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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. 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
  2. codfather96
    May 24, 2011
    9
    A beautiful game with only slight flaws that can be forgiven because this is so amazing to look at, to feel as who try to find a killer to a young families mother, great game!
  3. T-K47x
    May 26, 2011
    9
    Overall great game one of the best you will play in 2011 and also this gen, my only problem is there are a few hiccups in the stories plot line that has made me think less of the game, nevertheless I think that LA Noire deserves a solid 9/10.
  4. Lennox666
    May 19, 2011
    9
    Great game! Rockstar & Team Bondi are genius! Best buy 100%! And it's true, that the new motion scan tech is definitely the best part of the game. Now, you are in the movie and you do the movie, like a director, like a main character.
  5. cheetah1
    May 19, 2011
    9
    I played this game quite a bit last night and was very impressed. While I was looking forward to it, at the same time I was a little apprehensive considering I thought GTA4 and RDR were only just good games, not brilliant. Firstly, the acting and storyline are the best I have seen, better than portal 2. The graphics are amazing and on par with the best this gen......much nicer on ps3 thanI played this game quite a bit last night and was very impressed. While I was looking forward to it, at the same time I was a little apprehensive considering I thought GTA4 and RDR were only just good games, not brilliant. Firstly, the acting and storyline are the best I have seen, better than portal 2. The graphics are amazing and on par with the best this gen......much nicer on ps3 than the previous 2 R* games. The game mechanics are nice and I instantly liked the brawling, driving and shooting elements, again, they are big improvements on previous R* games.

    It is still early days for me and there is always a chance it may get repetetive, but this game is definately worth picking up if you like more to your games than kill counts. I liked Heavy Rain and think this game is what that game should have been.    … Expand
  6. dz9
    Aug 1, 2011
    2
    The Good: Great graphics, and a few cool innovative ideas. The Bad: Irrelevant side quests, outrageous map, bland world, uninteresting combat, repetitive mechanics, disengaging story, and overall...boring. Yes yes yes... the new face tracking is awesome, the way you investigate crimes is neat, and presentation is through the roof. But you can't help but compare this title to GTA, butThe Good: Great graphics, and a few cool innovative ideas. The Bad: Irrelevant side quests, outrageous map, bland world, uninteresting combat, repetitive mechanics, disengaging story, and overall...boring. Yes yes yes... the new face tracking is awesome, the way you investigate crimes is neat, and presentation is through the roof. But you can't help but compare this title to GTA, but in reviewing it, it may be easier to (believe me, i know this game isn't GTA). Imagine in GTA, you have that huge map of stores, missions, cops to kill, buildings to blow up, and mayhem to cause. Now imagine your playing L.A Noire, and it still has the huge map but only thing in it is side missions. Side missions? May be fun...Right? WRONG!! They're repetitive and unimportant, and they represent everything that is wrong with this game...it's simply is just bland and repetitive. One may argue, "but what of the collectibles and hidden cars." And I would respond, "why should I care enough to go look for them." Collectibles are pointless, and after each cutscene, you lose your shiny new car, so whats the point of getting it in the first place. Onto the combat, let's face it, shooting alone... GTA is not the best out there, if you've played GTA, the shooting mechanic is the same in this title... but no ammo, hard to keep the guns you've obtained, and the shooting sequences feel more like a disruption rather than a breath taking experience. The investigations are sort of cool, but like everything else, get repetitive. The hypes for this game was that the new face detection would play an important strategic role in the investigation mechanic. However, it does not.. every person in the game (even the ones who are telling the truth) show signs of lying, and this "important strategic role" holds no weight. Another huge flaw in the game, is the linear feel. If you have played immersive games like Heavy Rain, you understand why this game is so linear. You could be a complete idiot, skip all the cutscenes and have no idea whats going on... just tap some buttons, if you get them wrong... the game will just set you up at a checkpoint right before the investigation so you can keep being an idiot. If you are a person who plays this and tries to immersive themselves in the boring story and wants to be strategic to try out their detective skill, you will be rewarded just as much as the idiot who just taps "X" the whole way through... you may "gain a level," but "gaining a level" means nothing in this game, due to the lack of reward. This game is exactly how South Park put it, "What's so fun about running around, watching people talk and tapping the A button"… Expand
  7. gamer1
    Aug 26, 2011
    4
    Could not find the FUN of Rockstar games like GTA or Red Dead Redemption. I'm really opend to new genres but too much enery has been put on the universe, cinematics, etc. but not on gameplay. Driving is awful too. The universe and characters are nice anyway, but if I was only looking for that I would have bought a movie.
  8. kingbilbin
    Dec 13, 2011
    10
    this is a revolution. pure magic. this game it´s a different concept . a movie made game. people who says : it´s too slow, we need liberty... THIS ISN´T A SANBOX!!!!!! it´s a fusion between graphic adventure and action. and probably we have the most original game in this year.
  9. idfdefender
    Dec 24, 2011
    10
    A nice influence in the gaming industry. I don't care what others say about this game. Brain and your instincts are the key elements to finish this game. Just like a real detective.
  10. Chopper1957
    May 18, 2011
    1
    The awesome thing about games is the sense of freedom and off script action that can happen. I think the acting was great in this game, but that hardy gives it the GotY potential. I want a little more game in my video game and less video. It aint fer me.
  11. Krykira
    May 19, 2011
    0
    Buggy glitched out **** fest this game is. Buyers remorse started setting in hard after the first day or 2. The game is boring, the world is devoid of any emotion or life, It plays exactly like GTAIV only its not fun, the interviewing sucks. Awful game. It bricked my PS3, so I played it on Xbox and it has graphical glitches everywhere. Shame on you rockstar. Never buying another one theseBuggy glitched out **** fest this game is. Buyers remorse started setting in hard after the first day or 2. The game is boring, the world is devoid of any emotion or life, It plays exactly like GTAIV only its not fun, the interviewing sucks. Awful game. It bricked my PS3, so I played it on Xbox and it has graphical glitches everywhere. Shame on you rockstar. Never buying another one these titles again.… Expand
  12. Patman1234
    May 18, 2011
    9
    For anyone reading this review, i have a simple fact to point out. Metacritic is a site built on statistical averages, 90 from the critics at the time im writing this and 82 from users. Therefore the game is a brilliant one. Therefore all the negative user review's are from haters, not from people with actual intelligent opinions. Someone commented there isn't much else to do other thanFor anyone reading this review, i have a simple fact to point out. Metacritic is a site built on statistical averages, 90 from the critics at the time im writing this and 82 from users. Therefore the game is a brilliant one. Therefore all the negative user review's are from haters, not from people with actual intelligent opinions. Someone commented there isn't much else to do other than the story, this is true but shouldn't be that important. A game's foundation have always been on the story. If you want to go and mindlessly shoot something buy cod, if you want a true sandbox experience where you can muck around and do whatever get gta or red dead. If you want a combination of excellent story telling with revolutionary motion capture and a truly immersive world which plunges you straight into L.A in the 40's then buy this game. Team Bondi and Rockstar have created a masterpiece.… Expand
  13. cameronhodgkins
    May 18, 2011
    10
    Innovative and gorgeous to behold. Sitting here at work today thinking about how I'm NOT playing it right now has been torture. I'm a huge fan of the adventure genre, and I've never really enjoyed running around as the bad guy in the GTA series (blasphemy, I know) so it's been refreshing to be the cops for once.
  14. GrumpyReviewer
    Jun 29, 2011
    10
    By far, the best Rockstar game I've played. Like Mass Effect, L.A. Noire is not a game, it's an experience that must be seen (and played) to be believed. I'm amazed, truly, with how good this game actually is. Tons of hype, indeed, but with tons of reason. This is not your traditional sandbox game. This is no GTA. L.A. Noire is a ticket to an almost parallel universe where you'll believe -By far, the best Rockstar game I've played. Like Mass Effect, L.A. Noire is not a game, it's an experience that must be seen (and played) to be believed. I'm amazed, truly, with how good this game actually is. Tons of hype, indeed, but with tons of reason. This is not your traditional sandbox game. This is no GTA. L.A. Noire is a ticket to an almost parallel universe where you'll believe - even if for seconds - you are a cop, investigating something, worrying, hunting. This is a product of love that MUST no be missed.… Expand
  15. 247Consoles
    May 18, 2011
    9
    A welcome alternative to the stereotypical, with a seemingly flawless backdrop and facial expressionism, this has potential to produce a strong branding and lots of happy gamers, and for 247Consoles that's what gaming is all about. Superbly un-rushed and a credit to the Rockstar community supporters.
  16. TheOnlineGamer
    May 28, 2011
    10
    This is my Favourite Game of all time (Mainly because im a big Noir Genre fan) it is full of exciting missions and it is a BIG Game! I love the Story, its classic Noir at it's best! The Gameplay is Fresh and unique and the Graphics are Remarkable. Go out and Buy this Game!
  17. 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
  18. Mattaclysm
    May 18, 2011
    9
    First off this game is amazing. The graphics are very good for a sandbox game. Characters look and sound great. Actors were spot on. I was amazed by the facial expressions on everyone during interviews when I first turned the game on but as I played it kind of went away slowly. Everything is top notch. I've noticed a few times where in more populated areas I'll get minor lag but it's to beFirst off this game is amazing. The graphics are very good for a sandbox game. Characters look and sound great. Actors were spot on. I was amazed by the facial expressions on everyone during interviews when I first turned the game on but as I played it kind of went away slowly. Everything is top notch. I've noticed a few times where in more populated areas I'll get minor lag but it's to be expected. LA Noire's size feels enormous, but unfortunately it feels like you'll spend most of your time driving around then anything else. One thing that bothered me was the street missions. They will appear at the most random locations. When one pops up all the way across the city it starts to feel a little annoying having to drive back and forth. The story is great and actually it is quite fun solving crimes. I feel like this is a game I can play through a few times and still enjoy. The gun fighting is similar to red dead redemption with the targeting system, its good and works well with LA Noire. Hand to hand combat I'm not sure why but it feels off a tad. I just feel awkward doing it. I would have also liked to see a bit more customization maybe a few more guns too. In closing L.A. Noire is a very good game, Team Bondi did a fantastic job with everything and this game deserves the credit it's getting.… Expand
  19. SaltyGator
    May 18, 2011
    9
    Really, really cool game. No, it's not a first person shooter and it's not GTA IV so understand that up front. Fun, interesting, creative and innovative. The type of game you have to play to understand it. I can't stop playing it. Thumbs up.
  20. ccwill36
    May 18, 2011
    10
    What a great game no its not gta, but so what it makes you think. The graphics are amezing voice over everything about this game is great. I give it a 10. GO GET THIS GAME IF YOU HAVE NOT.
  21. porkchop322
    May 19, 2011
    10
    This game is amazing! I love the new style of gameplay and the story of these interesting characters. This game is a innovation to the gaming industry. It has the same voice acting quality of Toy Story 3. The graphics and facial animations are astounding. If you are a gamer then you have to play this game.
  22. hir0
    May 21, 2011
    10
    Rockstar does it again! I played this game on my XBOX and i was in awe, so many fantastic, unique characters.... just imagine if all games are like this! Maybe game was bit short and repetitive, but good far outweights the bad. 9.6/10
  23. jordanatkinson
    Dec 26, 2011
    10
    la noire just shows rockstar can do anything brilliant graphics great fun and a plot that only rockstar could make it has slight downfalls with only being able to use guns at certain points and not being able to go in swimming pools is not cool still one of the games of the year
  24. Dpacm
    May 24, 2011
    2
    Well where do I start with this game. This is going to be a long one. This game is best described as superficial, lacking in both content and any real character. At first it feels like a whole new experience, both creative and original. However after 'X' amount of hours of game play I can tell you it is anything but.

