L.A. Noire

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1212 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 848 out of 1212
  2. Mixed: 259 out of 1212
  3. Negative: 105 out of 1212
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  1. Gazmando
    May 23, 2011
    5
    Having been reserved about this game, and now having had a chance to play it, my reservations were justified. So far I have found the game boring, linear, and nothing more than a glorified point and click move from A to B game. The facial animations are a truly amazing feat unlike any I have seen in a game prior, they don't hide the flaws of the game. Aside from those facial animations,Having been reserved about this game, and now having had a chance to play it, my reservations were justified. So far I have found the game boring, linear, and nothing more than a glorified point and click move from A to B game. The facial animations are a truly amazing feat unlike any I have seen in a game prior, they don't hide the flaws of the game. Aside from those facial animations, everything else has been very average. I wouldn't call it a bad game, just very very average. I would recommend renting before buying.… Expand
  2. Jblack0928
    May 27, 2011
    7
    Allow me to be the one to say, this game is not for everyone. The story is relatively linear and the story moves slower than any other rockstar game go date. I found myself questioning if inshould have rented brink instead on many occasions. After about 6 hours of gameplay and still not having Played brink I can safely say this game is ok. On one hand I truly felt like a criminalAllow me to be the one to say, this game is not for everyone. The story is relatively linear and the story moves slower than any other rockstar game go date. I found myself questioning if inshould have rented brink instead on many occasions. After about 6 hours of gameplay and still not having Played brink I can safely say this game is ok. On one hand I truly felt like a criminal investigator, asking my wife to quiet down because I was on a case. On the other I literaly fell asleep during a long period of dialogue. The facial animations are a neat distraction but do they make the game? Let me leave on this note, I no longer purchase video games but I am an avid renter of the art. It is games like this that make me glad to adhere to this standard, I do not regret the playthrough but i would not need this game in my library.… Expand
  3. Duke_Nukem
    Nov 28, 2016
    7
    I went into this game with high expectations (I know that is a dangerous thing to do) and unfortunatelly it didn't deliver. Sure the graphics are very nice and the facial animation technique is great, but how about the most important thing in a game: the gameplay?

    While there is a nice openworld representation of 1940's L.A., there is really nothing to do in this liveless city. You    I went into this game with high expectations (I know that is a dangerous thing to do) and unfortunatelly it didn't deliver. Sure the graphics are very nice and the facial animation technique is great, but how about the most important thing in a game: the gameplay?

    While there is a nice openworld representation of 1940's L.A., there is really nothing to do in this liveless city. You don't have a house, there are no interesting side quests or mini-games, no crimes to solve. You can drive aimlessly around the city, that's about it. The driving is just fine btw and the cars look nice, it reminded me a lot of that other game called Mafia 2.

    There is no multiplayer or co-op, so what about the story mode? Well it's pretty linear and it gets old very fast: wander around a crime scene untill your controller starts vibrating, giving you a hit that there is a clue to be looked at. You can't leave the crime scene untill you found every clue. Then you and your partner drive to a suspect or witness to ask them a few questions which are listed in your little notebook. You have to look at their facial expression to decide if they are telling the truth.

    The system of 'true, doubt, lie' is not very efficient in my opinion: when you choose doubt your character will be yelling at the suspect but when you choose lie he will be more gentle in his approach, i don't get that! Also it doesn't really matter if you mess up during the interrogations because every time you make a mistake you have to repeat the whole thing untill you do what the game wants you to do. So you can just ask any question and make any decision, untill you found the one that the game wants you to pick.

    There are a few instances where you have to catch a criminal on the streets. Just hold R2 to run after him and shoot or arrest him when you are in close range. You don't have to push any buttons to jump over fences or roofs, the game does that for you! And there are a few shootouts too, just hide behind a car or a wall, use the handy auto-aim system to shoot a few criminals, and that's it!

    This game had so much potential but the action is simply too boring and there is no replay value in this game, no multiplayer and no interesting open world with side quests or random events. You can't talk to people on the streets, you can't use your weapon at will either.

    It's just an interactive movie without any free choices, you just have to do what the game developers want you to do to come to the right conclusions and wrap up the case. Different conclusions do not affect the games outcome, there is only one outcome anyway so there is no real thinking needed. Just trial and error over and over again untill you find the solution and on to the next case, to do the same thing again.    … Expand
  4. Goppfather
    Oct 24, 2011
    7
    Solid game. As many Rockstar games go, some absolutely amazing gaming features, right next to terrible flaws. I personally think its a great storyline, the acting is really good, and the characters are engaging. The detail of the City of LA is remarkable, but I would expect nothing less from Rockstar. As with Red Dead, I found myself wandering around just looking at the remarkableSolid game. As many Rockstar games go, some absolutely amazing gaming features, right next to terrible flaws. I personally think its a great storyline, the acting is really good, and the characters are engaging. The detail of the City of LA is remarkable, but I would expect nothing less from Rockstar. As with Red Dead, I found myself wandering around just looking at the remarkable details.
    The gameplay itself was fun, although a little tedious and grinding. But again, its a Rockstar game, so I expected that. I do agree that some of the investigative clue finding becomes very easy although they did a great job on the interrogations. I found the interogations to get more complicated as the cases progressed. My main complaint as with all Rockstar games are the CLUNKY controls. I really wish they would come up with a new system.
    For fans of mystery or Rockstar, the game will be enjoyed, but for those who haven't liked sandbox, Rockstar games in the past, you won't like this one any better.    … Expand
  5. TheJLC
    Nov 10, 2011
    7
    Fun game, with a very interesting plot. The setting of the game feels very new and appropriate. However, it lacks in re-playability. Once you complete the storyline a few times, you will find yourself wanting more, but won't be able to find it.
  6. leonhardtalv
    Jan 28, 2014
    7
    Interesting game, but way too linear for me. It doesn't really matter if you completed the case collecting all the clues and you are accurate at the interviews. A couple of cases can change depending on that, but it doesn't affect the plot at all, and you keep advancing without any problem. I think it is a game intended to be re played until perfection, but following a walk-through guideInteresting game, but way too linear for me. It doesn't really matter if you completed the case collecting all the clues and you are accurate at the interviews. A couple of cases can change depending on that, but it doesn't affect the plot at all, and you keep advancing without any problem. I think it is a game intended to be re played until perfection, but following a walk-through guide or repeating the arbitrary interviews until I get them right doesn't seem so appealing to me.… Expand
  7. moothemagiccow
    Jun 22, 2016
    6
    The game is uneven: immersive, addictive and a lot of fun in parts, but awkward and unresponsive in others. It's made of disparate pieces: cutscenes, looking for clues, interrogations, and a variety of action mini-games. The story is compelling. Searching for clues and interrogating witnesses are enjoyable. The mini-games are where the game falls apart.
    Every twenty minutes or so, you'll    The game is uneven: immersive, addictive and a lot of fun in parts, but awkward and unresponsive in others. It's made of disparate pieces: cutscenes, looking for clues, interrogations, and a variety of action mini-games. The story is compelling. Searching for clues and interrogating witnesses are enjoyable. The mini-games are where the game falls apart.
    Every twenty minutes or so, you'll be asked to box, chase a suspect, shoot at somebody, or perform an array of less-common tasks - sneaking up on someone, balancing on a collapsing platform, etc. If these made up the totality of the game, it would probably be fine. But you only find yourself doing the same task every few hours - you never get a chance to learn them and improve. I forgot the shooting controls after the first sequence, and forgot the boxing controls later on. Some of the buttons are shown on-screen, but there's no manual in the options section, and I downloaded the game, so I don't have a paper manual.
    Most mini-games aren't related to the main gameplay at all. Unlike car chases, which build on the driving you do in-game,
    Oddly enough, the developers understand this. If you fail three times at any task, you can press a button and skip the entire mini-game. You can also skip driving (steering and braking in low speed traffic, with analog sticks, was a pain for me) by holding a button. The odd part is that repeating or skipping the action really kills the immersion. The game tries incredibly hard to be realistic (your partner will ask what's taking so long if you leave the controller for a minute) and unless you perform perfectly, this breaks the illusion they spent so much time building.    … Expand
  8. Davidm4
    Jun 26, 2011
    6
    Although the facial animations and the recreation of 1940's L.A is impressive, the game play isn't. Finding clues consists of tapping the "x" button to find interactive objects and wait for the game to tell you which ones are clues. You can then check your notebook to see if you have seen every clue (if the location is crossed out you have found everything). The chase sequences consist ofAlthough the facial animations and the recreation of 1940's L.A is impressive, the game play isn't. Finding clues consists of tapping the "x" button to find interactive objects and wait for the game to tell you which ones are clues. You can then check your notebook to see if you have seen every clue (if the location is crossed out you have found everything). The chase sequences consist of holding the sprint button until you are within a certain range to hit "x" for a tap tackle or shoot your weapon if it is available. The fight sequences can be won by mashing x and square without any thought. The interrogations are the most interesting part and I enjoyed using the clues to back up my accusations, but on quite a few occasions I was confused about the context of the questions (what I was accusing them of or what I thought was the truth or what I was doubting). I enjoyed the decisions of who to convict for a case, but in each of the desks the story would conclude that your decisions didn't really matter. You feel like your input as a player doesn't matter when you realise that you could get every question wrong and convict the "wrong" person and still receive the same conclusion in the end.… Expand
  9. Rickin10
    May 22, 2011
    6
    On the surface La Noire seemed intriguing; a detective game that combines investigation with combat , driving, and interrogation set in the seedy/glamorous setting of 40's LA. Despite its grand ambitions it fails on almost every level, because the whole thing is a mere illusion. The main crux of the game is - as it should be - about detecting. Scouring crime scenes for clues, talkingOn the surface La Noire seemed intriguing; a detective game that combines investigation with combat , driving, and interrogation set in the seedy/glamorous setting of 40's LA. Despite its grand ambitions it fails on almost every level, because the whole thing is a mere illusion. The main crux of the game is - as it should be - about detecting. Scouring crime scenes for clues, talking to witnesses, experts, and adding up the evidence. But all of this is very shallow and limited. Whilst the searching for clues is handled well, how you are able to use them in interrogation is frustrating, and in many instances plain illogical, reminding me of the old point 'n' click adventures, where rather than using logic and the clues in a 'real world' way, you had to second guess what the developers were thinking. There were many instances during the game that if it were for real, i would have shoved a slew of damning evidence in the face of a witness to intimidate and get them to spill, but the game will only allow you to ask a very narrow set of questions, where there is only one 'correct' answer. This renders much of the info stuffed in your notebook utterly useless. As a result interviews - whilst there is no denying the stunning nature of the facial tech - leave you feeling deeply unfulfilled, as do the end of many cases It gives you a whole beautiful city, but nothing to do in it (and no i wasn't expecting it to, nor wanting it to, be gta). The foot chases are simply a case of holding the sprint button and directing which way to run - you dont even have to press a button to time jumps. Also, in some chases you can't draw your weapon (because the game needs you to have the perp taken alive), whilst in others where the game wants you to kill them, it sets up a clunky cover-shoot scenario. And this really sums up the game. Where it should be a game of intellect and choices that have consequence, La Noire never takes off the handcuffs and lets you 'play'. You can't, for example, just go back to interview a suspect you've arrested, you have to wait until the game wants you to. You can't go back to re-interview people - again unless the game wants you to. You can't go and discuss things with forensic pathologist or your captain unless...you get the idea. Everything you do feels like you're being pushed - sometimes forced - down paths to arrive at the next cut scene or the 'correct' conclusion. This is never more clear than at the end of a case where you have gotten many of the questions 'wrong' but still automatically end up solving the case. For all it's faults the game is actually quite engrossing. It pulls no punches in crime scenes and the acting is generally superb. I can only hope that team bondi get another chance to deliver a game of more substance rather than this alluring fraud.… Expand
  10. EBGeer
    Jun 21, 2011
    5
    I'm not sure why this game is rated so incredibley. Yes there are some great things going on--but it seems pieced together in a way that doesn't make sense...the best way a friend put it is this---LA Snoire...yes SNORE...I have been trying and trying to get into this game but the interest is slow--the clue searching thrown together...just walk around and wait for your controller toI'm not sure why this game is rated so incredibley. Yes there are some great things going on--but it seems pieced together in a way that doesn't make sense...the best way a friend put it is this---LA Snoire...yes SNORE...I have been trying and trying to get into this game but the interest is slow--the clue searching thrown together...just walk around and wait for your controller to vibrate...the lead role is bi-polar--and you never know how truth, lie or doubt are goin to turn out--there is some great tech behind the facial features..and the open world is great..but the implementation of either of them is poor. There is no need for the open world...and when you read their faces you can doubt them or tell that they are lying but it has no effect because Cole Phelps is probably just going to flip out in a roid rage. I really really want to/wanted to like the game..but it's boring compared to many other games...yeah you have the occasional shoot out...yeah you can drive wherever---but they should have just made this a linear game...dropped the open world..and really told a real story. I know rockstar loves their open worlds..but in this case it just doesnt feel right. PS they spent so much time on facial features that they forgot to spend some time of the rest of the characters....its like real heads on plastic/unreal bodies. I will give it another whirl..but I'm not sure I am going to solve all the cases....I may just be sleeping"...SNoooiiiree"… Expand
  11. Bosniac
    Jun 10, 2011
    6
    I went into thinking that when I get my hands on LAN I would end up playing a mix of Grand Theft Auto 4, Mafia and Alfred **** films. I walked away less impressed than I was with the trailer. It's not that the game is bad, it's just not very interesting. Driving physics are poor. Not much to do in the City, or sidequests. It's repetetive. The detective work is limited, but good. The facialI went into thinking that when I get my hands on LAN I would end up playing a mix of Grand Theft Auto 4, Mafia and Alfred **** films. I walked away less impressed than I was with the trailer. It's not that the game is bad, it's just not very interesting. Driving physics are poor. Not much to do in the City, or sidequests. It's repetetive. The detective work is limited, but good. The facial animation is amazing. This game just fails to impress me. If it didn't have the awesome facial expressions and animations, this would have been the poor man's Mafia 2, or a GTA1950. I can't recomend this game.… Expand
  12. WTCC_Grunty
    Jul 7, 2011
    5
    What is it with game journalists on web sites these days? Every time some thing slightly different from the norm comes out they laud it with praise and give it near perfect review scores. Poor old games buyers rush out to buy what the press says it the best game ever invented and find an interesting concept for a game that lacks that something that journos seem to forget about - FUN!.What is it with game journalists on web sites these days? Every time some thing slightly different from the norm comes out they laud it with praise and give it near perfect review scores. Poor old games buyers rush out to buy what the press says it the best game ever invented and find an interesting concept for a game that lacks that something that journos seem to forget about - FUN!.

