As it is widely known, the Grand Theft Auto series is one of the most popular in history. Where else would players expect to find massive, sprawling sandboxes to insight chaos and death in? From the ultra realistic cars to the painstakingly crafted cities, the developers at Rockstar don't skimp when it comes to packing their games to the gils with details.

They also don't hold out when it comes to jam packing their games full of secrets and Easter eggs that take even the most die hard fans years to uncover. The Grand Theft Auto franchise is packed with references to television, movies, books, and video games-- especially Grand Theft Auto V.

For those that don't have the time or dedication to go and seek out some of the more obscure secrets, some may have slipped right by you during gameplay, or simply been too far off the beaten path to really illicit any interest to investigate. This is totally fine; not many people have the time to sink hundreds of hours into a game that they already invested a significant amount of time into.

Don't fret-- we've taken out our magnifying glasses and gotten right down into the dirt of Los Santos; uncovering some of the most cryptic and easy to miss Easter eggs in the massive game world.

So go grab a car, load up that ungodly arsenal that you carry around, and check your wanted level. We're about to dive into the 15 Easter Eggs You Completely Missed In Grand Theft Auto V. 

Grove Street For Life

During the mission “Hood Safari,” a familiar crew can be seen riding bikes off of Grove Street and down the street. Alluding to the first mission in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which features CJ, Big Smoke, and Sweet riding bikes, it’s a cool Easter egg for gamers with a watchful eye.

It’s doubtful that this is the actual crew twenty years later, as the whole crew-- with the exception of CJ-- is wiped out at the end of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but it definitely is a scene straight out of one of the series’ fan favorites.

Whether it’s an indication that CJ is still banging with a new crew all these years later is up to speculation, but it’s definitely a welcome addition to a game already jam packed with series specific Easter eggs.

 They're Here!

Gamers who were fortunate enough to pick up a physical special edition of Grand Theft Auto V may have noticed that it came with a massive map of the game world with some odd coloration. Most would have shrugged it off as a neat addition and got on to picking up hookers off the seedy streets of Los Santos.

However, others took their investigation a bit further, and exposed the oddly colored map to a black light, revealing a super cool Easter egg that transcends the boundaries of the in game world.

When the special edition map is exposed to a black light, the entire map lights up with scribbling revealing the location of several Easter eggs, secrets, and points of interest. Aside from creating a massive game fraught with secrets, Rockstar even went so far as to pimp the map out for the overly curious as a testament to their love for their fans.

Jesus Has Risen!

Some say that the second coming of Christ is on his way, and some say that he already walks the earth. When it comes to Grand Theft Auto V, God’s son most certainly walks the earth, and he hangs out on the Del Perro Pier smoking fatties.

The rambling pothead named Jesse says some petty interesting stuff and shares a striking resemblance to the traditional depiction of Jesus, made all the more Californian by the drug rug and flip flops.

He spits out religious references in the confusing ramblings, talking about how his “dad used to be really mean to everyone, especially Jews, but now he’s totally cool,” and that he “doesn’t like people who do really cool stuff to call themselves really cool, they just do it because it’s really cool.”

Apart from spouting wisdom about God and humility, he definitely partakes in herb a little too much. Although, if Christ were walking the earth, he may very well be getting baked by the strip mall, as opposed to letting his presence be known.

Bring The Payne

Max Payne 3 is one of the finest games ever made by Rockstar; with its combination of gritty story line, well crafted gun play, and emotionally mature themes, it’s one of the greatest third person action games ever made. Max also rocks one of the most suave Hawaiian shirt, sunglass, and beard combos to ever appear in any form of media.

It’s no surprise then, that his style is totally available to Michael in Grand Theft Auto V; Max’s trademark shirt, shades, and bushy facial hair are all available to Michael at the multiple stores and barbers in Los Santos.

Not that his new style will score him a ticket to South America, but at least Michael can look a little but cooler while he unloads a mini gun into stand-still traffic.