    The whole focus of the game is on the cut-scenes and story; although    Well where do I start with this game. This is going to be a long one. This game is best described as superficial, lacking in both content and any real character. At first it feels like a whole new experience, both creative and original. However after 'X' amount of hours of game play I can tell you it is anything but.

    The whole focus of the game is on the cut-scenes and story; although this is it's greatest triumph it is also it's greatest downfall. For all the innovation they put into this, none of it adds to the game play of the game. The story at times feels familiar and predictable, the cinema-tics although superior to other games I have seen, just don't make for a better gaming experience. If it were a movie I would be saying otherwise.

    The cases are way too easy, practically child-like for what is an adult's game. You go from point A to B and back again, essentially clicking a button whenever the controller vibrates alerting you to a clue. The investigative side of the system just doesn't exist. It's as if the game holds your hand and guides you all the way through. The realistic expressions are good outside of interrogations, but ruined by the fact that they all over-act their expressions - the opposite anyone in a real interrogation would do. Some of the missions are at best said to be grueling and tiresome. One particular missions involves finding excerpts from a killer - but you don't figure them out the AI does. You drive round completely and utterly aimless until the game's hidden timer moves the story along with dialogue from the protagonist.

    The combat is not much better, in a game like this it is far from realistic. You simply can take multiple gun shots without flinching, whilst the AI is as daft as ever practically wanting and embracing death. Melee combat is also overly simplistic - Phelps performs like a professional heavyweight boxer, knocking opponents down yet the AI has the demeanor of a drunkard fighter. Button bashing punches at it's finest. I would also like to point out this game lacks a lot of action and when you do reach it, it is few and far between.

    My next problem with this game is content. Beyond the single player experience of this 'sandbox' game there is nothing. Literally nothing. No incentives what so ever to carry on playing once you have completed the game. The developers have created a fantastic world, but there's no reason to explore it. Unlockables are also at a minimum and are purely awful - worse than team fortress 2 or even the call of duty games. A gigantic world that looks beautiful, but has very, very little to do in it.

    It's almost like the developers took everything that made GTA games a like-able sandbox experience and cut all of the content, beyond the single player experience. The game has zero replay value. There is no reason to replay a case outside of perfectionism. And with a complete lack of multiplayer I have to say this game is truly one of the most over-hyped and overrated games I have experienced my whole life. I simply cannot understand how the reviewers scored this in the '90's zone.

    Superficial. Over-hyped. Overrated.    … Expand
  25. 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
  26. Amiganoid
    May 25, 2011
    2
    I really wanted to like this game, but then, i didn't. I like all kinds of games, except sports and some simulation games. But no, this is no game for me, sure the graphics were all right on 30 fps, but the game is so damn boring.

    I sure hope Rockstar doesn't mess up Max Payne 3, and please...PRETTY PLEASE...make sure Max Payne 3 runs at 60 fps !!
  27. jabberwockgee
    Jan 14, 2012
    0
    This is honestly the worst game I've ever played. It was the more disappointing since everyone gave it glowing reviews.

