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. 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
  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. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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.
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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.
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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
  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. 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
  28. 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.
  29. 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
  30. 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
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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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