Little Green Men

If there is one thing the developers over at Rockstar love, it’s throwing a whole bunch of aliens into their games, and Grand Theft Auto V is certainly no exception.

At a certain point in the game, a dead (hopefully) alien can be found trapped just under a thin sheet of ice. UFOs are present throughout the game and can only be viewed when certain conditions are met, either by the player or the game world.

Gamers have, of course, modded flyable UFOs into the game on PCs, as well as an alien character that can be dropped into the game as an NPC or a playable character based off the one seen trapped under ice.

One thing is for certain: the aliens are nasty looking and definitely not something gamers would want to run into mid-heist, or even when taking a leisurely drive through the desert.

 Dark Souls Yoga

“Did Somebody Say Yoga?” is one of the most universally loathed missions in the Grand Theft Auto games. Tasked with getting Michael to bend into some bothersome angles while being lambasted by his wife and her yoga instructor, different positions are achieved through a combination of analog stick movements and “breathing” utilizing the shoulder buttons.

Hitting these positions effortlessly will result in achievements being unlocked, with the last achievement being “Praise The Sun!”-- an obvious nod to the extremely popular Dark Souls franchise.

Although it may be particularly hard to imagine Ornstein and Smough doing downward dog, it may serve as a reference to the somewhat meditative state that achieving oneness with a Souls game produces.

"You Watch Your Mouth, Buddy!"

In the particularly hilly geography surrounding the Sandy Shoals airport, homage to the film Thelma and Louise can be seen every evening around 7 o’clock. Curious gamers may have noticed the cacophony that accompanies the final scene in the movie, a barricade of police cars and a helicopter, without actually realizing what it was or that it happens virtually every night.

The scene is painstakingly recreated, with two women taking the faithful plunge in a convertible while the cops stare on with guns drawn, and a helicopter circles closely overhead.

Gamers not content with simply spectating can join in on the action, by basically slaughtering everyone in typical Grand Theft Auto fashion. Players can also get a unique angle by standing at the bottom of the canyon where the convertible lands with a devastating explosion.

“8 Is Just Infinity Stood Up”

In Sandy Shores, players can stumble across a dilapidated shack that doesn’t look like much from a quick passing. However, upon investigating the property, players will begin to unravel one of the grimmest mysteries in the Grand Theft Auto series. The shack is decorated with number eights and a cryptic message that hints at the reasoning for the shack’s ruined state.

The Infinite Eight Killer is a deceased serial killer whose crimes went unsolved before he passed away in prison. Players can find his scribblings in certain areas of the game, alluding to the location of multiple bodies in the game world that can all be found with enough sleuthing and exploring.

Amateur detectives can find a series of messages that lead them to the Bowling Penitentiary, where a final message will lead gamers to the location of the bodies associated with the killer.

Bowl Cuts And Cattle-Guns

To the north of the city, gamers may have noticed a small, dead end road out in the wilderness that seems to serve no purpose. However, for film fans familiar with the famous “drug deal gone bad” scene from the movie No Country For Old Men will immediately recognize the eerie car horn bleating as they approach.

The scene is nearly identical to the scene in the film, with a scattering of bodies around vehicles; an obvious sign that something has gone horribly wrong. Investigating further, gamers can find a silver case containing $25,000 and a wounded man who warns the player to not touch the case (as if any would listen). Once players make off with the case, a detachment of pickups similar to the one at the original scene will pull up on players a short time later full of gun toting thugs looking for their money.

You Have A Friend Request

When taking control of Michael, gamers can explore his house to their hearts content. Jimmy, his pothead gamer son, can be seen in multiple places around the house, at one point sitting at the kitchen table on his laptop.