    First annoyance, none of the pop-up explanations for what to do lasted long enough for me to read them. (E.g. Not even on the second time of running over a pedestrian and being told 'LAPD is supposed to protect citizens" did I finish reading the pop-up and see if there    This is honestly the worst game I've ever played. It was the more disappointing since everyone gave it glowing reviews.

    First annoyance, none of the pop-up explanations for what to do lasted long enough for me to read them. (E.g. Not even on the second time of running over a pedestrian and being told 'LAPD is supposed to protect citizens" did I finish reading the pop-up and see if there was actually a consequence). Hey developers, let us choose when the pop-ups that tell us what to do go away.

    Second, there is not enough explanation for how to conduct interviews (or maybe I didn't finish reading any of the explanations). Being told I only got 1/4 questions right doesn't mean anything when I didn't know what I was doing in the first place.

    These two things ruined the game. After I got shot to death by 'Mexicans' and after only finishing 2 interviews, I'm ready to move on to other, more entertaining, games.    … Expand
  28. JamesM
    Jun 7, 2011
    0
    Accidentally set my rating to 10 before. How embarrassing, LA Noire deserves a 1. Hopefully my other review won't be deleted after I write this review. 150 characters blah blah blah.
  29. 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
  30. brisbanesimon
    May 17, 2011
    0
    dont really like this game,it has really boring gameplay,yeh the graphics are good and the technology behind it is good,but at the end of the day if the game is not fun then its not worth my time and this game was certainly not fun
  31. 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
  32. holla
    May 18, 2011
    10
    this game is a gem love it best game everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
  33. booby
    May 18, 2011
    10
    this game is awesome all these people that give it a 1 are losers. Best game of the year. I have played it dor over 7 hours and I still love it. Cant wait for rockstars next game.
  34. franksss
    May 18, 2011
    10
    this game rocksssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  35. jj350
    May 19, 2011
    0
    Worse game ever, no joke, I usually never make a statement like that, however, I am willing to make an exception this time. The good? Fantastic graphics and environment. The bad? Ultra linear gameplay (so linear it sucks all of the fun and emotion out of the game, that is unless you're seeking frustration), Highly limited interactivity, linear, one street responses for the ooh so necessaryWorse game ever, no joke, I usually never make a statement like that, however, I am willing to make an exception this time. The good? Fantastic graphics and environment. The bad? Ultra linear gameplay (so linear it sucks all of the fun and emotion out of the game, that is unless you're seeking frustration), Highly limited interactivity, linear, one street responses for the ooh so necessary interviews and interrogation (the type where you constantly need to reference a strategy guide in order to play the game "properly"), and so on. Honestly I could go on and on about everything that disappoints me about this game, but when it really comes down to it, I think that there's no point to go beyond this. What we have here is a perfect, text book example of a game that pretentious critics love that the average consumer hates. Avoid this game unless you're the conceited arthouse type.… Expand
  36. Groteska
    May 18, 2011
    6
    Nice !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  37. 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
  38. 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
  39. 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.
  40. SasquatchFelix
    May 31, 2011
    9
    This game is one of the most interesting games i've ever played. People that are giving this game any less than an eight should have their heads examined; It is not call of duty
  41. Musai
    May 19, 2011
    9
    Absolutely ridiculous to give this game anything below a 9. Anyone doing so is either trolling, or expecting this to be San Andreas in the 1940s. The story is superb, acting (not just the voices) is amazing, and all around this is a fine example of interactive storytelling. It pushes the medium forward, which can't be said of a lot of other games in this generation. There isn't a whole lotAbsolutely ridiculous to give this game anything below a 9. Anyone doing so is either trolling, or expecting this to be San Andreas in the 1940s. The story is superb, acting (not just the voices) is amazing, and all around this is a fine example of interactive storytelling. It pushes the medium forward, which can't be said of a lot of other games in this generation. There isn't a whole lot of replay value, as far as I can tell, but collectibles, street crimes, film reels, landmarks, and seeing how a case turns out differently depending on what you do still holds some kind of replay value, but then again, Heavy Rain has almost no replay at all, and I still bought it and enjoy it to this day.

    Anyway the negative reviews don't know what they're talking about. Great, great game.    … Expand
  42. Scritty
    May 29, 2011
    4
    A decent game in some respects, and I would have maybe given it a 5 if the game immovated in some way thaty6 actually engaged me. The facial animations are excellent, but it seems that they had this great idea for a new gameplay element, then went searching for a game to slap on it.
    The evidence subgames are just plain wrong sometimes. "You murdered her" (picks up piece of evidence the    A decent game in some respects, and I would have maybe given it a 5 if the game immovated in some way thaty6 actually engaged me. The facial animations are excellent, but it seems that they had this great idea for a new gameplay element, then went searching for a game to slap on it.
    The evidence subgames are just plain wrong sometimes. "You murdered her" (picks up piece of evidence the game wants you to to get the right response to a "Lie" accusation. In real life half of this "evidence" doesn't even make sense.In real life the accused would just laugh at this most of the time, It rarely establishes mensrea and for the most part is some flim-flam evidence that even a suspect with retarded IQ would just shrug off as circumstatial at best. Certainly not proving a darn thing. And this happens again and again. With the low (unrealistic) bar for evidence established, it's often hard to pick what piece of barely consequential evidence to present. No wonder the Brady hints book was sold out in my local "Game" store.
    Evidence finding itself, after about the third case is a real CHORE. It's just plain dull. Kneel down, move arm, mutter, yawn, keel over asleep.
    And while we are on actio. WHERE IS ALL THE ACTION. I'm now at the final desk and I don't think I've fired more than a couple of hundred rounds, I go hours without shooting anything, chasing anyone in a car or on foot. Finally the game is painfully linear. Sure you "can" wander about doing stuff. But there is Zero (and I mean flat Zero) stuff to do. No "den" or "crib" to go back to, no spray or repair shops for your vehicles, no clothes retailers. The side quests (street crimes) are the only extra I've found and...they are almost as dull and repetitive as the main story.
    It's not a terrible game.The driving and shooting mechanics work well, the animations are excellent. But for me it's just too darn boring and about the most linear game I've played in many years    … Expand
  43. GalisCooper
    Jun 27, 2011
    10
    I love how a very successful company like Rockstar took a risk with this fantastic game that FINALLY tries to do something different than "shoot everything on site" gameplay that is shoveled to us by all big gaming companies. It's so fresh to have a game that makes you use your wits and instincts a bit, and is about solving cases. Reminded me a bit of Phoenix Wright. Unfortunately I'm notI love how a very successful company like Rockstar took a risk with this fantastic game that FINALLY tries to do something different than "shoot everything on site" gameplay that is shoveled to us by all big gaming companies. It's so fresh to have a game that makes you use your wits and instincts a bit, and is about solving cases. Reminded me a bit of Phoenix Wright. Unfortunately I'm not sure if financially they will have the success they deserve. If my local store is anything to go by, I see returned copies on sale all the time, indicating to me that people are unwilling to leave their comfort mindless shooting zone and try something a little bit more engaging...… Expand
  44. Prantare
    May 23, 2011
    10
    This game is amazing. It's innovative, beautiful, has a great story and great gameplay. Instead of putting us into gun fights a lá Call of Duty it makes us think. I really love this game. For me, Rockstar is growing in maturity, artfullness and thought each year. This and Red Dead Redemption makes Rockstar my alltime favourite game company. This game is NOT for people whoThis game is amazing. It's innovative, beautiful, has a great story and great gameplay. Instead of putting us into gun fights a lá Call of Duty it makes us think. I really love this game. For me, Rockstar is growing in maturity, artfullness and thought each year. This and Red Dead Redemption makes Rockstar my alltime favourite game company. This game is NOT for people who like action.