    The city looks fine only very little happens, all the interviews are basically the same and the driving is poor and the shooting pathetic - Kane and Lynch 2 was much more fun.

    If you want something similar that is fun try the underrated Mafia2 instead, that is still far from perfect, but is fun which after all is what games are supposed to be about. Personally I'd rather play Saint's Row 2 and watch re-runs of Columbo.    … Expand
  13. Deathsdisciple
    May 31, 2011
    6
    I think i came into L.A. Noire expecting to much but i imagined a challenging detective game with great facial animation . Well I got the facial animation but I'm halfway through the game and can't tell any considerable ramp up in difficulty. Also in the interviews sometimes they change the rules between truth and doubt where the guy is telling the truth but in order to get the rightI think i came into L.A. Noire expecting to much but i imagined a challenging detective game with great facial animation . Well I got the facial animation but I'm halfway through the game and can't tell any considerable ramp up in difficulty. Also in the interviews sometimes they change the rules between truth and doubt where the guy is telling the truth but in order to get the right answer you have to doubt him which seems kinda cheap. The main character also seems to overreact in some situations when use doubt but then with the next time you ask a question it seems like that outburst never happened. The main thing i can praise this game is on facial animation which is the best at the moment in the industry. I would recommend this as a rent or those that simply like to see new technology used in game and I personally hope they do better with the next game.… Expand
  14. Infocynic
    May 20, 2011
    5
    + Voice acting, writing, animation, music, investigation aspects are appealing
    -- Lack of saving, clunky controls, generic side assignments, flawed interrogation logic, driving system
  15. bmart12
    May 29, 2011
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Like many other people, I really wanted to fall in love with this game. Even though it wasn't pure Rockstar, it showed promise. However, there are many flaws with this game that holds it back.

    Story - The story starts off quite nice. A war veteran (or hero) joins the ranks of the LAPD to continue giving back to the country and preventing wrongs or bringing justice to them. However, the story hits the brakes and comes to a screeching halt about halfway through on the homicide desk. There are five "cases" that deal with homicides but they are all the same. Every single case is virtually a repeat of the first. Not only is this frustrating in that it's repetitive and boring but also that the player is forced to knowingly put innocent people in jail despite the bigger criminal at hand. Then the last desk deals with arson, except only 40% of the story on that desk is actual arson. The user is forced to play as a different character to end the game after the twist that completely goes against what the user knows. There is no history or reasoning for the main character to commit adultery. What was meant to be surprising comes off as a skeptical way to keep the story moving. The story/case aspect is also incredibly linear - this is only one way to do anything. Street crimes and certain story scenes are pre-meditated. No matter how much you try to chase down a suspect, it will always adjust to end at Point A with a hostage. This is another negative against the game. For the long time in development, the story is incredibly disappointing.

    Gameplay - First off, the signature Rockstar controls of holding a button to sprint was a bad decision. Second, after an initial playthrough, all cut scenes should be skippable. Unfortunately this is not the case and what was already repetitive becomes agonizing on any replay. The street crimes are similar in fashion in that they are all virtually the same. The collectibles add replay value but in the end can only do so much.

    Graphics - While I'm sure many will disagree, especially those on the other console, the facial animations are the only truly impressive graphical aspect of this game. The rest are no better than Red Dead Redemption, from the weather effects, to the way the characters walk to the overall environment. That being said, there are some colorful and nice aspects of the open world but they are not groundbreaking in the slightest manner, just aesthetically pleasing.

    The game certainly has its flaws, but it does have appealing and enjoying aspects to it. It certainly deserves a play if you are into it but by no means does it deserve a purchase. What brings the game down the most is the combination of a repetitive gameplay aspect that discourages replay and a story that falls flat on its own face halfway through. Team Bondi had a good idea, but for the time they spent, they needed more variety in the gameplay and a better story. Instead we got a mediocre game with incredible faces. I prefer the former. Many media outlets praise the game, and while some do, it seems to be a hype effect more than anything else. The gameplay here isn't groundbreaking nor is the fact that it is an interactive narrative. These have been done before, and arguably better. The groundbreaking aspect here is the motion scan technology for the facial animations. However, this requires hours of an actor's time to put in and is an incredibly inefficient and costly way of animating faces. Personally, I feel it is not worth the time, especially since the bodies in comparison feel a bit robotic and look too different.    … Expand
  16. JDK04281980
    May 31, 2011
    5
    Great graphics, boring game play. Here's the game in a nut shell: Get new case, investigate crime scene, question people, follow leads, question more people, fin the culprit, chase, kill. Rinse and repeat.
  17. jqm78
    May 21, 2011
    6
    Yawwwwn!! Wow, what is this? L.A. Noire had so much potential, but ends up being a snore-fest. It makes me really miss Red Dead Redemption. The graphics are amazing, yes. Everything else though is Linear and boring. Not to mention that the controls are terribly sluggish and "clunky". I'm really disappointed. I guess for what it is, L.A. Noire is pretty good, just don't expect anythingYawwwwn!! Wow, what is this? L.A. Noire had so much potential, but ends up being a snore-fest. It makes me really miss Red Dead Redemption. The graphics are amazing, yes. Everything else though is Linear and boring. Not to mention that the controls are terribly sluggish and "clunky". I'm really disappointed. I guess for what it is, L.A. Noire is pretty good, just don't expect anything nearly as engaging and entertaining as Red Dead Redemption or GTA, for that matter. If anything, I hope that the graphics and the facial animation tech gets adopted for future games and if they make more of this game in the way of sequels, they come up with a way to keep me from falling asleep at the wheel (which I literally did a few times while playing this game!)… Expand
  18. Rory379
    May 22, 2011
    5
    There seems to be a pretty large split between gamers when it comes to what they think of the game. I gave the game a pretty low review in comparison to many others which would put me on the negative side of the fence. I noticed someone posted a comment stating anyone who gave a poor review didn't know what they were talking about, in the same comment he stated that the many outcomes ofThere seems to be a pretty large split between gamers when it comes to what they think of the game. I gave the game a pretty low review in comparison to many others which would put me on the negative side of the fence. I noticed someone posted a comment stating anyone who gave a poor review didn't know what they were talking about, in the same comment he stated that the many outcomes of the investigation was fascinating which, of course, is wrong because there is always only one outcome to the investigation: either you convict the guy, or someone else does.

    The pros to this game: The facial recognition is very impressive!