If gamers zoom up on his screen while he’s busy typing away, they’ll notice that Jimmy is on the popular in-game social media site Lifeinvader, a tongue and cheek poke at the increasingly intrusive presence that social media plays in every day life. They may have also noticed that Jimmy is viewing a profile that features a familiar face from Grand Theft Auto IV, belonging to none other than Niko Bellic.

Aside from his massive face being plastered at the top of the profile, Niko’s cousin Roman is listed at the top of his friends list, probably because of his repeated attempts to personally message Niko asking him if he wants to go bowling.

All Work And No Play Makes Trevor A Dull Boy

Customization of character's clothes in Grand Theft Auto V is available at a series of retailers throughout the game world, offering a plethora of options to gamers who want their protagonists to stand out. Hidden within the discount clothing retailer is an allusion to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining in the form of a clothing item available to Trevor.

When playing as the lovable psychopath, an outfit called “Overlooked Red Blouson” can be purchased that strongly resembles the outfit that Jack Nicholson wears in the movie.

Also, the “Overlooked” part of the clothing’s name is a shout out to The Shining’s main setting: the Overlook Hotel. Allowing Trevor to purchase and wear this outfit is pretty fitting, considering that he is in full “redrum” mode all the time.

"The Owls Are Not What They Seem"

In the Richman Valley north of the city, homage to David Lynch’s spectacular television series Twin Peaks can be discovered by those that are willing to do some exploring off the beaten path.

When players arrive at Two Hoots Falls-- an obvious play on the television series name-- they’ll notice that the waterfall at the site is near identical to the waterfall from the show.

It’s also hard to miss the abundance of owl statues as well, a prominent factor in the bizarre series that serve as manifestations of BOB, as well as his eyes and ears. It’s a very neat area that pays tribute to an equally awesome show; now if they could just help explain some of the dang plot, many people would be grateful...

The Undead Are Getting Dull

On a corner in Vinewood, a street performer mimicking the real life costumed mascots in Los Angeles can be found, dressed as a zombie and offering some insight into the zombie genre and the life of a street performer.

Upon approaching him, the usual banter of asking anyone if they want a picture with him will entail, before he descends into a tirade about the state of the zombie genre, essentially pointing out that it’s dried up and played out; a tired medium to express the fear of “the other” that frightens people out of their minds.

Patient gamers will also be treated to the performer taking a call from his mom, with hilariously embarrassing dialogue as he tries to explain the complex philosophical and societal implications of his performance to his mother, who clearly does not care.

"A Pair Of Ragged Claws Scuttling Across The Floors Of Silent Seas"

Just off the western shore of the in-game map, a seriously massive skeleton can be found that points to San Andreas’s seas being a bit more populated at one point than gamers may have originally thought.

Grabbing some scuba gear and swimming way the heck out there, gamers will come across the massive skeleton of what most series fans believe to be a massive sea monster. Complete with a long tail, pointed head, and three fingered claws, whatever this thing was, it was definitely a threat to whatever had the misfortune of swimming near it.

Luckily, this is the only skeleton like this in the game, so it’s not like there are any living giant sea lizards ripping holes in boats and eating unlucky scuba divers (although it’s surprising no one has created a mod yet).

An Interesting Taste In Books

If Rockstar is good at one thing, it’s alluding to their own games in their other games. This is no where truer than with Grand Theft Auto V; multiple mentions of numerous other titles are scattered in the map’s farthest corners, and as is actually more common, hidden in plain sight.

Gamers who have perused the bookshelves in Franklin’s house may have noticed a few mentions to other video games on the book’s spines, including one that is a shout out to one of Rockstar’s most successful games to date: Red Dead Redemption. A book titled Red Dead by J. Marston sits on the shelf in-between spoofs of real life books and magazines, such as Vanity Unfair and Malcom Eggs.

It’s a testament to how far Rockstar will go to slip an Easter egg into a massive game whose size can sometimes hide the most obvious surprises right in front of you.

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Are there any other great Easter eggs in Grand Theft Auto V that we missed? Let us know in the comment section!