    This game is for people who like art, wit, intelligence, great graphics, a good story and great acting. 10/10.    … Expand
  45. eye4things
    May 31, 2011
    10
    I enjoyed this game, especially after I got used to the fact that it is not GTA and that it has different mechanics that require a different kind of play-through. This is an thoroughly satisfying game. It is also incredibly fun to play. Not the yahoo fun of a roller coaster, but the smile-inducing, giddy fun or getting lost in the gameworld, it's characters, and it's mysteries. This is aI enjoyed this game, especially after I got used to the fact that it is not GTA and that it has different mechanics that require a different kind of play-through. This is an thoroughly satisfying game. It is also incredibly fun to play. Not the yahoo fun of a roller coaster, but the smile-inducing, giddy fun or getting lost in the gameworld, it's characters, and it's mysteries. This is a sophisticated, immersive, ground-breaking game that elevates the industry and creates a new genre. Some criticisms are true, but did not hinder my experience in the slightest. The game is linear, but no more so than the Uncharted games ( and , as is the case with uncharted, I am not bothered). The game takes a a great deal from point-and-click adventures, but takes it to a whole new level of immersion and "feels right" for the experience. The interrogation system is vague, but I believe that this is intentional and added to my sense of interacting with a living breathing, imprecise world. Some criticisms misrepresent the game. The stories do connect, to say more would be to introduce spoilers. Also, I think what some players consider to be "cut-scenes" are in fact the core game play--leading to some confusion. More an experience than a game, L.A. Noire delivered a terrific story to me in a way that made me feel it. I would give it 11 if I could.… Expand
  46. beelzie14
    Jun 26, 2011
    9
    Amazing game with revolutionary face capture tech. But if it just had that as an attraction, the game would bomb. What keeps this game as a MUST HAVE is the fact that the investigative story and questioning techniques are not only unique, but are so ahead of anything out there.

    The way that questioning and investigating bond the entire story and multiple characters, is so fresh that it    Amazing game with revolutionary face capture tech. But if it just had that as an attraction, the game would bomb. What keeps this game as a MUST HAVE is the fact that the investigative story and questioning techniques are not only unique, but are so ahead of anything out there.

    The way that questioning and investigating bond the entire story and multiple characters, is so fresh that it makes you forget that Heavy Rain kind of initiated the concept. This makes you realise what heavy Rain COULD have been!

    A genre defining game which will be copied in the future, but not beaten. If you want something which makes you think, connect with every character and feel challenged - this is the game for you. Unbeatable!    … Expand
  47. SystemActive
    Jun 14, 2011
    10
    The bad reviews are people who thought this would be GTA... This games fresh and exciting, RockStar continues to dish out quality products... They actually went out of their way to make it NOT gta, love it! The Facial animations make every other game look like garbage it's really that good... There's similar gameplay ties in it with GTA, but I love the interrogation scenes... My onlyThe bad reviews are people who thought this would be GTA... This games fresh and exciting, RockStar continues to dish out quality products... They actually went out of their way to make it NOT gta, love it! The Facial animations make every other game look like garbage it's really that good... There's similar gameplay ties in it with GTA, but I love the interrogation scenes... My only gripe is I'm scared this is all the DLC they will have for it....… Expand
  48. 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
  49. Moviebuffreview
    May 28, 2011
    10
    People who compare this to Grand Theft Auto really need a life. L.A. Noire is not trying to be Grand Theft Auto at all, it is trying to be fresh and unique, and that is what it is. You have to use your head, but using your head is more fun and rewarding than tiring and no fun. The game looks gorgeous, has incredible face technology, has excellent controls, and the gameplay is overallPeople who compare this to Grand Theft Auto really need a life. L.A. Noire is not trying to be Grand Theft Auto at all, it is trying to be fresh and unique, and that is what it is. You have to use your head, but using your head is more fun and rewarding than tiring and no fun. The game looks gorgeous, has incredible face technology, has excellent controls, and the gameplay is overall revolutionary and exciting. L.A. Noire is one of the best games of 2011, go buy it!… Expand
  50. Notorious
    May 24, 2011
    9
    Rockstar have done it again; they've created another game with a richer story than you'd get from a modern Hollywood blockbuster and combined it with a new style of game. L.A. Noire tells the story of Cole Phelps, an LAPD detective in post-war Los-Angeles. While the game has the same look and feel of GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire's gameplay is completely different. Gone is theRockstar have done it again; they've created another game with a richer story than you'd get from a modern Hollywood blockbuster and combined it with a new style of game. L.A. Noire tells the story of Cole Phelps, an LAPD detective in post-war Los-Angeles. While the game has the same look and feel of GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire's gameplay is completely different. Gone is the ability to shoot up the average passer-by; as Cole Phelps you're a good cop in a world of corruption. Instead of pumping lead into the criminals you now have to coerce information and confessions out of them. Suspects must be interrogated in order to open up new avenues for you to investigate. This game takes a bit of brainpower and skill in order to read whether your suspect is telling the truth, or if they're trying to serve you a plate full of stinking lies.

    Revolutionary, refreshing and compelling. L.A. Noire will keep you hooked as long as you can appreciate it for what it is - gamers looking to pop caps need to look elsewhere.    … Expand
  51. MAZMATT
    May 28, 2011
    0
    It's actually a sad indictment on the professional video game reviewers that this game can score such high reviews when there are 39 users who have written clearly honest reviews who feel the game is boring and thus not worthy of being purchased. Too many times I have read glowing reviews of the 'professionals' and purchased a game and then regretted not paying enough attention to moreIt's actually a sad indictment on the professional video game reviewers that this game can score such high reviews when there are 39 users who have written clearly honest reviews who feel the game is boring and thus not worthy of being purchased. Too many times I have read glowing reviews of the 'professionals' and purchased a game and then regretted not paying enough attention to more objective reviews of gamers. Just because Rockstar's name is on this and therefore we have long being looking forward to it doesn't make it a good game… Expand
  52. sugam
    Jun 4, 2011
    2
    This game is overrated sadly. but it is a console so what do you expect? The graphics are very good (+2) but a lot of the other aspects to the game is poor. The controls are ruff/slow to response which I am guessing it hangs on animations. Save points could have been applied better and of course, the DLC's. These companies are in the habit of releasing 80% of the full game, make the buyersThis game is overrated sadly. but it is a console so what do you expect? The graphics are very good (+2) but a lot of the other aspects to the game is poor. The controls are ruff/slow to response which I am guessing it hangs on animations. Save points could have been applied better and of course, the DLC's. These companies are in the habit of releasing 80% of the full game, make the buyers pay FULL PRICE, then hand out the rest it through exclusive preorder locations and DLC to pay even more cash for it, which to me is almost like theft. Not worth it IMO, not for that price. Get the game a year down the road is my advice when its at a realistic price range.… Expand
  53. 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
  54. 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
  55. Magik300
    May 23, 2011
    10
    beautiful, detailed, Game of the year for me. Like being in a movie. Watch LA Confidential and decide whether you like/live this movie. If yes then that's the game for you
  56. Lucleonhart
    May 23, 2011
    9
    I do not like GTA at all. That's why I really have to say: wow! What a great game! Story is great, game mechanics, too. Love the setting, the sound, the characters. Go buy it!
  57. nbozinator
    May 23, 2011
    9
    my first rockstar game (aside from chinatown wars on DS)