    The vehicle handling is better than in GTAIV

    Interesting plot and good acting

    Well researched and feels like an authentic 40's experience



    Cons of this game:


    Absolutely zero return value after you've finished the game (15-20 hours worth)

    Irritating lag between opening the note book and selecting items from the notebook

    Flawed Map directions (You have to literally find out where you're going or ask your partner for help)

    You cannot buy weapons, clothes, cars or houses (This is what really disappointed me). You're supposed to feel fully engaged with the character but there is absolutely zero personalisation of the character. You have a selection of five outfits and if you don't like them then tough. Red Dead had about 15 outfits.

    Interrogating suspects can be vague (by this I mean you doubt someone for your own ideas only to have them dismissed by the character your play and therefore fail the interview)

    Very very linear storyline. In the Black Dahlia murders I had the temp barman pegged for it from the first murder, he was even mentioned twice by a barman in one of the other murders but the character brushed past questioning him further on the matter.

    The Newspaper's "Behind the scenes" articles can confuse more than they enlighten. I made the mistake of being too sure while questioning a suspect after watching one of the stories that tells you flat out that he's guilty (Ad Vice case).

    There is no real shooting in this game. Many people demonize other gamers for calling this a flaw, stating that they're unintelligent violence addicts and that there are other games to buy for mindless violence but I think they're missing the whole point of action in an action adventure game. By that I mean there is no real action. The shooting camera is also difficult and clumsy. In the human shield situations I first shot them in their pistol hands (it worked in Red Dead!) only for them to clutch their stomach and kill the hostage.

    What I really don't understand is that in GTAIV and Red Dead there are plenty of crimes that you can stop. They appear randomly and provide some sort of rewarding experience for your troubles. In L.A. Noire, a police game, you can only stop 40 crimes and that is the end of it.

    Finally, there is no multiplayer or online game play. In this day in age this is a huge let down. Of course you can ask, what would multiplayer entail? For start there could be online cases added every few months that can be cracked by you and a partner, there could be a "Cops and Robbers" type shoot out game or even better would be a sort of sandbox type Criminals try to commit crimes and Cops try to stop them sort of thing.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Overall I found this game very disappointing. I expected so much and got so little. This title has been in the works for 5 years and they've done nothing that hasn't been done better somewhere else. Red Dead Redemption actually holds up as a better crime fighter type game. Although the creators thought that immersing the player into the plot would make them feel more engaged with the title, it made me more distant. There's no point driving anywhere because all you do is cause damage to your car. For all the people who condemn the bad reviews, try and remember that it's a Playstation 3 game that we're talking about. There needs to be a certain amount of control and action to make it an enjoyable game. Most of the time this game just felt like work.    … Expand
  19. hotbread
    May 19, 2011
    6
    There's no doubt that visually this game is lovely, and that the subject material and basic storyline ideas are different and interesting. The problem comes with the actual gameplay, which is long-winded, repetitive and rather dull after the first couple of levels. These are some of my issues with LA Noire;
    1. the character movement is clunky and cumbersome, and often you have to keep    There's no doubt that visually this game is lovely, and that the subject material and basic storyline ideas are different and interesting. The problem comes with the actual gameplay, which is long-winded, repetitive and rather dull after the first couple of levels. These are some of my issues with LA Noire;
    1. the character movement is clunky and cumbersome, and often you have to keep moving the character backwards and forwards just trying to get into the right position to investigate a clue.
    2. there's a huge amount of lag between pressing buttons in certain investigation modes, and the character actually responding.
    3. you're supposed to interrogate suspects, basing your responses on their facial expressions, but these swing from being laughably obvious and silly to inscrutably stoney-faced, with no real middle-ground.

    The final straw for me is the completely linear gameplay, whereby even if you don't get everything you need from a suspect the plot takes you on another route to the same conclusion. There's no real option for failure, or experimentation. At least, not based on my six hours of playing so far.

