GTA Online: The Cayo Perico Heist Review
A Refreshing Change of Pace
Long-time readers of my blog know my affinity for GTA Online. At the time of writing, I’m Rank 473 in the 3rd top-selling game of all time.
I’ve dealt in Special Cargo crates, stolen and resold Import/Export vehicles, operated all of the Biker update businesses, ran an underground military bunker that manufactured weapons, owned over 80 vehicles, and even purchased a $10 million yacht in the game (here’s how I did it.)
But the problem I always ran into in GTA Online was the Heist system. For the longest time, heists were a great way to make money in a relatively short amount of time.
That is if you had friends to go on heists with you.
I have a couple of friends I occasionally play GTA Online with, but no one consistent enough to go through with the planning and execution of complex heists where mission failure is a common occurrence without proper training or a strong sense of the game mechanics. Enter the Cayo Perico Heist update.
We All Live in a Yellow Submarine
The Cayo Perico Heist update is described by Rockstar Games as “the largest and most ambitious Grand Theft Auto Online adventure to date.” Players will find a brand new island and compound to rob, owned by the insanely wealthy drug cartel leader El Rubio.
You meet a new contact, Miguel Madrazo, son of Martin Madrazo from the main story, who needs a professional to steal some sensitive files from El Rubio on his island. Any other drugs, cash, or valuables you find during the mission are yours to sell.
To set up the heist, players must purchase a decommissioned Soviet military submarine, piloted by the best character I’ve seen in a long time, Pavel. Buying the base level of the submarine will set you back $2.2 million, but I recommend purchasing the Sparrow helicopter add-on ($1.815 million) for quick travel to and from mission points.
After you get the submarine, you travel to the island of Cayo Perico to perform reconnaissance missions. You can visit and revisit the island as many times as you like to make sure you have the details perfected before the heist.
How This Heist Differs
The biggest thing I got out of this update was how customizable it is. You choose your method of attack; the weapons, entry and exit points, what you’ll loot, the vehicle you’ll be traveling in, and the number of players are all up to you.
This is the first heist in Grand Theft Auto Online history that allows you to do the entire heist by yourself. It’s also something you can run through in between 1.5–2.5 hours, depending on which prep missions you decide on doing and how careful you are.
As someone who has played the game for years, I can definitively say that this heist is currently the fastest way to make money in the game, even more so than sourcing Import/Export update vehicles to resell. You can now make between $1–1.5 million every 1.5–2.5 hours, and the heist resets itself within five minutes after completion.
Tips for The Heist
I’ve completed the heist four times so far, and I’ve found the best approach is a stealthy one. Invest in weapon suppressors, choose the “Aggressor” weapons set and the submarine as your entry vehicle, infiltrate through the drainage tunnel, and exit at the main dock.
Try your hardest to not be seen, because as soon as you are, you’ll be swamped with armed guards and helicopters. You don’t have a chance if you didn’t fill your inventory with snacks and body armor.
If you’re looking for more info, I suggest a quick YouTube search for guides on the heist.
Final Thoughts
The Cayo Perico Heist update has become the easiest way to grind cash in GTA Online. In a game world where cars and other vehicles cost several million dollars, players have needed a way to experience everything the game has to offer without sinking a large chunk of their lives into the game (like me.)
If you’ve played the game and been turned off by heists in the past, give this one a shot. Pavel’s charisma, the quick and lucrative payout, and the option to play with as many or as few players as you want make this a highly desirable game mode to explore.