    it is better than i expect i thought all the reviews for everything else where over exaggerated. but it isn't as good as i expected with people lying for no real reason which annoys me why lie it didn't involve you? >:( it is however a lot of fun to take up the time between now and the duke nukem release date it think that this is    my first rockstar game (aside from chinatown wars on DS)

    it is better than i expect i thought all the reviews for everything else where over exaggerated. but it isn't as good as i expected with people lying for no real reason which annoys me why lie it didn't involve you? >:( it is however a lot of fun to take up the time between now and the duke nukem release date it think that this is a great entry level point for me, can see myself liking it due to the fact that unlike the others you can't get this sort of thing anywhere else (RDR + GTA + flying + grappling hook = Just Cause 2) and the focus on art and character development is great here

    a good buy if you like, detective stories or want something long to take up the time    … Expand
  58. SlyDragons
    May 23, 2011
    8
    Just for some background, I'm about 14 hours in and 60% complete. I've played some of Rockstar's later releases (GTA3, GTA4, Red Dead Redemption), and while this game does have the same feel from a character control perspective, you shouldn't go into the game expecting the same type of sandbox. This is a detective game, not a free-for-all game with missions. That means you'll spendJust for some background, I'm about 14 hours in and 60% complete. I've played some of Rockstar's later releases (GTA3, GTA4, Red Dead Redemption), and while this game does have the same feel from a character control perspective, you shouldn't go into the game expecting the same type of sandbox. This is a detective game, not a free-for-all game with missions. That means you'll spend most of your time wandering around crime scenes looking for clues, interacting with witnesses and suspects and checking your notes. There's some shooting in the 40 or so street crimes, but those are usually quick and best serve as a reminder of the controls to use your weapon, so that you'll be ready in the main story. In fact, in plain old walking around, you can't even pull your gun. Despite not being much of a sandbox, the map is huge; More than you'll probably ever have a need to see. I did spend about an hour just driving around, crashing cars, falling through buggy buildings into the blue abyss below the map, trying to hit pedestrians, etc. I pre-ordered, so I would get some free DLC, but because the Playstation Store is Fubar right now, that content is inaccessible. I don't blame the game for that, but instead only give a slight knock against Rockstar for it because going into the DLC screen from the game locks up the console every time and requires a console reboot.

    The characters are great. The face acting is pretty good. The stories and cases are compelling. The interaction with suspects can be frustrating and if you're a perfectionist or completionist, you might get a little frustrated at wrong answers which even in retrospect seem to be right. The only replay value might be replaying individual cases to get a better score. You're almost discouraged from exploring during a case because hitting cars, causing damage, etc, can negatively affect your case score. I've found that I mostly let my partner drive to avoid it. It's a solid detective game, and I'll probably buy a few DLC cases just to keep the experience alive. Outside of the case load, there's not much there, but the case load may be enough if you like detective games.    … Expand
  59. 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.
  60. HAMMERBS3
    May 23, 2011
    9
    Unique in every aspect,great graphics,storys and crimes are amazing.Its not GTA,Its not red Dead,ITS BETTER!!Total game immersion for me.In one simple sentence..ROCKSTARS FINEST HOUR so far on The PS3.Gonna take ages to complete and so much to do its a welcome breath of fresh gaming air!!
    GENIUS
  61. TRexOnRoids
    May 31, 2011
    9
    L.A Noire is a great game and is well worth a play, particularly if your a fan of Phoenix Wight or Noir style movies. The narrative is solid and will draw you in if you let it, it does however get a bit dry around the halfway point but it picks up again and you'll probably have the urge to see it through in that sitting. Graphically the game is top notch, while there are some screen tearsL.A Noire is a great game and is well worth a play, particularly if your a fan of Phoenix Wight or Noir style movies. The narrative is solid and will draw you in if you let it, it does however get a bit dry around the halfway point but it picks up again and you'll probably have the urge to see it through in that sitting. Graphically the game is top notch, while there are some screen tears the mo cap faces more than make up for it. Gameplay wise; the controls are tight and responsive but a jump button wouldn't go amiss. Searching for clues is enjoyable at first but can get a bit tedious latter on (thats detective work for ya), however there is a way around it. When it comes to questioning suspects this is where the game really shines. Reading suspects faces is tricky at times but can be really rewarding if you use your "skills of deduction" correctly. The score of this game is great; the music is very Noir and really helps in your search for clues. This game makes being a detective fun and exhilarating but if you prefer action to narrative then maybe this isn't the game you.… Expand
  62. Dyalad
    May 23, 2011
    8
    A game with a tremendous amount of details. Every crime scene is flooded with props and objects that give a sense of realism and depth. However, after a while, genuinely paying attention to detail is meaningless - I've disabled the shaking and sound cues, and I was still able to figure out if I missed a clue in a scene.

    Facial expressions and acting are believable. However, confronting    A game with a tremendous amount of details. Every crime scene is flooded with props and objects that give a sense of realism and depth. However, after a while, genuinely paying attention to detail is meaningless - I've disabled the shaking and sound cues, and I was still able to figure out if I missed a clue in a scene.

    Facial expressions and acting are believable. However, confronting a witness through a lie was sometimes frustrating - there were clues that would've made a lot of sense, but they served no purpose. The game reacts instantly if you picked the right or wrong answer during an interview; I didn't find a way to disable those and it often ended up being a huge turnoff.

    Controls felt very akward; I had a hard time the whole game juggling with running, crouching, aiming and shooting. Fortunately, after a few mission failures, you may decide to skip the action part (given you picked the gameplay option for it). For instance, you have to hold down the right trigger while steering with the left stick, as opposed to most games that prefer to use x as the running button.

    I've enjoyed the storyline. Plots are intertwined together, and there are a few twists. What is unfortunate is that there are events that are left unexplained, and it left me bitter, not in a good way. It might leave one frustrated, especially considering how much certain things left unexplained affect the whole story.

    Overall it was a pleasant experience. The graphics, level of detail and conversations were astonishing, but the controls could've been improved. The interviews were interesting but not intuitive at all, and not very rewarding.    … Expand
  63. JoeKavalier
    May 21, 2011
    8
    All the positive reviews that start with "this game" "this is an fantastic achievement" all seem kinda similar, like they were written by some on-line reputation protection company.