    LA Noire has received a huge amount of positive reviews, but I think it's one of those games that will split the audience down the middle. Overall I found myself enjoying the look of the game, but not really caring about the characters, and sadly not wanting to play anymore. I'll be trading it in straight away.    … Expand
  20. KarthXLR
    Sep 27, 2011
    5
    Team Bondi took a huge risk making this game, it really is unlike anything else on the market. And for the most part, what's good is REALLY good, such as the story, motion captured game models, graphics, and dialogue. I mean, it's very rare that you get a story written this well in any type of video game, and that's gotta be what they worked on the most. But at the same time, there's soTeam Bondi took a huge risk making this game, it really is unlike anything else on the market. And for the most part, what's good is REALLY good, such as the story, motion captured game models, graphics, and dialogue. I mean, it's very rare that you get a story written this well in any type of video game, and that's gotta be what they worked on the most. But at the same time, there's so much wrong with the game that I can't really recommend it. Some of the vocal performances are perfect, but others are so bad that I actually caught myself laughing a little. The cover mechanic is clunky to say the least, and the controls can lag severely at times. The driving segments of the game are torturous, just another reason why this game shouldn't have been open-world. Cars either don't turn much or flip a 180 by barely turning the wheel. Unlike the GTA games or Red Dead Redemption, you're forced to be the good guy, making it impossible to go on rampages. Many obstacles are made unbreakable, such as picket and chain-link fences and shrubberies (while street lights remain delicate, easily breakable towers of glass), making chases groan worthy and driving sections uninteresting. Hell, you can't even draw your gun unless the game says so. And that's another thing, this game has no freedom, despite being an sandbox game. There's next-to-nothing to do when not on mission aside from sight seeing, there's little replayability considering each case only has one-solution (even if you fail). Too bad, the game could have had lot's of options if you could take the cruel police route a la Bad Lieutenant. The games ending leaves much to be desired, and overall, I had a lot of frustrations with the game. That said, L.A. Noire was a great idea that simply didn't live up to the hype. Was it bad? No, and I hope it does well. Maybe another developer can give the noire genre the game it truly deserves.… Expand
  21. atr7
    May 27, 2011
    5
    This is not an open world game. It has open world elements but since every single one of them can be skipped or failed a couple of times before the game can skip them for you i can't see what is the purpose of them being there at all. I played 4-5 missions and i love the way that you have to base your reactions on the face-sync and basically the acting of the P.O.I.'s. Its the singleThis is not an open world game. It has open world elements but since every single one of them can be skipped or failed a couple of times before the game can skip them for you i can't see what is the purpose of them being there at all. I played 4-5 missions and i love the way that you have to base your reactions on the face-sync and basically the acting of the P.O.I.'s. Its the single fresh and truly great thing about this game. And that is why i gave it a 5. Everything else is just. Not present. You see a video of your character in boot camp for WWII and then you get a mission. And then you can tell your partner to drive you there. Oops no open world for you.
    And then the victim is dead and uncooperative, the perps (because if a single person in the 40's new what a P.O.I. is i will self immolate) are trying to **** with you and that is about it. Go solve a case, see video of boot camp, solve case etc. I hope it gets better because i just might forget about getting the driver treatment and going for the mission and just drive around town. As long as i don't kill anyone and i don't bust up the town... What is the point of driving around in a game if you are supposed to obey speed limits and not crushing cars. And that is why i didn't give the game more than 5.    … Expand
  22. Grim13
    Jun 9, 2011
    5
    This another game that falls into the "I wanted to like it more than I actually did" category for me. It's barely a "game" in the modern sense, being a lot closer to an oldschool point and click adventure, than a modern sandbox style game. Sure, there is the pretense of an open world there, there's just no substance to back that vision up. An entire city of nothing to do. The gameThis another game that falls into the "I wanted to like it more than I actually did" category for me. It's barely a "game" in the modern sense, being a lot closer to an oldschool point and click adventure, than a modern sandbox style game. Sure, there is the pretense of an open world there, there's just no substance to back that vision up. An entire city of nothing to do. The game shoehorning you down the specififc Case corridors with little variety or replay value. And that is this games biggest problem: there is very little wiggle room during the Cases with everything ending up tucked away nicely by the end REGARDLESS of how well you did. The facial animations are groundbreaking, sure, but run the gamut from completely obvious to frustatingly obscured. A neat offering that will hopefully be better implemented in the future. Once the novelty wears off the game is back to being a debilitatingly repetitve GTA clone. Sometimes, the game mechanics they've just taught you to use are arbitrarily turned off so that you can be forced to follow through to the developers desired outcome. There are chase sequences where sometimes you can pull your gun and fire into the air, when the game wants you to, and sequences where you push the button to implement the shoot in the air mechanic, and nothing happens... forcing you to catch the person fleeing in the game the way the game needs... forcing you to attempt to push the buttons during every chase to see if this chase is one where they intend to have you stop them by shooting the gun in the air, or, not have the button action responded to, and wait to see what qte comes up. That, to me, is shiite gameplay. Calling this a game feels a little off. It's about as much a game as the latest Quantic Dream offering. Feeling much closer to a interactive movie than a actual game. I don't know... what can I say? It's worth renting... that's about it.… Expand
  23. GooGooguru
    Jun 20, 2011
    6
    Boring thy name is LA Noire... The tech behind the game is awesome, The game world looks great. Some of the cases are great but overall i am having a hard time finishing this game as i can only stomach having to investigate the same case ie: the case of the generic dead girl so many times. it gets hard to stay invested in game once you become aware of how limited you are by the games setupBoring thy name is LA Noire... The tech behind the game is awesome, The game world looks great. Some of the cases are great but overall i am having a hard time finishing this game as i can only stomach having to investigate the same case ie: the case of the generic dead girl so many times. it gets hard to stay invested in game once you become aware of how limited you are by the games setup of the serial killer motif.. oh look we are going to put away another innocent man but its OK its all building up to finding the real killer.. it all begins to feel a bit pointless really. I want to love this game but i just cant… Expand
  24. Blu3_Scr33n
    Jun 17, 2011
    6
    L.A. Noire is simply not fun. The primary gameplay mechanic, interrogation, is confusing and frustrating. Most of the time I found myself just guessing whether the person was lying or not instead of working it out through logic and tells. In a lot of the sequences you have to call a person on a lie, but you don't know what you're accusing them of until you say they're lying and then backL.A. Noire is simply not fun. The primary gameplay mechanic, interrogation, is confusing and frustrating. Most of the time I found myself just guessing whether the person was lying or not instead of working it out through logic and tells. In a lot of the sequences you have to call a person on a lie, but you don't know what you're accusing them of until you say they're lying and then back down. The other primary mechanic is the crime scene investigation, which involves walking around an area until your controller shakes, and that's it. While this prevents annoying "pixel hunting", it also prevents the player from having to figure things out for themselves. Most of the rest of the game is just plain bad. The driving is unresponsive and annoying with civilian cars often stopping in the middle of the road for no reason and pedestrians crossing wherever they feel like. The confusing map didn't help- for some reason there are giant letters on the minimap which prevent me from seeing upcoming streets, and the distances between missions was just outrageous. I usually just had my partner drive, which sadly meant I missed out on the police dispatches, short side quests which were usually more fun than the actual cases. Some points in the game you'll get into shootouts, which are unsatisfying and stiff. The cover system doesn't work very well at all and I wish the shooting was just left out of the game. Now there were two things I really did enjoy. The chase sequences, which were thrilling and very cool (though overused quite a bit), and the story, which was engaging and rich. However neither of these are worth buying the game over because you have to sit through everything else. I gave this game the score that I did because the story is very interesting and the Mafia 2 approach to open world games is not done nearly enough in games. I didn't enjoy this game, but the ideas are sound and I can easily see a more refined L.A. Noire 2 being a huge improvement.… Expand
  25. FinnGames
    Aug 5, 2013
    7
    First of all I loved the concept. L.A. Noire was definitely something I hadn't seen in gaming before. Motion capture was absolutely awesome and at the first couple of desks it was great in interrogations, too. However towards end of the game it became much harder to read suspects facial expressions. Maybe (and probably) I was just bad but honestly it was just one big tragicomic fiasco. MyFirst of all I loved the concept. L.A. Noire was definitely something I hadn't seen in gaming before. Motion capture was absolutely awesome and at the first couple of desks it was great in interrogations, too. However towards end of the game it became much harder to read suspects facial expressions. Maybe (and probably) I was just bad but honestly it was just one big tragicomic fiasco. My boss gave me so much negative feedback that if I was a detective in 1940's LA he probably would've just shot me. And I'm not even exaggerating. At the ending he said after every case I did something wrong. The game was pretty repetitive and boring as well without any replay value. Complete it once put it to shelf. Overall I enjoyed the game at very beginning but it became, honestly, boring after couple of first cases.… Expand
  26. DavidHoltzer
    May 9, 2019
    7
    The positive side of the game is the graphics, voice acting, characters, story, puzzles solving and the investigation/interrogation is interesting for a while.The negative side of the game is the investigation/interrogation gets tedious after a while and the game has to offer the half decent chase sections and the clunky shooting segments.They made the game way too long and it'll becomeThe positive side of the game is the graphics, voice acting, characters, story, puzzles solving and the investigation/interrogation is interesting for a while.The negative side of the game is the investigation/interrogation gets tedious after a while and the game has to offer the half decent chase sections and the clunky shooting segments.They made the game way too long and it'll become very boring, instead of making it more various and fixing its issues i mentioned.… Expand
  27. Captiosus
    May 17, 2011
    6
    As a longtime fan of the old Police Quest series back on PC years ago, I anxiously awaited L.A. Noire. So, what is L.A. Noire? Simply put, it's a beautiful, story driven, game that involves investigating and some action sequences. The real nitty-gritty behind L.A. Noire is the open world investigations, not the action like the GTA series or even Red Dead Redemption. The problem, however,As a longtime fan of the old Police Quest series back on PC years ago, I anxiously awaited L.A. Noire. So, what is L.A. Noire? Simply put, it's a beautiful, story driven, game that involves investigating and some action sequences. The real nitty-gritty behind L.A. Noire is the open world investigations, not the action like the GTA series or even Red Dead Redemption. The problem, however, is that none of these traits are particularly new. Many games this generation are beautifully crafted and rendered and have well fleshed out stories. The investigation aspect of the game, while novel, isn't new either, as I previously alluded to; Anyone who remembers the old Police Quest series on PC years ago will immediately know how to play L.A. Noire, if not feel like it's a knockoff. --- L.A. Noire is a lot like a person you think is hot and want to get to know, only to find out when you get to know them that there's little long term substance. The game itself is terribly short, with very few side quests to speak of. There's zero replay value to it because once you've finished the story, well, you've finished the story. There's no way to go about completing the story a different way for a different result, a la Heavy Rain or even Fable 2 or Fable 3. Once you've finished the game, all there is to do is find newspapers, cars and locations, which barely qualifies as legitimate replay value. The fighting, shooting and driving sequences are, for all intents and purposes, directly copied from the GTA franchise/engine. I remember hearing people complain that Red Dead Redemption, compared to the GTA franchise, was too short and I can't imagine those folks will be happy, at all, with L.A. Noire which is substantially shorter than either. Essentially, the game consists of: follow the path, investigate (which is made trivial by audio and controller queues), interrogate and repeat along a fairly linear path until the game ends. --- In short, it's worth a play, but I really don't believe it's worth $60 because after you've finished it, you're not going to touch it again unless VERY compelling, decent-length DLC comes out for it. I would strongly encourage people to rent it first before deciding to put down $60 on a game you MAY get 10-12 hours on and then not touch again. I give them a 3/5 (6/10) for effort, but as far as games go, this one simply doesn't live up to its own hype, and will ultimately be forgotten about within a month after everyone has beaten it and has no reason to pick it up again.… Expand
  28. pandateddybear
    May 20, 2011
    5
    Great mrs but other then that game is very linear if you skip side quests you won't be using any weapons but just look at the dialogs.. Great rent but not worth 40£!
  29. MachoHombre
    May 18, 2011
    5
    It's slightly more boring than watching an episode of CSI, Law and Order, NCIS, Bones, or any of those cliché-laden cop dramas that make up TV nowadays.
  30. Stijn_Smet
    Sep 23, 2011
    7
    I finally got around to playing this game. And it just isn't as good as the professional reviews make it out to be. The user review score is much closer to the truth on this one. Yes, the game looks stunning, the facial animations are suberb and the voice acting is outstanding. And yes, the setup - a detective game that focuses on wit and cunning, rather than violence - was very promising.I finally got around to playing this game. And it just isn't as good as the professional reviews make it out to be. The user review score is much closer to the truth on this one. Yes, the game looks stunning, the facial animations are suberb and the voice acting is outstanding. And yes, the setup - a detective game that focuses on wit and cunning, rather than violence - was very promising. Was. Because it doesn't deliver on that promise to me. The gameplay is too simple and repetitive for that: 1) find clues (read: click X on everything you think might be a useful item and wait for the game to tell you whether it is or not); 2) talk to several people to get more clues; 3) talk to the person you know the game will make you accuse and get a confession or decisive proof. Step 1) gets boring really quickly. And steps 2) and 3) are often overly confusing. On many occasions things just didn't make any sense and I could not believe the person was not telling the truth while he had no reason to lie or he was obviously lying but somehow the game wouldn't let me use what I believed to be clear evidence of that (also when I had found all clues). There's also no way to get any forensic evidence checked at some point because the game doesn't want you to find certain things out. Because that would destroy the storyline it's forcing you down. And it's precisely this forcing and linearity that disappointed me. It rendered even the interviews (that were frustrating to begin with as it was) boring quite quickly. I just started examining if the suspect would keep looking straight at me or not. If he didn't (and I didn't have any relevant evidence): doubt. If he did: truth. Simple. Always the same. Boring. Really unfortunate, because I had high hopes for this one. I will keep playing and will at least start the next act, but if the game keeps frustrating me like this... (example: you cannot run across a large piece of wood, instead you have to inch your way across as when walking a chain/rope; another example: you have to chase a suspect underground, get lost and the way forward is hidden around a corner where you don't think to look because there's a closed gate in front of you and you think you have to somehow open it; example: you have to find hidden messages in sights in the city but you haven't discovered all sights so you have to drive around until the game tells you were some are instead of finding them yourself; I could go on). And ultimately, that is the test that shows whether a game is great or not. One that offers you only enjoyment and no frustration is great. One that frustrates you often and makes you wonder why you're still playing is not. L.A. Noire falls in the latter category.… Expand
  31. Madmaz
    May 21, 2011
    7
    Firstly this game does not deserve negative scores, but it doesnt deserve 9 or 10,s also. The technology used in this game is nothing short of ground breaking, it has to be seen to be believed, it truly is amazing. The graphics are just gorgeous, LA in the 40's is stunning the developers have really done a superb job. Now onto the game...It is a breath of fresh air, it is very original,Firstly this game does not deserve negative scores, but it doesnt deserve 9 or 10,s also. The technology used in this game is nothing short of ground breaking, it has to be seen to be believed, it truly is amazing. The graphics are just gorgeous, LA in the 40's is stunning the developers have really done a superb job. Now onto the game...It is a breath of fresh air, it is very original, unlike any other game ive played. You must use your wits here rather than brawn and i find that a pleasant change of pace. As you probably know it involves searching crime scenes for evidence interviewing witnesses and suspects to try to deduct what is true and solve the cases. The game also trys to break up those sequences with gun fights car chases , fisticuffs, and chasing down suspects through the streets, all of these things in their own right , are great , the problem comes in that you do those things over and over again. In every cases its more or less the same format, go to the crime scene, gather evidence interview suspects/witnesses, make the arrest, it gets tiresome. The other thing is you cant really fail a case, even if you get the interviews all wrong the case will still progress , its just means your final score wont be as good. There are side missions like foiling robberies etc but again they are repetitive. Despite those things this game will keep you playing as the stories and the animation technology will keep you hooked. Is it worth buying?...thats hard to answer as we all like different things in games I would suggest a rental to start with and see how you go...also the game doesnt offer much in the way of replay value....its a ground breaking game from the techology standpoint. and it is fun in places...but thats about it.… Expand
  32. truewordshurt
    May 17, 2011
    5
    Played it thru in 13 hours. Driving and gameplay is horrible. No replay value. The interriogatins are fun, and some of the cases are interesting and challenging others quite boring. I think Red Dead Redemption and GTA 4 are much better games. Also graphic-wise. The faces of the characters look like in a movie kind of, but it doesn´t quite support the gameplay in any way. IPlayed it thru in 13 hours. Driving and gameplay is horrible. No replay value. The interriogatins are fun, and some of the cases are interesting and challenging others quite boring. I think Red Dead Redemption and GTA 4 are much better games. Also graphic-wise. The faces of the characters look like in a movie kind of, but it doesn´t quite support the gameplay in any way. I hate the hype about this game and how they didn´t allow early reviews yet they did release 3 reviews early all with perfect scores. Those reviews didn´t even include actual gameplay photos. It was clearly the intention by Rockstar Games to trick the general public into believing the Cutscenes are actual Gameplay. How else can you explain a review of a game with not one In-Game Screenshot? For this I rate this game 5/10 while without the hype I would have given it 6 or 7. Rent it, it´s not worth to buy as nobody would play this again. It´s a good start for a new franchise but to make L.A. Noire 2 a better or even perfect game, Rockstar has a lot of work to do.… Expand
  33. Lunightz
    Sep 9, 2011
    6
    Even if the facial animation was pretty nice, the game had a huge lack of diversity. The game was a point and click + some third-person shooting part. The ambiance of the world was nice, but the game didn't have something that keeps you playing it. There wasn't any challenge nor multiple endings. I think that we should have had different consequences depending on how we resolve all theEven if the facial animation was pretty nice, the game had a huge lack of diversity. The game was a point and click + some third-person shooting part. The ambiance of the world was nice, but the game didn't have something that keeps you playing it. There wasn't any challenge nor multiple endings. I think that we should have had different consequences depending on how we resolve all the investigation. I think this should have been a movie and not a game, it was just a big linear game in an open world to make you thing it is letting you do anything you want.

