More recently, games based on TV series like CSI and other adventure titles in the Sherlock Holmes series have provided entertainment for the most hardcore detective game enthusiasts. Unfortunately the production value of these games has been uneven and game play has been rather flat in most of the titles. L.A. Noire is essentially a full scale detective game that utilizes an open world similar to Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. Like both of these critically acclaimed games, L.A. Noire has the polish and depth that puts you believably, in the role of a 1940’s detective.

The game gets off to a bit of a slow start and one can begin to become concerned there may not be enough action for some gamers. Personally I very much enjoyed the detailed cinematic cut scenes and back story of the main character. The first cases are quite easy and serve as a tutorial to teach you the basics of detective work. Clues such as a vibrating controller or changes in music help you determine where you should spend more time searching. In the first missions you essentially need to scope the crime scene and look at the clues. The detail is amazing. For example, when looking at a body you can pick up a body part, rotate it; then even zoom in for more detail when it is pertinent to the case.

After careful identification at the crime scene it becomes critical to conduct interrogations and interviews. Here is where L.A. Noire really shines and the facial expressions and acting of each person you interview requires careful inspection if you are going to handle an interrogation perfectly. For each question a suspect or witness answers, they can either be telling the truth, lying, or doubt. If you accuse someone of lying, you will be required to provide evidence to support that or you will fail that question. Getting a conviction is not just about having the evidence. Conducting a successful interrogation and getting a confession requires you to think in depth about the case, your evidence, and the content of your question. In many ways, L.A. Noire is a thinking person’s game and I found myself becoming thinking quite critically about my selections as the cases became more complex.

What makes these interrogations possible and many of the scenes very interesting is the detailed expressions of each character in the game. Hands down L.A. Noire has the best and most detailed facial animations of any major commercial game release. The audio is also synched up nearly perfectly throughout all of the conversations. Each of the settings are also very detailed and there are all sorts of graphic touches. Rockstar, like they have done so well in their other games, really makes you feel like you are in a living breathing city.

While L.A. Noire is definitely a slower paced linear detective story than the action packed open world of Grand Theft Auto, the game certainly has the car chases, hostage scenes, and fight scenes you would expect. In some instances a suspect may try to flee during questioning. Other times you may get a random call to respond to a disturbance. Like a police officer arriving at a real crime in progress, you never really know what to expect. One interesting mechanic in L.A. Noire is that you can draw your gun on a suspect while chasing them and a small time meter pops up for a few seconds to show that you have the suspect in your sight. If you can manage to keep your gun trained on the suspect, they surrender begging you not to shoot.

There are still many parts of this game that I need to uncover and experience myself. If there is a demand and the game is as popular as I believe it will be, I plan to release another review after I’m further along in the game and can give more impressions on game play and the main story line.

-          Detailed open world environment puts you in the 1940’s L.A.

-          Character expressions are amazing and part of the core game play

-          Detective work is detailed and really makes you feel like a real investigator

-          Solid voice work throughout

 

 

-          Maybe a bit too slow paced for some gamers

-          Shooting aspects a bit weak compared to dedicated FPS titles

-          Not as much of a sandbox game as Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead Redemption

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