Very immersive and interactive gameplay. Great facial expression technology makes this seem like you're playing a movie.
Loved the vibrant colors and beautifully recreated late 40's L.A.
I'm not a fan of the driving and VERY grateful you can have your partner drive.
Great story, actually STORIES...
I'm also not a fan of the Grand Theft Auto series which is one reason why I dismissed this game so quickly at first but after watching reviews and videos of it, I realized this was game that was more than running amok around the city and causing trouble. You are the good guy and you do good deeds and save the day. You bring bad guys to justice. You solve crimes. You don't steal cars, you "borrow" them in the name of the law.
I love interviewing persons of interest. These encounters are so immersive and realistic. Their facial expressions say it all. Are they lying, holding back, telling the truth. You have to figure out how to respond once they answer a question my gauging their visual cues and temperament. This was so much fun. Exploring the crime scenes are also nicely laid out and detailed.
Clues are perfectly created with detail so fine that even the fine print is visible. There are lots of great animations from realistically punching elevator buttons to your partner leaning up against a wall when he's next to it. Running down the steps or even walking to your side of the car is done casually as you would see anyone do in real life. This attention to detail really struck me and I kept finding myself saying how I love this game.
There are some things that could have been better. Sometimes its not so simple to zero in on a clue because you keep passing the item on the ground and then you end up back and forth till you get it just right. A little annoying but it doesn't happen all the time. I've already mentioned that I wasn't a fan of the driving but partner driving is the remedy for that. It definitely saves time and possible fines and damage incurred along the way! The downside to fast traveling, however, is that you will miss out on discovering new landmarks around town. This matters if you are after the achievement for discovering all 30.
Besides these small gripes, L.A. Noire is an intelligent, thrilling and beautiful detective game that I recommend picking up. Don't rent, BUY!