    I think this game was overrated. It was a big disappointment for me. I was hoping for something new in the industry such as Heavy Rain. Finally, there is no replay value at all. (Except for Trophies and Achievements)    … Expand
  34. RicochetPhoenix
    Jan 12, 2012
    6
    Just finished L.A. Noire and I honestly have to say WORST ENDING I've ever seen in a game. All of that tedium and patience built up to...blah and disappointment. I stuck it out to the end, and it's just NOT a good game at all. Ending sucked. They pulled the same protagonist switch last minute as they did in Red Dead. The Truth/Doubt/Lie system doesn't work at all in interrogations andJust finished L.A. Noire and I honestly have to say WORST ENDING I've ever seen in a game. All of that tedium and patience built up to...blah and disappointment. I stuck it out to the end, and it's just NOT a good game at all. Ending sucked. They pulled the same protagonist switch last minute as they did in Red Dead. The Truth/Doubt/Lie system doesn't work at all in interrogations and should let you see options for what your character will actually say/ask. The graphics glitch constantly. Poor camera framerate. Routine/predictable level setups. No payoff. So many problems in this game just make it a waste. Good ideas but horribly executed. This was just the biggest letdown I can recall in a long time for gaming...and I'm going to have to go watch L.A. Confidential to purge this game from my memory… Expand
  35. Groteska
    May 18, 2011
    6
    Nice !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  36. rodericrinehart
    Jul 8, 2015
    7
    More adventure and mystery than GTA or Red Dead Redemption, mind you, but Rockstar just makes amazing games. There is still some driving (which thankfully can be skipped 90% of the time with sort-of fast travel) and some shooting, but it is mostly clue searching and question asking. The meat of the game is judging every answer you get with Truth, Doubt, or Lie - and if you select Lie, youMore adventure and mystery than GTA or Red Dead Redemption, mind you, but Rockstar just makes amazing games. There is still some driving (which thankfully can be skipped 90% of the time with sort-of fast travel) and some shooting, but it is mostly clue searching and question asking. The meat of the game is judging every answer you get with Truth, Doubt, or Lie - and if you select Lie, you have to present evidence you've found to prove it.

    It did get boring and I wish it was about 30% shorter or tightened up a bit. It also got a bit repetitive. The story was pretty good with some minor holes, but probably worth your play. It's a unique game.    … Expand
  37. skim123
    Apr 4, 2012
    6
    Meh. That about sums up my feelings about this game. The facial capture acting is very impressive, but the gameplay itself is pretty dull. This game feels more like watching a movie than playing a game - if that's what they were going for, then I guess they succeeded...but when I play a video game I want lots of interesting gameplay - not excessive dialogue and cut scenes. TheMeh. That about sums up my feelings about this game. The facial capture acting is very impressive, but the gameplay itself is pretty dull. This game feels more like watching a movie than playing a game - if that's what they were going for, then I guess they succeeded...but when I play a video game I want lots of interesting gameplay - not excessive dialogue and cut scenes. The interrogations are pretty limited and sometimes the question choices they give you don't make sense...or you'll pick a question that should work, only for the game to tell you it was the wrong choice - This isn't gameplay, it's just picking predetermined dialogue. Meh. The "action" sections are pretty boring and scripted-feeling. The driving isn't nearly as fun as GTA because they don't have the realistic car damage or fun driving physics from GTA. It was pretty pointless for them to spend all of that energy creating an open world but not have anything fun to do in it. The only point of driving is to get to a new crime scene - which becomes pointless, and after a while I eventually just let my partner drive there automatically rather than waste my time with the tedious driving. GTA made you want to drive, because you could have fun getting caught in a crazy police chase, or you could just have fun causing destruction and launching your car off of insane jumps...and GTA's awesome car physics made controlling cars so much more fun. But the world of L.A. Noire doesn't make driving fun - so what was the point of including driving? What was the point of having an open world environment? I do give them props for the impressive facial capture though - that went a long way in making the game more watchable at least.… Expand
  38. Davito
    Jul 18, 2011
    6
    I guess it's ok. This is a game experience I didn't want to miss. It's almost more suited for the hardcore gamers that are fed up with copy-cat game. Something new and fresh doesn't hurt. Like Portal or Heavy Rain for that matter. Big minus for all the DLC though. This should be included.
  39. simlew86
    Jun 8, 2011
    6
    It's unfortunate how such a good setting, superb voice acting and incredible facial animations get tired fast. Each case is pretty much the same and only serves to progress the narrative. While its mechanics are pretty top notch, the actual game part of it falls flat. Heavy Rain managed to incorporate branching narratives and lovely little gaming touches which made it fresh and unique, LAIt's unfortunate how such a good setting, superb voice acting and incredible facial animations get tired fast. Each case is pretty much the same and only serves to progress the narrative. While its mechanics are pretty top notch, the actual game part of it falls flat. Heavy Rain managed to incorporate branching narratives and lovely little gaming touches which made it fresh and unique, LA Noire offers nothing new other than the aforementioned exquisite facial animations. It tries to blend an adult US Television series with a game, but it's shame Team Bondi forgot to actually add any game at all.… Expand
  40. Sceptic
    May 27, 2011
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. L.A Noire turned out exactly as I feared.With a great soundtrack and pretty visuals to be expected,I was more concerned with the gameplay.Unfortunately there's little to be had.The game is so heavily scripted that everyone who played it has done so almost exactly the same way as everyone else.Whether you find the clues or not,are successful with your interrogations or not,means nothing.You cannot fail.There are plenty of side missions consisting of a foot chase,car chase,or shoot out but all are very dull and poorly done.If you care enough to find all of the newspapers or landmarks,I pity you.The world and characters of L.A Noire are very well done but I almost hesitate to call this a game.To sum up,entertaining for a few hours and then extraordinarily dull.… Expand
  41. aadms
    May 30, 2011
    7
    The game is a breath of fresh air. After playing shooters, rpgs and combat action games for the last six months, its a nice change of pace for the above 21 crowd, or maybe the above 40 crowd like myself. The game is like stepping into a cinema of the films your parents and grandparents use to watch in black and white, however, the graphic language describes the games disturbing contextThe game is a breath of fresh air. After playing shooters, rpgs and combat action games for the last six months, its a nice change of pace for the above 21 crowd, or maybe the above 40 crowd like myself. The game is like stepping into a cinema of the films your parents and grandparents use to watch in black and white, however, the graphic language describes the games disturbing context more fully than the more sublime movies from the 40s and 50s. Definitly not a game for those under 17. Facial graphics are revolutionary, but everything else isn't particulary spectacular. Still, TeamBondi did an outstanding job in creating a post-WWII L.A. for you. The gameplay isn't particulary hard in the combat aspect. The shootouts will raise no heart rates (unless you're the over 40 crowd, maybe), neither will the simplistic fist fights. The true gameplay in this game is interrogating the suspects and see how many correct responses you can illicit during your interview, usually no more than four questions need to be answered. The game in itself is too much on rails as your job is to get to on site to the next for you new cutscene. Not very demanding, but still the storylines are done is such a great way that you'll want to skip and sidequests to move the story along at a faster paced. Because the game is so linear, there is no need to explore the open sandbox world that Rockstar is famous for. The game loses a final point because the ending is so unsatisfying. Not allowing you to finish with your original protagonist for the final two scenes leaves you without closure, and being unable to finish your side-quests after the credits role seems unfair.… Expand
  42. Kikolf
    May 30, 2011
    6
    L.A. Noire makes me feel spoiled. It wasn't until I started playing this game two days ago that I realized how accustomed we've all become to the stagnancy in games today. I can't remember the last time I played something this fresh. It's really reinvigorated my love for the art of video games.
  43. mswain607
    Jun 9, 2011
    5
    I think this game is slightly overrated. Sure it is enjoyable to play, but at some times the cases are quite uninteresting and some of the gameplay features can get annoying. Sometimes the AI is just plain terrible, such as the cars on the roads. I think the storyline starts off well, but could have been more exciting towards the end (I actually really dislike how they ended the game). I'dI think this game is slightly overrated. Sure it is enjoyable to play, but at some times the cases are quite uninteresting and some of the gameplay features can get annoying. Sometimes the AI is just plain terrible, such as the cars on the roads. I think the storyline starts off well, but could have been more exciting towards the end (I actually really dislike how they ended the game). I'd recommend people buy it when it has gone down in price a bit, because whilst it is an engaging game, some grey areas leave it feeling a little empty.… Expand
  44. Schuback
    Aug 5, 2011
    5
    L.A. Noire has a very interesting concept, not enough however to make up for the slow and repetitive gameplay. What's most innovative about the game is that it uses a state-of-the-art technology that captures facial expressions, this means basically you'll be doing alot of interrogating and you'll have to use your intuitions based on the clues you have gathered and the reactions yourL.A. Noire has a very interesting concept, not enough however to make up for the slow and repetitive gameplay. What's most innovative about the game is that it uses a state-of-the-art technology that captures facial expressions, this means basically you'll be doing alot of interrogating and you'll have to use your intuitions based on the clues you have gathered and the reactions your witness/suspect when they give an answer to tell if they are true, doubful, or a lie. The game is very linear and the outcome of each case is not substantial and does not impact how you progress through this game. Most of the cases are not that interesting and gets really repetitive after a while. There is little to no connection between cases which means you're pretty much hopping from one individual case to another which makes the game feels more of a chore once the novelty dies down. The map of L.A. Noire is huge and beautifully designed. You are free to roam wherever you want however there is pretty much nothing you can do or interact with. This game isn't a sandbox so you can't frisk whoever you want on the streets like in True Crime, and you can't buy hotdogs from vendors etc. That said, to those who are going to give this game a try, note that this isn't Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead Redemption from a cop's point of view. This game is overrated. It's pretty much just a detective game with interesting concept implementations and nothing more. My advice, instead of taking up the cases alone, try playing it with others to make this a fun and interesting experience.… Expand
  45. bobmoorwessel
    Aug 3, 2011
    5
    So repetitive, and gets dull quick. I jumped on the bandwagon and bought it from critics reviews. They were mistaken. A game that does the exact same thing over and over in a VERY slow pace is repetitive.Go check out a body, ask questions, your right even if your wrong. That's the game. Great graphics because most of the game is cinematic. I thought this was going to be Heavy Rain butSo repetitive, and gets dull quick. I jumped on the bandwagon and bought it from critics reviews. They were mistaken. A game that does the exact same thing over and over in a VERY slow pace is repetitive.Go check out a body, ask questions, your right even if your wrong. That's the game. Great graphics because most of the game is cinematic. I thought this was going to be Heavy Rain but so much better. Absolutely false. Rent before buying. De niro put the wrong game in his film festival. Hate to say over hyped but it was. Your not missing much. Heavy Rain dominates starting with story and ending with entertainment factor. Don't we play these games for entertainment?… Expand
  46. kitsoon
    Aug 25, 2011
    6
    Honestly, I was highly disappointed by this game and believe that it is quite overrated. This game was supposed to be a groundbreaking game as advertise, did not live up to its hype and sure it had absolutely superb facial animations due to great motion capture, but despite that the gameplay isn't quite the best and textures on objects besides character's faces are quite poor.