    That said, L.A. Noire is fun though a bit frustrating so far ... I keep replaying the interrogations when I can't figure out what evidence to ask questions about next
  64. Gagnar
    May 23, 2011
    9
    Rockstars history is violent and bloody for sure. Known for creating Red dead redemption, Bully, Manhunt and ofcourse the 'notorious' Grand theft auto series. Rockstars team Bondi does things differently and places you on the opposite side of drug dealers, murderers and the mafia. Story

    You play Cole Phelps, a veteran who fought the japanese in the second world war and started working in    Rockstars history is violent and bloody for sure. Known for creating Red dead redemption, Bully, Manhunt and ofcourse the 'notorious' Grand theft auto series. Rockstars team Bondi does things differently and places you on the opposite side of drug dealers, murderers and the mafia. Story

    You play Cole Phelps, a veteran who fought the japanese in the second world war and started working in the city of Los Angeles for the police as a street cop. Through out the game little will be told about cole's social and personal life. Information about he's experiences in the war are told by cutscenes after certain cases you solve. They provide some info about cole's personality and past but later in the game these cut scenes will occur less often. Not much is givin away about Cole nor he's family or social ties. You will occasionally get some additional information about the protagonist from the conversations with you're partner while driving to a location but this is not enough for me to make me care about him. The entire story aspect however is not bad. As the cases you must solve have plenty of good story telling in them. They keep you interested and there are plenty of plot twists in them to make you keep guessing and investigating. Together with the sublime voice acting and face animations it will keep you hooked till the last second. Gameplay

    L.A. Noire is a sandboy game but with it's restrictions. I found Mafia 2 quite a linear sandbox game with little to do outside story progressing missions. If this made you dissapointed and trade back or not buy mafia 2 then you should not even attempt at trying this game out. There are no real side missions except for the occasional dispatch call. You are givin all the time in the world to visit all the landmarks, collect all movie reels and read all newspapers but it doesn't fit in a serious game like this as you are always investegating a case. There are 5 kinds of gameplay in L.A. Noire: Investigating, shooting, driving, interrogation and chasing. Investegating and interrogation are the primary gameplay aspects in this game. This game is about detective work. To find evidence and exctract evidence from suspects in order to succesfully solve you're case. Shoot outs are rare but a good diversion and chases on foot or car are exciting and make the experience less repetative. Investegating a crime scene or a another location is simple. Walking near an object you can investigate will make you're controller vibrate. Once you have picked up the item you are able to inspect it from different angles, making you search for information about the item you picked up. once you have discoverd all clues the investigation soundtheme will stop playing. Interrogation is not as simple as gathering clues. When interogating a suspect you will pull out you're notebook which is a tool mainly for marking a destination on the map, writing down clues and asking questions. People you interview will react differently to the questions you ask. After you asked someone a question they will either Lie, tell the truth or are in doubt. Judging by how they react to a question you can select one of the three options. It is really awesome, But there are also some little flaws here in there. Judging if someone is lying or is in doubt can be really difficult as the facial animations are alike. And since a question can only be asked once this can be frustrating. To claim that a person is lying you must always have evidence to back up you're claim. This is a risky business as you must always have the right evidence in you're notebook to prove them wrong. sometimes evidence seems most likely to prove that a person is lying. This is not always the right one and sometimes after you claim that you're suspect is lying, the clue you thought that would prove it becomes the wrong clue because sometimes after you stated that the suspect is lying the suspect will raise a question irrelivant to the question you asked. It is still very well executed never the less.

    Shootouts and chases are situations you won't come across often although chases are more common. I noticed one thing almost immediately. You don't have a weapon reel nor can you store weapons anywhere. Everytime you pull you're gun you will always use you're standard pistol. You can pick up weapons from fallen enemy's. Unfortunatly you can't keep them. Chasing someone in a car or on foot is easy but fun. the routes and car crashes are all scripted but they still managed to impress me. Presentation & Sound

    L.A. Noire looks very good and ofcourse the main selling points of this game is it's revolutionary face animations. This game would not have been that special if they did not use this technique. Graphics look smooth, realistic and the mechanics work fine. This game is very special no doubt. This game is the best in what it offers.    … Expand
  65. Gamer44
    May 26, 2011
    4
    La Noire on of the best games of 2011 in my books everything about this game is awesome but I agree the driving and chase aspects is really a let down I love how they got the facial expressions so realistic it is some of the best I have ever seen in a game for me when I finish this game I will not play it again this is one of those games you play once and then it collects dirt andLa Noire on of the best games of 2011 in my books everything about this game is awesome but I agree the driving and chase aspects is really a let down I love how they got the facial expressions so realistic it is some of the best I have ever seen in a game for me when I finish this game I will not play it again this is one of those games you play once and then it collects dirt and eventually you give it to someone else to play or for me I will trade it in. I really loved this game the first 5 days I played it and now I'm getting a little bored the game needed more action and some surprises around every corner and i wish a could have shot people that would have been amazing but overall the game is awesome don't get me wrong but it could have been much better if they took a little more time and used more imagination as well.The game does have a few let down for me and also a few upsides… Expand
  66. Po-boy
    May 29, 2011
    4
    This game already has a very loyal cult following and I suspect it always will, but I can't say I understand why. It's not much of a game, more like an interactive movie. No matter what you do the plot will progress and you can't change how things turn out. Alot of games manage to make this work by telling a good story, but this is not one of them. The story is like something a childThis game already has a very loyal cult following and I suspect it always will, but I can't say I understand why. It's not much of a game, more like an interactive movie. No matter what you do the plot will progress and you can't change how things turn out. Alot of games manage to make this work by telling a good story, but this is not one of them. The story is like something a child would write. The character development is nonsensical. The twists in the plot are so predictable it'll put you to sleep. There is very little gameplay to speak of. There is no skill involved in the interrogations, you just go through the motions. Getting the correct answers is not necessary, it simply provides you more information. If you get wrong answers you'll still solve the case, but it may not make as much sense to you because a witness would have told you something else if you'd called him on a lie. Searching for evidence is monotonous and unchallenging since the game tells you when you've found it all. The monotony is broken up by action scenes which consist of chases and shootouts. This is kind of entertaining at first until you realize how insanely easy it is to win. Auto aim puts you right on target everytime and you have infinite ammo. Driving is mildly amusing but also insanely easy. They made a big deal out of the ability to explore LA, which you can, but you can't do anything except play out the story. I think the positive reviews are coming from alot of kids and people who've just bought the game. If you want to pretend to be a cop in 1940s LA, it'll do that for you, and maybe thats why people like it. But if you're looking for a good game, this probably ain't for you. People who just want to play cops should check out the old police quest games for the pc. They were alot better.… Expand
  67. S-Markt
    May 31, 2011
    3
    this game ist so boring. it is so boring, that even boredom will change it´s own name into L.A.Noire.
    sadly the game has everything it needs to be a triple a supergame, but they build such uninspired **** around the exciting stories, it´s a total shame. running around searching for evidence reminds me on 4 year old children looking for eastereggs. and to    this game ist so boring. it is so boring, that even boredom will change it´s own name into L.A.Noire.
    sadly the game has everything it needs to be a triple a supergame, but they build such uninspired **** around the exciting stories, it´s a total shame. running around searching for evidence reminds me on 4 year old children looking for eastereggs. and to cross-examine the suspects has nothing to do with real policework, but feels like playing "who want´s to be a millionaire.

