L.A. Noire is a creative, authentic, and addicting experience based off the violent crime days of the 1940s.
L.A. Noire is set in the violent times of the late 1940s. You play as detective Cole Phelps, an honest cop that is determined to rid the streets of Las Angeles of crime. You will be solving mysteries based on four different types of cases: Traffic, Homicide, Vice, and Arson. The game is heavily based on story and problem solving. The stories are intriguing to watch thanks to the well designed cases and characters you interact with. It is a very mature story that deals with a lot of violence, issues of rape as well as some racism, which were, of course, big issues back in that time. It certainly feels more like an interactive movie half the time, which, in this case, is not a bad thing by any means. The atmosphere of the game is very authentic and and interesting to look at. It's nice to explore the grand city to take a look at the various sights. It's just a shame that there weren't any little fun side activities to take part in to take a break from the investigations. Also, some of the cases do feel a bit repetitive, but this is mainly apparent when playing for long periods.
You approach each case as would any good detective. You will investigate the crime scene, interview people that were involved in some way, gather evidence, and use that evidence against the perpetrator. There are plenty of interrogations to take part in as well as exciting chase sequences and some shoot-outs. It is important to explore and investigate every part of a crime scene or place of suspicion in order to find the best evidence. Carefully examining objects is also crucial since some items have specific details like writing or perhaps a hidden letter. Every piece of important detail is kept in your notebook for you to look back on.
Once you have your evidence you can proceed with the questioning, and this is one of the best parts of the game. You will ask the person specific questions, and you will have to see whether or not that person is telling the truth or lying. It's not going to be that simple most of the time. You not only need to concentrate on what they are saying, but also their body language. Certain expressions and movements can be a key hint on what they are really saying, and sometimes it may throw you in a loop. Most of the time you will need to rely on pure instinct to see if what they are saying is true or not. If you guess right, they will give away more key elements like people and places that are helpful for your progress. Accusing them wrongly will bring less evidence and will effect the way you solve the rest of the mystery, as well as how those people would react to you. Your final grade is based on how many questions you have correct, as well as the number of clues you find and the amount of damage taken in the city.
The attention to detail given to the city of L.A. set in the '40s is flawlessly portrayed. The city looks as it should and features an authentic soundtrack that just helps add to the experience. There are some instances of pop-in from time to time, but ultimately it doesn't ruin the look of the game. What's just as fantastic as the atmosphere is the character models; more specifically, their facial animations. Each character is portrayed by real life actors and actresses via motion scanning that successfully shows of realistic expressions. The fantastic facial expressions are accompanied by superb acting and dialog. If there is really one minor gripe to think about is that some character models, mainly female character models, don't look as good as others.
To sum things up:
PROS:
-Great story and characters
-Authentic 1940s atmosphere
-Superb voice acting and facial expressions
-Intriguing mysteries
-Challenging interrogations
CONS:
-Feels a tad repetitive after playing for long periods
-Some character models look better than others
-No fun little side activities
The game's minor gripes are not enough to detract from the fantastic experience one would have with L.A. Noire. If you are a big fan of detective stories and crime dramas, film noire, or problem solving, this is certainly a must buy.