    When you    Honestly, I was highly disappointed by this game and believe that it is quite overrated. This game was supposed to be a groundbreaking game as advertise, did not live up to its hype and sure it had absolutely superb facial animations due to great motion capture, but despite that the gameplay isn't quite the best and textures on objects besides character's faces are quite poor.

    When you find a clue, whether or not you actually see the clue in the investigation, the controller vibrates, so it kinda removes the challenge of actually finding the clues. The whole cover-based shooting isn't inventive, but formulaic. Sometimes when you present evidence for when a suspect is lying, you think It would add up but it doesn't seem to prove your point to the suspect. And when you fail the mission, do poorly, accuse the wrong person or what have you the game must go on, which jiggles the plot line a bit. Rockstar also reused the twist ending of Red Dead Redemption, which i was also a little disappointed with.

    Cole Phelps is a bit of a boring character but as the story goes on, he becomes more and more interesting and you begin to understand the reasons he acts. The other characters have fairly obvious quirks but are also interesting enough to be around and not skip the cut scenes. I did like how the people were randomly generated from a character-creator of sorts. It was also nice how your crashing of cars didn't go unpunished with poor mission ratings. It was fun going around finding all the neat vintage cars and the music was great and added to the overall appeal of the game. However one of the songs was also used in Fallout 3, so whenever that one came on the radio I instantly had thoughts of a bleak and barren wasteland, not a corrupt growing town of movies, music and drugs.    … Expand
  47. liquefire
    Sep 1, 2011
    5
    Bad ending, repetitive gameplay - was looking forward to being a cop. Now I am looking forward to the next GTA which should be a lot more fun. Felt really linear and boring.
  48. Yfo
    Sep 10, 2011
    5
    Pretty game, but boring and too easy. It's more like a movie than a game. It's kind of difficult to fail a mission, what happens is that you don't get a higher rank, but who cares when it doesn't affect the game. Nah, I can't recommend it.
  49. Psychotics
    Nov 11, 2011
    6
    The quality of the work that has gone into this game far surpasses most others but the story falls just short of expectations. I found myself at first in awe with the facial capture system and the sheer quality of the acting in this games but as you progress through the ranks and different divisions I cant help but feel that I have done this before over and over again. Every mission hastheThe quality of the work that has gone into this game far surpasses most others but the story falls just short of expectations. I found myself at first in awe with the facial capture system and the sheer quality of the acting in this games but as you progress through the ranks and different divisions I cant help but feel that I have done this before over and over again. Every mission hasthe same grind and by the midway point of the game it becomes unclear who is lying or telling the truth and you feel as if every answer you submit may make or break your case, I know thats part of the acting and shows how good of a job was done here but the difficulty involved in reading a professionaly trained actors emotions or lack of is no easy task for the typical gamer in this case. Overall its is a good solid game with great mechanics and a great new addition to the many games in this genre but it falls just short of being a standout title… Expand
  50. JayG203
    Feb 16, 2012
    6
    L.A. Noire is, like so many games on this generation of consoles, focused more on the features than the core gameplay, but luckily that's not enough to completely ruin it, for you don't get invested in the gameplay, you get invested in the story. I'm not going to get into any part of the story, all I'm going to say is that it's great, and damn well engrossing. You play a war hero turnedL.A. Noire is, like so many games on this generation of consoles, focused more on the features than the core gameplay, but luckily that's not enough to completely ruin it, for you don't get invested in the gameplay, you get invested in the story. I'm not going to get into any part of the story, all I'm going to say is that it's great, and damn well engrossing. You play a war hero turned crime investigator. The story is what makes it good, and that's enough for it to be investing, even though the gameplay is what makes it bad, for it's extremely dull. What brings this game down is the sheer time spent making it. The game just couldn't be perfect because it would of taken so much more time, and the development had already been going on for years. So what you have in L.A. Noire is a bunch of fully realized, but not fully polished game pieces. The majority of the time you play this game you will be: searching, interrogating, fighting, chasing, and shooting your way through the campaign. Now like I said: the game's features are all there and fully realized, they're just not as good as they could of been with so much more time. The shooting is absolutely horrible, it looks bad, it plays even worse. The driving is down right awkward and unrealistic, the chases are boring and all too frequent, and the investigating and interrogating is just monotonous, just like the rest of the game. The investigating is cool and complete, but you do it so often it becomes way way too boring. The interrogating is the same way, monotonous, boring come quarter way through. the game's aesthetic is what keeps it together, and that's just not a good game for you. On top of the story, the graphics are great and the voice acting and acting is outstanding. That is another thing about this game that makes it so engrossing, the acting is real. The characters faces move 100% realistically, for they're caught on camera technology (this is how you judge if someone is lying or telling the truth whence you interrogate, you look at their face). What you have with this game is a game that can never be done good within a realistic time frame. This game can never be done well because it's just too damn time consuming. Overall it's not a bad game. If you want a great story, I will recommend this, if you want great gameplay, you'll have to look elsewhere.… Expand
  51. Seriosity
    Mar 22, 2013
    6
    The technical achievements are undeniable, but it is simply not that entertaining with its unmemorable plot, monotonous gameplay, nonexistent re-playability, and underwhelming characters.
  52. fateappointed
    Feb 3, 2014
    6
    Story: 7 out of 10, Graphics: 7 out of 10, Fun: 6 out of 10, Controls: 7 out of 10, Difficulty: 8 out of 10, Length: 8 out of 10, Re-play: 4 out of 10, Value: 5 out of 10
  53. bobbsyw
    Apr 7, 2015
    6
    Captures the look and feel of a 1940's style film perfectly. The soundtrack - with artists like Ella, Duke, T Bone etc - is just brilliant. The actors are credible and interesting, but I found it frustrating that I couldn't influence how my character developed, and I ended up disliking him immensely - which is a drag when you have to play his character. The crime scene investigation wasCaptures the look and feel of a 1940's style film perfectly. The soundtrack - with artists like Ella, Duke, T Bone etc - is just brilliant. The actors are credible and interesting, but I found it frustrating that I couldn't influence how my character developed, and I ended up disliking him immensely - which is a drag when you have to play his character. The crime scene investigation was fun for a while, but ultimately lost its appeal as it was pretty repetitive. The driving element was poorly finished - the cars were so wobbly, at times it felt like driving a giant jelly, but at least you can skip this if you want to.
    A solid game with some great touches, but ultimately the linear story and repetitive gameplay let it down.    … Expand
  54. Deadatthescene
    May 27, 2011
    7
    This is a great game, but has it's flaws. First, this game is much different in a sense where there is a minimal amount of shooting and the focus is on the interview system and finding clues. I thought finding clues was fun, but it was still a bit too linear for me. I wanted it to be challenging to figure out why something was a clue. But as soon as you pick it up, it gives it to you.

    The    This is a great game, but has it's flaws. First, this game is much different in a sense where there is a minimal amount of shooting and the focus is on the interview system and finding clues. I thought finding clues was fun, but it was still a bit too linear for me. I wanted it to be challenging to figure out why something was a clue. But as soon as you pick it up, it gives it to you.

    The interview system was okay, I found some cases pretty frustrating and bizarre when I would get 0/5 questions wrong and didn't understand why clues would bring certain outcomes. It worked well in most cases, but it was still hard to judge at some points in the game.

    The facial animations are by far the most positive thing about the game. They are amazing and absolutely on top and ahead of the current trend. This technology should become standard in future games that need realistic faces. Of course, that means you need even better actors but the face makes all the difference. Really impressive with the characters visually, and the acting in this game in general is very good. There are some side characters that are a bit corny and awkward, but overall the main characters are well done.

    I absolutely loved the music when I first heard this game. I thought it would be moody and really help move the game along. In Red Dead Redemption (I know, different developer, but just as an example of how well music is done), I got chills when the music would play, riding into the sunset. It provoked a certain emotion, and it was at the perfect time. There was a lot of unexploited areas in terms of music. There were times where things could've had more emotional impact but there was no music, no mood. Sometimes it can be perfect to NOT have music, but it was generally missing in many areas. It just overall lacked a bit of flavor.

    A lot of the sound effects in the cutscenes were off. I don't know how that happens, if there is latency in reading the disc, or what. But it was a little obnoxious hearing punches almost 2 seconds later then when you visually see him throw the punch.

    A lot of the car chases were the same. How these big trucks maneuvered with such agility is beyond me. They all had staged events that were non exciting. Everyone else stopped for me except for one big semi-truck that just happened to be crossing my path. Things like this just pulled me out of the experience.

    The story-telling is subpar. It was not cohesive, not necessarily confusing, but it was not revealed in an appealing and understanding fashion. There was no "Ah ha!" moment and the ending which I will not spoil was boring and non-climatic.

