A Brief Foreword

If you want to know why this game is so amazing, just drive around the city at night, while it's raining - there you go. Just imagine what GTA5 will be  like...

TheGum.

PS3 Controls

Control	On Foot	Driving
X Button	hold to run, tap to sprint, select on the phone	hand brake
O Button	reload, back or hang up when on phone, punch	cinematic camera
Square	jump, kick	change gun
Triangle	get in car, hold to get in as passenger in taxi, punch	exit car
R1	take or leave cover	handbrake
R2	fire	accelerate
L1	use stuff, pick up object	fire
L2	lock-on, aim	brake, reverse
RStick	camera, click to reset camera	camera, click to reverse camera
LStick	move, click to crouch	move, horn (click for slow motion in cinematic camera)
D-Pad	UP: cellphone, DOWN: zoom out on radar, L & R: change guns	UP: cellphone, DOWN: zoom out on radar, L & R: change radio station
Start	pause game, go to the many screens	pause game, go to the many screens
Select	change camera views	change camera views

*Credit: Deniz Jablonowsky, who did a better job than me on the PS3 controls.

Xbox 360 Controls

control	On Foot	Driving	Combat
LT	Free Aim / Target Lock On	Brake / Reverse	Target Lock On
LB	Context / Pick Up	Fire Weapon	N/A
RT	Free Aim / Fire Button	Accelerate	N/A
RB	Take Cover	Handbrake	N/A
Guide Button	Xbox Guide	Xbox Guide	Xbox Guide
Back	Camera Modes	Camera Modes	Camera Modes
Start	Pause	Pause	Pause
Left Stick	Movement	Steering	Movement
Left Stick Button	Crouch	Horn / Siren / Slowmo In Cinematic View	N/A
D-Pad Up	Mobile Phone Up / Use Mobile Phone	Mobile Phone Up / Use Mobile Phone	N/A
D-Pad Left	Previous Weapon	Previous Radio Station / Radio Station Off (Hold)	Previous Weapon
D-Pad Down	Mobile Phone Down / Skip Phone Conversation / Zoom Radar Out	Mobile Phone Down / Skip Phone Conversation / Zoom Radar Out	Zoom Radar Out
D-Pad Right	Next Weapon	Next Radio Station / Radio Station Off (Hold)	Next Weapon
Right Stick	Rotate Camera / Switch Targets	Rotate Camera / Aiming	Rotate Camera / Switch Targets
Right Stick Button	Look Behind / Zoom aim (when locked on)	View Behind	Look Behind
A	Run / Sprint / Mobile Phone Answer / Mobile Phone Forward	Handbrake / Mobile Phone Answer / Mobile Phone Forward	Block / Dodge
B	Reload / Melee Attack / Mobile Phone hangup / Mobile Phone Backward / Put Away Mobilephone	Cinematic Camera / Mobile Phone hangup / Mobile Phone Backward / Put Away Mobilephone	Counter Attack / Disarm / Punch / Floor Punch
X	Jump / Climb	Change Weapon / Headlights	Kick / Floor Kick
Y	Enter Vehicle / Mount Ladder	Exit Vehicle	Counter Attack / Disarm / Alternative Punch / Floor Punch

Starter Tips
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#1. Jacob is the key - once you meet Jacob, and after he is a friend to go  hang out with from time to time, be sure to get him to like you to about 80% or so (check the stats menu). If you do, you will gain the option to call him up and request guns. He will drive to a nearby location and you can go there for discounted firearms. Which is great for not just the money saved, but also for those times you get busted and need some quick pieces.

#2. In fact, keep ALL your friends close - once anyone is a buddy to hang out with, it's best to entertain them. Find out what they like and do that with  them a lot and once they like you enough you will gain a benefit.

#3. Save the pigeons and stunts for later - yes, throughout your travels you  will run into glowing birds and stunts to take on. But it is best you save  those for later if you want them at all, mainly because you will find a list on the internet and you will need to follow that to a T, so getting a random  one while not going for them all is a bad idea.

#4. Check the maps - not just the pause screen map which does wonders for  finding where to go, but also the physical map that comes in the box if you bought the game. The physical map has all the locations of things already there for you. And if you want to make pencil notes on your map for whatever, that  is cool too (like pigeons you get on accident or whatever). Don't miss that  you can set your own markers on the map.

