You play one person at a time. The other is either with you as a partner or off living their own day. The switch is built for the same scene (car, heist, chase), not a map teleport. Dual mode means partner present plus instant seat or body swap, not two players in one skull.

1Decide the Mode Before You Leave the House

Solo Jason or Solo Lucia
Go off alone
The other keeps a routine (sleep, shop, drive, text you). Use for personal errands, separate side jobs, or cooling off after a fight.
Together as a couple or partners
Summon and wait
Call or text the other and wait until they arrive. Then hang out, rob, drive, or do activities as a pair. You still only drive one body, but the other is present and useful.
Scripted duo mission
Both in the scene
Switching is either free, forced mid-action, or locked to one lead so the scene stays coherent.
Decision rule: If you need covering fire, a driver, or a second pair of hands on a store or heist, summon first. If you need stealth or a clean wanted-level split, go solo and text later.

2How to Switch

If they are next to each other or in the same car: the swap is instant. Seats flip. The car does not stop. Driver becomes passenger or the reverse.
If they are across the map: the camera moves to whoever you selected and drops you into whatever they were already doing. Same day, different body.

3Mid-Chase and Mid-Heist Loop

Same idea on foot: One lead pushes, the other covers. Lucia can already be in a store Jason is robbing. You walk in as the other character and the scene continues instead of resetting.

4Summon, Split, and Wanted-Level Plays

5Relationship Is Part of the Control Scheme

First playthrough
Pick a lane early
Lean couple and actually hang out, or lean partners-only and do not waste time on date activities. Mixing I want romance scenes with I never answer the phone is the combo people expect will feel broken.
Plan around roles
One drives, one shoots, one talks, one covers
Do not plan a build around leak-era specials like Dead Eye Jason or one-shot Lucia. Current preview talk does not treat those as the thing you should plan around.

Common Mistakes to Avoid