    You're probably thinking, this guy gave this game a 7 and he's talking so much crap? Well. This game offers a unique experience I have no experienced in many other games. If you liked Heavy Rain, you'll likely like this game. There are not many interactive movie style games out there. And this is sort of a hybrid. It's easy to play, pretty engaging from the start, and much slower paced which is refreshing. They do a lot of things right, but there are too many major weak points to consider this an absolute fantastic must buy.    … Expand
  55. zorakandbrac
    Jun 17, 2011
    7
    Just finished it wanted to get my honest opinion out before i had time to think about it. First of all the gimmick for LA Noire being the "Mo-cam". in my opinion there is nothing that can touch what they did here, the facial animations blew me away. The interrogations make great use of the technology. I did notice a few hiccups but nothing noteworthy. The open world was very detailed andJust finished it wanted to get my honest opinion out before i had time to think about it. First of all the gimmick for LA Noire being the "Mo-cam". in my opinion there is nothing that can touch what they did here, the facial animations blew me away. The interrogations make great use of the technology. I did notice a few hiccups but nothing noteworthy. The open world was very detailed and full of activity on the npc's part. This game could have had the game on a linear path and it would have been the same game. Your a cop your not preoccupied with running amok killing hookers, so the space feels wasted to me. Still a very beautiful period environment. The driving felt like GTA4 go figure. Te gun play felt floaty and slow, i know the point of the game is not the gun play, but they could have been tightened it was a little too dull feeling for my taste. The story line and characters are imo great. I liked the twists and the atmosphere, like a dark suffocating feeling, where you felt like something was watching over you and that the events were bigger then what they appeared, which was the case. all in all i felt it was a good game, not alot of replay value. This is a renter for sure.… Expand
  56. midgard30
    Jun 6, 2014
    6
    If you're looking for a true investigation game, L.A. Noire may not be the one you're looking for. The 1950's Los Angeles is just amazing and technically a masterpiece from Rockstar. Unfortunately (for me), I felt it was more an interactive movie, No matter how you screw your investigations, you will always find the culprit. The difference between a successful and ruined investigation willIf you're looking for a true investigation game, L.A. Noire may not be the one you're looking for. The 1950's Los Angeles is just amazing and technically a masterpiece from Rockstar. Unfortunately (for me), I felt it was more an interactive movie, No matter how you screw your investigations, you will always find the culprit. The difference between a successful and ruined investigation will reside on missions score and your boss paying you compliments or bawling at you! But if what your looking for is an immersive adventure in the 1950's L.A., then go for it!… Expand
  57. melkat3
    Jun 1, 2011
    7
    I do agree this game was very over-rated.
    The game has great potential but I just found it was a waste of space (i.e the big area of land). The game graphics are excellent but they could of made it into something more then what it was. And it sucks that you cant play free play after the game missions are done.
  58. boom_shuckalaka
    May 24, 2011
    7
    A great showing of the facial mapping technology and quite entertaining to watch; however, the game largely rides on this component alone with shallow game-play elements injected. After the glorified point and click mini-game of finding clues, the interrogations are frustratingly difficult for the wrong reasons, that is if a person has a blank face --> true (rare occurrence) , if after aA great showing of the facial mapping technology and quite entertaining to watch; however, the game largely rides on this component alone with shallow game-play elements injected. After the glorified point and click mini-game of finding clues, the interrogations are frustratingly difficult for the wrong reasons, that is if a person has a blank face --> true (rare occurrence) , if after a second (for the facial sequence to load) there face moves then you have to pick doubt or lie. If you pick lie you have to pick a piece of your evidence to get the question right. The problem being that this is often not logical and there is only one right answer so instead of thinking your guessing what the developers want at this particular point. Much more satisfaction would result from system where a certain amount of information was divulged based on how effective the evidence is and the questions leading up to that point (suspect's current emotional state); albeit this is more complicated to create and again at the subjective mercy of the developers "rating" the effectiveness of the evidence, imo it is better than a black n white you are either wrong or right system. I consider the interrogation sequences to be part the heart of the game and b/c this ultimately feels shallow (almost mini-game feeling) I was left unsatisfied. I won't go into detail on the other parts of the game since it feels clunky and tacked on to simply get from point A to point B or to add in some action. A significant amount of time must have been spent creating details of old L.A., but it seems to go mostly unused or will be unnoticed. I wonder how many reviewers bought the game day one and proceed to give it 10 (supposedly a perfect game score) and overlook any kind of obvious critique in an attempt of preventing buyer's remorse (or maybe to counteract the zero ratings of the haters but that's an issue in itself). I suppose if your thoroughly entertained it makes no difference..though I would be interested to see what kind of scores people would give L.A Noire if it had the voice acting / facial animation typical of most current games because it is hard to argue that the game-play is carrying this game.… Expand
  59. spango_joe
    May 24, 2011
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A masterpiece... but a flawed one. While the game play mechanics maybe ingenious and innovative, it suffers from repetition mid way through the game. The story is is engaging but is paced poorly, and the characters are never quite developed enough, with certain motivations seeming strange to the player. Graphically it is top notch and when combined with the excellent soundtrack, creates a memorable atmosphere. Replay value is limited but a definitely worth at least one play through.… Expand
  60. Papanator
    May 31, 2011
    7
    A great pickup to play once, but I can't see it having any replay value. Although it's a lot different than a lot of games around, the lack of story and character development makes the game fall a little short. You don't really learn too much about your character, Cole Phelps, or anyone around him. Mentions of his family are very subtle, and he doesn't seem to have any friends, aside fromA great pickup to play once, but I can't see it having any replay value. Although it's a lot different than a lot of games around, the lack of story and character development makes the game fall a little short. You don't really learn too much about your character, Cole Phelps, or anyone around him. Mentions of his family are very subtle, and he doesn't seem to have any friends, aside from his partners, who also seem to have a bit of a distaste for him at times. There is definitely a plot, but it definitely left me feeling a little empty as I watched the credits roll, and to be honest, any even remotely interesting didn't really end up happening until about 2/3's into the game, which is where the game truly shines. The gameplay is definitely fun and unique, but can get a little redundant and boring at times. I respect the fact that the main point of the game is not to blow the heads off anyone you choose, but you gotta have something to keep the player going. I can't even count how many times I've gone to one place, found something, gone to another place, talked to some dude, then either chased them or the person they referred me to. Obviously, the big hype about the game is the motion capture, and having the ability to judge whether someone was lying or not, which was definitely a great aspect to the game. A problem I had, however, was being able to tell if someone was lying or not. You'd assume if they couldn't look you in the eye, they'd be lying, but there were definitely points where that was not the case, as well as vice versa. Overall, I think the game is definitely worth a try, but don't be expecting an amazing story. Sadly, when it comes to being engaging, again, this game falls a little short… Expand
  61. Keoki
    May 27, 2011
    5
    Not a bad game, but far away from being one of the Rockstar jewels that they use to create. The open world it's just limited to driving, leaving the game with a single predefined path making it so linear. The best feature in the game is the graphic part.
  62. Calciumee
    May 30, 2011
    5
    When this game was announced I was very excited! But as time went on, I became more sceptical about the game, but come week of release, I became excited again. I ordered the game and eagerly awaited it to arrive. Once it did arrive I spent the day playing it, and loved it! The cases were great and really enjoyed it.
    BUT; the more I played the more I felt I was doing the same things over    When this game was announced I was very excited! But as time went on, I became more sceptical about the game, but come week of release, I became excited again. I ordered the game and eagerly awaited it to arrive. Once it did arrive I spent the day playing it, and loved it! The cases were great and really enjoyed it.
    BUT; the more I played the more I felt I was doing the same things over and over again! This ended up getting on my nerves and I just wanted it to finish! I thought that I would feel stupid if I didn't complete the game, so I played it to the end, hoping for something to change, and nothing changed. Same things over again! I don't believe that games need to be guns blaring, but this needed more action! And by that I don't mean more car chases that got on my nerves! And to top it off, Cole Phelps quickly became the most annoying characters ever!    … Expand
  63. PapaLarge
    Jun 4, 2011
    7
    LA Noire is a game of some outstanding highs but unfortunately these highs are dragged back by the bland action sequences of the game and the repetitive core gameplay and a story which does not start to get exciting after you have played 80% of the game. Do not get me wrong i was never under any illusion when I bought the game this was in the same mould of GTA or red dead redemptionLA Noire is a game of some outstanding highs but unfortunately these highs are dragged back by the bland action sequences of the game and the repetitive core gameplay and a story which does not start to get exciting after you have played 80% of the game. Do not get me wrong i was never under any illusion when I bought the game this was in the same mould of GTA or red dead redemption but rock star secret in those games was a sense of progression and memorable characters which I believe was missing in this game. But lets look at the positives, The graphics were exceptional, The unique gameplay of being a detective was enjoyable ( please read below for the "BUT") the city of Los Angeles was a technical benchmark in gaming and the story concluded on a high point. Now the negatives: The concept of detective mode soon started to get stale for 2 reasons 1. Finding clues was too easy due to the ingame help which basically screamed at you this is a clue. Rockstar it would be better if you included some red herrings as clues which went in your detectives notebook to provide the player with some satisfaction when you selected the right clue. 2. The options given to you True, Doubt & Lie during the interrogations, i think doubt and lie are not distinct enough. Their is a lack of progression in the cases with respect to gameplay. The overall story is told with cutscenes at the end of each case or newspapers which you have to find during the cases. PLEASE PLEASE tell the story through the players actions in game so for example our character earsdrop on a conversation or undertakes surveillance work at a meeting during a mission and then the cutscene starts relating to the situation i think this would have added more immersion to the game. . The action sequences to put it plainly repetitive, simple and NOT Good Enough!!!!!!! more time and attention should have been given by the developer and it is frankly unforgivable. Now that i played the game the big question is did i enjoy playing it. Well i can say yes, you do not spend 20+hrs on a game if you do not find any enjoyment but my message to ROCK Star games on LA Noire is a nice try but no Cigar!!!!!!!.… Expand
  64. brady4
    Jun 9, 2011
    7
    I was really disappointed with this. By far r* worst game, really repetitive and boring throughout and the ending is probably the one of the worst I have ever seen. The amazing facial animations are amazing but its not enough to stop me from being disappointed with this game. If you have had heavy rain its a similar experience and I would actually recommend picking that up other than thisI was really disappointed with this. By far r* worst game, really repetitive and boring throughout and the ending is probably the one of the worst I have ever seen. The amazing facial animations are amazing but its not enough to stop me from being disappointed with this game. If you have had heavy rain its a similar experience and I would actually recommend picking that up other than this for two reasons, It will be cheaper, it is more unique and emotionally captivating you really feel for the characters. Its an OK game.… Expand
  65. tzedan
    Jun 20, 2011
    7
    Pros:
    1. Facial Expressions are very realistic in this game. Ruins you for other games. 2. The game is a period piece and it does the recreation of 1940s American very well from the clothes, to the cars, to the songs on the radio.
    3. Racism is dealt with in a realistic and tasteful manner; that was not an easy thing to pull off. 4. The atmosphere is very realistic and engrossing; you    Pros:
    1. Facial Expressions are very realistic in this game. Ruins you for other games. 2. The game is a period piece and it does the recreation of 1940s American very well from the clothes, to the cars, to the songs on the radio.
    3. Racism is dealt with in a realistic and tasteful manner; that was not an easy thing to pull off. 4. The atmosphere is very realistic and engrossing; you really do get the impression that you are in 1940s Hollywood.

    Cons:
    1. The game does not allow players to have any effect at all on the outcome; the ending is set in stone and that is that.
    2. There is more XP in the game than needed; once you get to level 20 there is zero motivation to do side quests (Street crimes) anymore.