    the whole game feels like you are shown an over the top piece of cobe-meat, you are hoping for an over the top steak and the chef makes a hamburger out of it. i do not need this!    … Expand
  68. 2hip2beahipster
    May 31, 2011
    8
    Fun game. Visuals are great, I admit the gameplay does get a bit repetitive but sometimes the cases wrap ya in that you do kinda wanna go through the motions again to solve the case. It's a fun experience, groundbreaking? In visuals, I'd say so. In gameplay, not quite, could've been. Storyline, no but it's a fun storyline. It's just a fun game. If you're not a snobby, pretentious gamerFun game. Visuals are great, I admit the gameplay does get a bit repetitive but sometimes the cases wrap ya in that you do kinda wanna go through the motions again to solve the case. It's a fun experience, groundbreaking? In visuals, I'd say so. In gameplay, not quite, could've been. Storyline, no but it's a fun storyline. It's just a fun game. If you're not a snobby, pretentious gamer like half these people are then you're going to love this game.… Expand
  69. andrewsky124
    Jun 3, 2011
    10
    This is a really, really good game. Everything Rockstar has ever done, in my opinion, has been great and this game is no different. The actors are great (Cole Phelps, the main character, is Ken Cosgrove from AMC's Mad Men), the graphics superb, and the gameplay truly unique. While the gameplay is rather linear and repetitive, everything I've done in about 6-7 hours of gameplay has beenThis is a really, really good game. Everything Rockstar has ever done, in my opinion, has been great and this game is no different. The actors are great (Cole Phelps, the main character, is Ken Cosgrove from AMC's Mad Men), the graphics superb, and the gameplay truly unique. While the gameplay is rather linear and repetitive, everything I've done in about 6-7 hours of gameplay has been fun. Like many other reviewers have said, do NOT buy this if you want to go all rogue on LA, 'cause it won't work. GTA-esque gameplay is always fun, but LA Noire's innovativeness is something worth trying out. I would compare the linear gameplay to Assassins Creed; however, like AC, the gameplay got so much better with each new installment. Hopefully LA Noire does the same and continues to make the cases more difficult in the future (if there are sequels to come).… Expand
  70. Replay89
    Jun 3, 2011
    10
    sony360gamer you really need to grow up! How can you review a game with out even playing it? This is clearly not the game for you! Since not every game if for everybody, you should stick to reviewing games you HAVE played or games that fit your style of game play. Maybe something that only requires button mashing, like Street fighter!

    Also it's one thing to have an opinion about    sony360gamer you really need to grow up! How can you review a game with out even playing it? This is clearly not the game for you! Since not every game if for everybody, you should stick to reviewing games you HAVE played or games that fit your style of game play. Maybe something that only requires button mashing, like Street fighter!

    Also it's one thing to have an opinion about something, its another thing to insult everybody out there that is enjoying the game you just hated on! Don't feel sorry for the people who bought LA Noire, feel sorry for yourself, for believing your opinion is the only one out there that counts! Grow up and review a game when you have the intelligence to do so!!    … Expand
  71. mateusapresenta
    Jun 3, 2011
    10
    The review under green don't like videogames anymore, don't like inovations anymore. L.A. Noire is the best game of the year and Rockstar proved that sandbox is a kind of game that you can enjoy FOREVER. This games is innovative, beatiful and the new motion face cap is the most wonderful thing that I've seen in a videogame. I really love the graphics, it almost playable CGs. TheThe review under green don't like videogames anymore, don't like inovations anymore. L.A. Noire is the best game of the year and Rockstar proved that sandbox is a kind of game that you can enjoy FOREVER. This games is innovative, beatiful and the new motion face cap is the most wonderful thing that I've seen in a videogame. I really love the graphics, it almost playable CGs. The investigation gameplay is spetacular like Heavy Rain, but more enterteinmenting.

    GTA, Red Dead Redemption, and now LA Noire. Rockstar will put the Game of The Year again!!

    Im from Brazil and im waiting for E3, that should be open to the public at least 1 day!!!!! Like TGS or Leipzig GC. Every Year i watch E3 by internet on GameSpot, i love the interative cam, and the boths tour, i will be sad with i was a californian and they don't let me pass by the doors of Center Convention, C'mon guys of gamebussiness, we gamers are the core of this industry, and we need just a 1 day open doors at E3.    … Expand
  72. 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
  73. Ggdograa
    Jun 14, 2011
    8
    Not quite as revolutionary as people were expecting and some of the other gameplay elements are very rudimentary, but it's worth picking up just for the interrogation and questioning segments alone. Also, people need to realize the game was developed by Team Bondi NOT Rockstar. People expecting GTAIV in the 1940's are going to be disappointed.
  74. hippiej
    Dec 6, 2011
    8
    Definitely not a game for everyone as I've read many disqualifying it for not being "GTA or RDR in 1940s L.A." or for being like a point and click adventure (as if those were bad) when it totally isn't the case with this game, I think it's unfair to give the game a 1 or a 4 just because it isn't what they wanted it to be instead of judging it for what it is. I very much enjoyed it and evenDefinitely not a game for everyone as I've read many disqualifying it for not being "GTA or RDR in 1940s L.A." or for being like a point and click adventure (as if those were bad) when it totally isn't the case with this game, I think it's unfair to give the game a 1 or a 4 just because it isn't what they wanted it to be instead of judging it for what it is. I very much enjoyed it and even though the gunplay and driving needed some polish, it more than makes up for it with excellent atmosphere and great voice and "facial" acting. Interrogations are great and there are terrible liars (to the point of silly face expressions) and excellent liars that can only be beaten through logic and deduction, the only thing is sometimes I would've preferred to select dialog choices instead of the Truth, Doubt, Lie system. The story is very much a film noire affair, complex and intricate but not many twists or surprises. It's true the cases don't branch or fork the story differently depending on whether you succeed or fail but i think that would be something far too complicated considering these things have to be scripted, recorded (acted would be more accurate considering the face tech) and meshed into a coherent storyline, so... to the haters: Please... curb your expectations into the reality of what's involved in the creation of these experiences, then you can get a better appreciation for the great work that Rockstar and Team Bondi did with this title.… Expand
  75. humanjuggernaut
    Jun 25, 2011
    9
    In my opinion, one of the best games in the last few years for ps3 is a very probable candidate for game of the year. it brings a unique sandbox feel of late 1940's L.A., a state of the art face recognition system, life like investigation techniques, a wide variety of cases, and a noire style movie realism that is very new and unique to the gaming world.Any one rating this game below sevenIn my opinion, one of the best games in the last few years for ps3 is a very probable candidate for game of the year. it brings a unique sandbox feel of late 1940's L.A., a state of the art face recognition system, life like investigation techniques, a wide variety of cases, and a noire style movie realism that is very new and unique to the gaming world.Any one rating this game below seven does not fully understand or appreciate the effort and quality put into this game or the direction it is taking the gaming industry. 9.5/10… Expand
  76. riker
    Jun 28, 2011
    10
    This is a great game and a must buy for the thinker. This is a defining moment in the industry of gaming as this game has broadened the gaming horizon and has made gaming more appealing to all types of people.
  77. 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
  78. 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
  79. 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
  80. 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.
  81. 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.
  82. the_blueprint
    Dec 18, 2013
    1
    Let's start by saying I'm very bad at this. Investigating, seeing clues, seeing the details and appearently I'm very bad at recognising facial expessions to. There must be something wrong with the game on that last one because in real life I'm pretty good at it. I'm not joking or boasting, it's really true. But I've not once guessed the right response, looking at the face and body of theLet's start by saying I'm very bad at this. Investigating, seeing clues, seeing the details and appearently I'm very bad at recognising facial expessions to. There must be something wrong with the game on that last one because in real life I'm pretty good at it. I'm not joking or boasting, it's really true. But I've not once guessed the right response, looking at the face and body of the person being interragated, in this game.
    So that how I found out how linear this game is. However badly I up, I always get further in the story. I always get the bad guy and the story didn't change one bit. I also noticed that I every case is exactly the same: go to crime scène, find clues, interragate people, find clues and guess the outcome.
    I never had anything right, yet the game keeps on going and I keep on moving up in rank. How does that make sense?
    I do comment this game for the animations (motions capture) and graphics which are very good. And also because it's trying to do something new, which is not only a big challenge but a big risk as well seeing as how expensive this game must be.    … Expand
  83. 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
  84. Nippur
    Mar 25, 2012
    1
    The setting of the game is beautifully done. And that's just all I can say if I want to praise this game. The oblem with it is simple. This game is BORING. VERY BORING. Even when the setting is so well done and the premise of a 50s mistery movie is so appealing, this game is actually a morphine shot.
  85. 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
  86. 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.
  87. Gargus
    Mar 8, 2013
    1
    I grew up loving the hardboiled detective film noire types of movies so when I heard about this I was quite excited since it was right up my alley.

