A very interesting game, hard to review. Stays strong throughout but repetitive. SPOILER FREE
In this review I'm going to go over the many things that LA Noire does right, and does wrong. This game will be a tough one to review so bare with me.
You play in the 1940's as Detective Cole Phelps. Throughout the game Phelps will be a good cop so it won't be like GTA. You can run over people and things but in the end you end up with fines once the case is solved. Men have just come out of WWII and have come to LA for a change; and as you can imagine and should know – this was one of the worst years for crimes in LA. Rockstar & Bondi did a brilliant job of recreating LA for 1940. The detail is magnificent.
Gameplay:
The game is very unique and there is no other game I can think of that matches it. As you start each case you will be guided over to the crime scene and examine it for clues and talk to people. This is a great idea but what kills it for me is the fact there is background music playing when there and clues and then once all the clues are found; the music is stopped. I understand it might have been a pain in the backside for players to go around everywhere for clues but it could have atleast had a rewarding factor to players who want to look deeper into the game. As the clues are collected you will guided around LA looking for locations and people who knew the victim of crime. It's fun to do but like I stated before; it almost feels like Fable. The game is holding your hand throughout and will guide you everywhere which is a downfall to me; but as I stated – I understand this could make the game ridiculously hard and boring if it wasn't there.
There are desks you will be put onto. Homicide, Arson, Traffic and Patrol (in no order listed). I found Traffic and Patrol to be easiest but the more interesting. Homicide is brilliant at first but is the same old story over and over for me and really started to get repetitive but also; dare I say boring.
Outside of doing the story cases – you can find landmarks (the alternative to GTA's stuff like packages and oysters) and also be called out to street crime. There is also collectable and unlockable vechicles – but until writing this review I forgot all about it and I don't hear anybody mention them….so I'm not going to. Anyway; street crime happens during some cases though you can go into free roam after you have beaten each desk to go back and do some more street cases. Street cases are just the typical case of a small robbery or even murder. They're good to do when you wish for a breath of fresh air from a case you're stuck on….speaking of being stuck on cases – allow me to mention something. I and many others have experienced parts in cases where we didn't get the right clues or didn't respond to a suspect in the right way; where the case is done with and there's nothing to do about it asides from restart at the beginning again. I hope this has been patched up but I had it 3 times in 3 different cases. Watch out.
Gameplay: 8.5/10
Sound:
The game has an amazing custom soundtrack and licensed one which really makes the game feel like it's in the 40's. The inspector like music in clues is great and some of the tension music too is absolutely brilliant. Spoiler free: but when I knew someone was about to lash out at me (it was made obvious) and this music was creeping in; it really added to the atmosphere.
Sound: 9/10
Visual design + Graphics (/20):
This is what everyone is talking about - The visuals. Let me say that every little tiny pixel on this game is in detail and it doesn't make it look too sharp either. It's crystal clear. Whilst speaking on graphics and visual design allow me to comment on the interrogation. When asking a suspect questions you must chose if they are lying, telling the truth or if you're not too sure – doubt them. There is only one right answer in these and the game tells you if you got it right or not. Again; I feel like a sucker – like a little kid in a mall. There are so many open possibilities and the game is holding onto you telling you where to go. I'd like to have a case go wrong or be suckered into a trap or believing lies from the man who's guilty. Anyway…..these interrogation parts are so well done. You can tell if someone is lying or hiding something by watching their eyes and little minimal movements they do such as moving their hand when they speak and what not…it's incredible and so well thought out. Major props to Bondi and Rockstar.
Visual design + Graphics (18/20):
Replay value:
At first I wasn't impressed by the replay value but now Rockstar is offering cheap DLC cases which are very impressive and worth the bundles and single purchase. This revived the game for me by far. Excellent work.Although in my first unedited review; I did bash the replay value - it's got it here.
Replay value: 8/10
Gameplay: 8.5/10
Sound 9/10
Visual design + Graphics (18/20):
Replay value: 8/10
Overall: 43.5/50 = 86/100 = 8.5/10