    All in all this game is kind of like Portal in terms of a fixed ending. Being a trapped lab rat with only one option, stay alive long enough to escape, works in the Portal setting. In L.A. Noire that kind of restriction seems out of place. The story telling is good and the game is truly an homage to the Noire film genre. If you want to play this then I say go for it but keep in mind that it is short, not good for more than one play through, and you are powerless to change the outcome of the game.    … Expand
  66. misterzadir
    Sep 9, 2011
    7
    A unique game, no doubt. It draws you in at first because it's such a different kind of game. After a while, however, it unfortunately became boring for me. Facial animations are amazing and the graphics are decent. I don't hate the game, it was just an interesting one-time experience that I won't be going back to.
  67. sityoazzdown
    May 18, 2012
    7
    This was an alright game. I liked the detective work, but never really figured out how to read a persons expression; mostly because I just guessed from my observation. Like most "average" games, it is repetitive, I also found the driving handling a little too loose for my comfort. There is little to no action, if i remember correctly. I would only reccomend this game if your interested inThis was an alright game. I liked the detective work, but never really figured out how to read a persons expression; mostly because I just guessed from my observation. Like most "average" games, it is repetitive, I also found the driving handling a little too loose for my comfort. There is little to no action, if i remember correctly. I would only reccomend this game if your interested in things like CSI the show or stuff like it.… Expand
  68. Syriamn
    Apr 21, 2013
    7
    It's a Rockstar game but it's not a Rockstar game. What do i mean by this? The open world, the fantastic setting of this open world, the driving, the character depth and the screenplay are Rockstar. What's not Rockstar is what should differentiate this game that is the interviews and the interpretation of that facial expressions which i might add were technically perfect. In my opinionIt's a Rockstar game but it's not a Rockstar game. What do i mean by this? The open world, the fantastic setting of this open world, the driving, the character depth and the screenplay are Rockstar. What's not Rockstar is what should differentiate this game that is the interviews and the interpretation of that facial expressions which i might add were technically perfect. In my opinion this aspect of the game is clearly unbalanced with the rest. This doesn't mean that is a bad game but if there's any sequel these aspects should be improved.… Expand
  69. TheNeoboy
    Nov 23, 2012
    5
    Interesting but very redundant gameplay, repeating over and over every case. Breathtaking graphics and an oh-so boring stroyline. That's it, in a nutshell.
  70. Famedoro
    Mar 3, 2013
    5
    Why this game is a mess:
    Need a loggin to start and enter in rockstar social club... another useless iscription.
    No windowed mode.
    Only auto save data... why?
    Never ending conversation that you cannot skip.
  71. thegodfigure
    Jan 16, 2014
    5
    A unique game. Looks pretty nice. The repetitive nature of the crime solving really gets old however. I'd say this is a good game to rent for a week or two.
  72. Ydun79
    Feb 11, 2019
    7
    I expected so much more from this. There isn't all that much freedom to work in, and it gets repetitive quick.
  73. Kai82
    Apr 18, 2021
    5
    This was a truly remarkable game but the later half is weaker and the conclusion is such a downer ending that I regret playing the game. The facial motion capturing was mind-blowing especially for that time, the gameplay was excellent with interesting cases and the characters / stories were immersive. Sadly there is something like a breaking point later on were it gets weaker (CommonThis was a truly remarkable game but the later half is weaker and the conclusion is such a downer ending that I regret playing the game. The facial motion capturing was mind-blowing especially for that time, the gameplay was excellent with interesting cases and the characters / stories were immersive. Sadly there is something like a breaking point later on were it gets weaker (Common complaint by many including me) and like I said at the end of the game I think I wasted my time. The game follows the decorated World War 2 veteran Cole Phelps who starts a career as police officer in Los Angeles in 1947. There is an overall story-line including flashbacks and cases you have to solve. It is a homage to the Film Noir(e) genre and the developers put a lot of effort into its worldbuilding, crime cases of that time and feeling authentic. I praise them for this dedication and in this regard it is a true masterpiece. Gameplay: It is an open world game. You solve crime cases by investigating crime scenes, asking witnesses and interrogating suspects. Beware that depending on your performance you can end the cases earning respect (and unlocking rewards) or being scolded / made fun of by your superiors. During the interrogations the motionscan / motion capturing can truly shine. It was mind-blowing back then as no other game came even close to this performance. You can read the reactions from the suspect faces and make deductions (Still need hard evidence). I think I have to mention that the opinions differ if this worked good or bad. For me it worked but I think a warning is fair here. I say the gameplay is immersive and enjoyable while I must admit that I mostly ignored the open world aspects of the game (There are even collectibles that I did not knew existed back then). I praise the authentic approach again and that they got some familiar faces for the roles. Also some cases are familiar too like the Black Dahlia. Character wise I enjoyed the story as I learned more about Cole Phelps and his backstory. Also the supporting / other characters are well written. I never doubted them or their motives. Presentation wise I already said that they put giant efforts into making LA look and feel like 1947. The goal was to make it as realistic as possible with attention to details. There are some negatives too. Firstly the later cases are a bit weaker, the open world is neglectable for me and the most serious issue the downer ending. While I admit that it is somehow fitting I wont make make a full comparison to Mass Effect 3. However it is still so bad that I would not replay the game and it lowered my enjoyment of the game. I am still divided as on the other hand it is a great experience and too much great effort was put into the game. On a sidenote: There was a lot of crunch at the development which was back then no problem in public eyes and the developer was closed. Overall this is a dividing game to rate. It would be the stuff of legends if it had a better ending and some polish in the open world aspects. I think it is in the 8-9/10 realm without the downer ending. I give a 5/10 here because of the ending and would still recommend it partly. Just avoid the final or if you do not fear spoilers read it up to make your own judgement.… Expand
  74. SharkbyteJG
    Oct 22, 2016
    5
    I paid $1.50 for this game and I think that was a ripoff. The story is very boring and switches constantly between two cops working on cases and Marine Corps flashbacks with cursing every other word. During the first 10 minutes of the game I glitched through a wall and had to reset the game. While for the most part the game is playable it is not enjoyable at all.
  75. njja02
    May 15, 2018
    6
    Fantastic voice acting and facial animations keep the game from being extremely boring. The stories are repetitive and the ending is rushed and poorly constructed.
  76. gennaroRonnega
    Jan 17, 2017
    5
    I have to say I didn't finish the game since english is not my mother thounge so I fond it very hard to understand the main feature of the game, the case narration and investigation through lines of dialogues. I think this game could have been much better if localized and without the action parts that are poorly developed. The game is different from any other, so I have to give rockstarI have to say I didn't finish the game since english is not my mother thounge so I fond it very hard to understand the main feature of the game, the case narration and investigation through lines of dialogues. I think this game could have been much better if localized and without the action parts that are poorly developed. The game is different from any other, so I have to give rockstar credit for the bravery, and I really appreciate what is good in the game, but there are things that didn't work. At the end this game is a crossover of a detective graphic adventure, wich is ok, and a gta sandbox, like it was made not from rockstar. I would have given 6 if i ended the game, but since i didn't care to. It's 5… Expand
  77. Empyrea
    May 3, 2018
    7
    I've just finished the game so here comes my impressions. I'm a bit disappointed with this game although I knew that I wouldn't find much action because this game it's just about the work of a policeman that investigates murders. The best of this game are the voices that are perfectly arranged with the lips. Facial expressions are also very good because it's an important part of the gameI've just finished the game so here comes my impressions. I'm a bit disappointed with this game although I knew that I wouldn't find much action because this game it's just about the work of a policeman that investigates murders. The best of this game are the voices that are perfectly arranged with the lips. Facial expressions are also very good because it's an important part of the game while you're interrogating people. Although at first the gameplay can be catchy because everything is knew, soon it can become boring or repetitive. I think that the creators could have gone one step further with this game like involving the personal life of the main character with his family for instance or give you more choices during the interrogations. For exemple, it could have been nice to let you piss off the suspects to make them speak, or give you the choice to kill or beat the criminals. This game doesn't deserve more than an 8. If the game has more gameplay like the last 4 missions (there are 21) and less than the rest of the missions this game would have improved a lot. Unfortunately they didn't. Also in this last 4 missions where you are alone you can skip driving from place to place by pushing the triangle button. It took me 20 hours to beat counting 10/40 of the extra missions completed. I recommend to push the start button and look the map before going for the optional missions because normally are far far away. Personally I would think it twice before buying this game.… Expand
  78. Mindurbidniss
    Feb 3, 2023
    7
    The game is a classic only because there wasn't really anything like it at the time. It may even seem unfair to judge it by today's standards. That being said, it's shortcomings eclipsed it's potential even way back then. An open world LA city, recreated almost block for block, goes to waste with nothing to do in it outside of cruising around. The worst offender has to be theThe game is a classic only because there wasn't really anything like it at the time. It may even seem unfair to judge it by today's standards. That being said, it's shortcomings eclipsed it's potential even way back then. An open world LA city, recreated almost block for block, goes to waste with nothing to do in it outside of cruising around. The worst offender has to be the interrogation system though. It consists of 3 option truth, like, and doubt. Apparently these were changed late in production which explains why your character with scream at suspects at the top of his lungs when you doubt them. The 3 option system makes successful interrogation impossible, some may say that's the point of the game, but it's so jarring when you think you telling the game to do one thing and it chooses to do another. Now that the bad is out of the way, I just want to talk about how this game is still a cinematic masterpiece regarding its ability to put you in the gumshoes of a 1947 film noire character. Some of the detective work you'll do as far as finding clues will make you feel like a genius. The plot even has some nice twists and turns outside of just handling cases that will really pull you into this world. It really is too bad we'll never see a sequel to a game like this.… Expand
  79. HuevoAlce
    Jun 27, 2022
    6
    L.A. Noire introduces interesting technology. However, the game is boggled down by an empty open-world and simple gameplay mechanics.

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best PS3 Game of 2011
8
#8 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
3
#3 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 78 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 78
  3. Negative: 0 out of 78
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 19, 2011
    90
    At first L.A. Noire seems a bit too easy, then it gets interesting and reading people's reactions makes for some of the best gaming this year. The atmosphere is spot on and the late 40's LA really feels like an authentic, living place. [June 2011]
  2. Armchair Empire
    Aug 16, 2011
    75
    Team Bondi created a technical masterpiece with L.A. Noire. The problem is that they didn't create an artistic or even entertaining masterpiece.
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  3. Absolute Games
    Jul 26, 2011
    66
    Look past the glitz of technical achievements, richly designed sets, ostensibly interactive environments, and you will see the real L.A. Noire – a vapid adventure with a hole-ridden plot, a boring unsympathetic hero, and rough stitches in places where content should be.
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