo?
No, the Diamond Casino Heist in GTA Online cannot be played solo, it requires a minimum of two players. It is one of the harder heists in the game but also one of the highest paying.
Conclusion
The Big Score serves as a fitting culmination to the intricate narrative of GTA V’s story mode. It offers a grand finale to the criminal exploits of Michael, Franklin, and Trevor and delivers a thrilling and memorable heist experience. Whether you choose the careful precision of the subtle approach or the explosive chaos of the obvious route, The Big Score is a high-stakes adventure that solidifies its place as a legendary heist in gaming history. After its completion, the game still offers replayability with open world activities, side missions, and the choice to go back and replay all the heists again.