#5. No right on red - even though the driving mechanics are more realistic than ever, you can still drive like a madman right in front of the cops. However, it is a good idea to slow things down a bit for the cars you don't know how to handle. The drive buttons are contact sensitive, so if you lay off of them just a bit you won't go as fast. Especially take it easy on the corners.

#6. Brief info - in the pause menu is a screen tab called "Brief" and if you  are lost on a mission, somehow, go there to see what you need to be doing.

#7. Take turns like you would in real life - well, if you have driven a car,  and it's very possible most people playing this mature game are still teething, you would know that you take turns easy, but while turning you press the gas. Well, same thing in this game. For turns, approach, let off the gas and brake just a bit, then make the turn, and as you are turning press hard on the gas, and you should take off nice and smoothly in the direction you wish to go while at a decent speed. Of course each car is different, but at least you'll have a  leg up on driving. *If you want to do hardcore turns, you should apply just a touch of the handbrake after you've used the normal brake - check that.

#8. Yellow-lined garages - if you notice outside each safehouse on the side of the road is a yellow box with the words "Residents Parking Only" in it. You  can store two cars here, or one car and one bike. Best to store fast cars, like the Turismo, and cop cars at these parking spots.

#9. Runnin' away - so you bump into a cop car and get one wanted star. The  easiest thing to do is let them get out, then speed away. Check your radar to see where the backup is coming from, and once out of the wanted area if you just turn and drive away from the backup they will keep going. It's called "giving them the slip."

#10. The radar lines help, or they can hurt - the yellow and other colored  lines on your radar that are meant to help you get to a destination can  sometimes get in the way. Follow them if you are just starting the game, almost everyone will, but as you progress it might be smarter to look on the map to see where you are going, then just follow your own knowledge of the city to get around. This isn't a big tip, just something to think about.

#11. Check the options - be sure to tinker around with the Display options in  the pause menu. It can make it seem like a different game just by adding some  brightness, but never move the sliders all the way in one direction. Also make sure you turn on subtitles and after a time you may want to change the in-game volume.

#12. Pistol-whipped - the pistol is probably one of your better long-range weapons, and the ammo is easy to get. It's the same philosophy as in Resident Evil 4: use the handgun until you run out of ammo or need a bigger gun.

#13. Counter-kill - while in melee you can perform counter moves. This is done by pressing the run button while locked on, and you should avoid the hit and  then be able to attack for a deadly combo. Not used much, but good to know.

#14. Taxi rider - if you hold the "get in car" button around a taxi you will get in as a passenger. Once inside you just press up or down with the LS to  choose a destination. Don't be fooled by the low, low prices, real taxis are  as big a pocketbook murderer as insurance. Press the "use" button to call a  nearby cab. You can also go to markers you set on the map.

#15. Train rider - so you are on the run from the cops and you can't quite get the hang of outrunning them on foot or in a car. Well, while you work on that, feel free to use public transportation to make a speedy getaway. The cops  can't bag you when you get on a train, and rarely do they see you while you are riding. It's a bit slow and not flashy at all, but it does take you a good deal out of their zone. Trains don't serve Alderney, for some reason.

#16. Free Turismos - this is one of the upper tier cars, and if you want as  many as you get, there is one across the street from the Perseus store once you unlock Algonquin. Just break it, steal a car, and lose the cops. It's the  Perseus near your safehouse, so feel free to store two in your parking spots. If you need a fast car, take a taxi to this safehouse and pick one up.

#17. Spawning that special something - getting fly cars is something of a  trick, so you need to be in the fast car to get another one. The reason is  that this game puts on the road more of the same car you are driving. So if you want Super GT's you will need to find one. Then you'll probably need to  drive around your safehouses and keep filling up the spots, or at least getting one if that is your goal. So far, the place I know where there is a high  chance of your car being spawned around you is your safehouse in Bohan. Drive up with a ride and you may see ten of that car lining the streets.

*NOTE: Not sure, but it seems like doing the Stevie missions "unlock" certain cars to appear on the streets. It was only after I started them that I saw a  few new cars I hadn't seen in my two weeks of playing the game. Again, not sure about this though.*

#18. Fuzzzilla - the quickest way to get a cop car is to cause trouble, be on foot, the cops will exit their cruisers to get you, and then go steal a car. Next is to dial 911, where you pretty much have to do the same. The third  option is to find a police station, of which there is always at least one empty car somewhere. The station directly east of the East Borough Bridge exit has three that are rarely under watch.