Michael shows up in one of the opening missions of GTA 5 but does not become a playable character until several missions later. Many would argue that Michael is the game’s protagonist because a lot of the story revolves around his actions. If you are wondering how to unlock Michael in GTA 5, we are here to help.
Michael will not be accessible until the first few missions are completed. As soon as you complete the Fresh Meat quest at the start of the game and rescue Michael, you will be able to play as the enigmatic character.
Unlocking Michael in GTA 5
GTA 5’s prologue introduces players to the mechanics of the game, and once you familiarize yourself with Franklin, Michael makes an appearance as well.
Michael will be playable if you complete the Franklin and Lamar, Repossession and Complications quests which are basic theft quests. But he will not be a permanent unlock until much later in the game. To fully unlock Michael, you need to complete the Fresh Meat quest. Here is a walkthrough for the entire questline:
Reach Franklin’s Former Home
Like the previous primary mission, you need to reach Franklin’s former home. It does not matter whether you are playing Trevor or Franklin. Watch the cutscene of Michael being interrogated and wait until you get access to the Trackify app. Activate your smartphone, and you will be able to track Michael’s whereabouts.
Track Down Michael
Players will have to track down Michael via the Trackify app on their smartphones. Michael is located on the Southeast side of the map in a meat factory. You should not place any checkpoints here, preventing you from getting the “Sense of Direction” secondary objective for 100% completion. Rely on the app’s readings, and you will also notice that the health bar on the smartphone’s display will slowly deplete.
Breach the Meat Factory
Once you reach the meat factory, get out of the car and deal with the enemies that are securing the yard. Using explosives or grenade launchers can help you clear out the enemies and get to Michael as quickly as possible. Once you clear all of the enemies outside head inside.
Get to Michael
You need to find Michael. He is located in a hall that will be marked in the Trackify app, and you should deal with all of the enemies before getting to him. Using the operating machinery to take out opponents can save your ammo and time, and you should look for every opportunity to use the machines against your enemies. Make your way to the factory exit, get to the car parked outside and head to Michael’s estate.
You will be chased by Cheng’s people as soon as you leave and will lose them as long as you keep driving. Once the mission is complete, you will have access to Michael as a playable character.
Rescuing Michael
Once you reach Michael, you can throw him a pistol. It will immediately cut to Michael, and you will be able to eliminate enemies. There will be a lot of enemies sneaking upon you, and you should dispose of them as quickly as possible. Michael has a time-slowing skill that will allow you to get the ten headshot kills you need for one of the secondary objectives.
You should not switch between Franklin and Michael more than three times as it will cause one of the secondary objectives to fail.
How to Get 100% Completion on Fresh Meat
If you want to get 100% completion on the Fresh Meat quest, you need to meet the following requirements.
Switch Limiter: Do not switch between the playable characters more than three times during the mission. This objective starts counting only after Michael frees himself.
Accuracy: Maintain weapon accuracy of at least 70%.
Headshots: Kill at least ten enemies with headshots.
Swift Rescue: Rescue Michael within three minutes and 30 seconds. While this seems easy on paper, try to avoid risking your life when going through the initial areas of the factory Michael is held in.
Sense of Direction: Do not mark any points on the map. You can use the Trackify app, and it does not affect the secondary objective.
Michael is one of the best characters in GTA 5 because of his unique abilities. He has Bullet Time in his kit, which allows him to slow time and kill opponents quickly. It makes getting headshot kills very easy, and you will get to complete secondary objectives that require headshots with no effort at all.
The Bullet ability has become a mainstay in Rockstar Games titles since Max Payne, and it’s great to see the publisher bring it back in GTA 5.