    Sadly though the end product is nothing like it could have been. This is basically a snooze fest disguised as a game. Honestly, if it didn't have Rockstar's name on the box it wouldn't be rated highly as it is or sold as well despite the    I grew up loving the hardboiled detective film noire types of movies so when I heard about this I was quite excited since it was right up my alley.

    Sadly though the end product is nothing like it could have been. This is basically a snooze fest disguised as a game. Honestly, if it didn't have Rockstar's name on the box it wouldn't be rated highly as it is or sold as well despite the fact Rockstar did not make this game.

    My main dislikes with the game are.......

    1- You never really detect anything. You walk around till you get a little chime meaning you press the x button and pickup the clue. If the clue needs to be examined further the game will tell you so. Once you have the clues your partner will signal you it's time to go somewhere else. The game basically walks you through detecting everything and finding clues. It tells you when you need to hit what buttons and where.

    2- You can't mess up interrogations. This was lauded as a big feature for the game. If you blow the interrogation then you just do it again. Even if you guess wrong when your judging a person's true intentions you can still win the game without ever getting one right. You can go right through the game by guessing everything wrong when its decision time while interviewing someone. The game basically won't let you make mistakes that stop the game play and there are no consequences for anything during interrogations. There is no need to study a person's facial reactions or what they say because it doesn't matter. Guess right? No advantage. Guess wrong? No punishment.

    3- The facial animations while good are just a gimmick. Another big selling point for the game is just a gimmick. Again looking at people's faces during interrogation to guess if they are lying or not doesn't matter since you don't have to be right. The facial animations are nice but it doesn't matter aesthetically because their bodies still move like stiff puppets. And they still aren't lifelike because they are over exaggerated to be noticeable. I personally wish they hadn't wasted all the money on filming actors in a fancy studio with all this high tech equipment and instead used the money to hire better writers for the game and work on making it more fun instead of just being a gateway for their facial animation tech. Honestly the animations felt more like a tech demo they were hoping to get other developers to license the tech for their games.

    4- The game is incredibly linear. Yes a couple times you can chose to shake down a bartender instead of checking up on a drug addict but you never really get to chose anything. The game firmly holds your hand from the start to the finish and never let's go. I felt more like a errand boy out driving from point A to point B and then from C to D.

    5- The storyline while not bad isn't that great. The main storyline starting out builds and builds and builds then suddenly it just stops and comes to a half with a very paper thin plot excuse and then suddenly you thrust off in another direction with no looking back. They just go to all this trouble of building up to something and then suddenly pull the rug out and leave you unsatisfied. The ending is very, very unsatisfying as well.

    6- Team bondi has been saying the game isn't finished and that's easily noticeable just playing through it. They left the game kind of shallow in order to sell more DLC to gamers and that's obvious since they have been releasing DLC since its release and have recently announced more. It's just a shame they would release a 60 dollar game partially gutted so they can sell DLC and turn it into a 100 dollar game.

    7- 60% of the game is still just grand theft auto. Just like in grand theft auto you have to drive a car for hours and hours and hours while you playing doing absolutely nothing but going up and down the same boring streets as a time sink. You can take any car you want like in GTA, you'll waste hours of time driving just like GTA, when you run it's just like in GTA, when you shoot or fight it's just like GTA, in fact everything that isn't investigating or interrogating is just like GTA.

    In the end this game is wasted potential. I really wish I had waited till it eventually drops to 5 bucks or less because that's all it's worth. I had a lot of fun for about 6 hours and after that I find myself playing it just to finish it since I paid for it. I was really disappointed in this game.    … Expand
  88. 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
  89. westpoint
    Dec 13, 2013
    1
    I can really not understand, how so much ppl (573!) rate that positive. Actually, after i bought a game, i play it through. There only a couple of games, i start playing and can not finish for some different reasons and L.A. Noire is one of them.

    It's not because of the graphics, nor the sound. It's because it's so damn BORING. Every case is the same. Find clues, ask the suspect or the    I can really not understand, how so much ppl (573!) rate that positive. Actually, after i bought a game, i play it through. There only a couple of games, i start playing and can not finish for some different reasons and L.A. Noire is one of them.

    It's not because of the graphics, nor the sound. It's because it's so damn BORING. Every case is the same. Find clues, ask the suspect or the eye wittness, after that the case is solved or you have to chase him per foot or car, have a brawl or shootout, and that in every of the story-line cases.

    There are so much cars on the street, that it's no fun to drive by yourself. Just let your partner drive and you get ported automatically to the next location.    … Expand
  90. Deusex
    Jun 14, 2014
    3
    A investigation game by Rockstar and team Bondi.
    Pros:
    - Great facial animations, top class
    - Nice graphics, items that are used are detailed very well.
    - lengthy

    cons:
    - Boring, no real story
    - bad draw distance
    - bad driving
    - Not an open world game, no proper side missions, or safehouse. no freedom.
    - Too much hand holding
  91. mp0913
    Apr 24, 2021
    0
    ALLAH BELANI VERSİN NEPO ALLAH BELANI VERSİN NEPO ALLAH BELANI VERSİN NEPO ALLAH BELANI VERSİN NEPO ALLAH BELANI VERSİN NEPO ALLAH BELANI VERSİN NEPO ALLAH BELANI VERSİN NEPO ALLAH BELANI VERSİN NEPO
  92. forest_hunter
    Dec 6, 2019
    0
    Such an Awful game, developed by Rockstar, this says it all, horrible design choices, horrible programming, no localization for important languages like German, and the game looks like it was made for ps2.
  93. MaxieZeus
    Sep 2, 2022
    9
    Definitely a unique game but not for everyone. Recommended for people who like detective stories and dialogue.
  94. JDConspirator
    Oct 15, 2011
    9
    Without lowering critique to hyperbolic crap, LA Noire is a fantastic game- at the very least from a presentation standpoint. The game is aimed specifically at those who have a love for the film noir genre, and as such this is an undisputed triumph that the game replicates. The reason this game isn't a 10 is due to the sheer amount of will to ace everything on the first sitting. Case inWithout lowering critique to hyperbolic crap, LA Noire is a fantastic game- at the very least from a presentation standpoint. The game is aimed specifically at those who have a love for the film noir genre, and as such this is an undisputed triumph that the game replicates. The reason this game isn't a 10 is due to the sheer amount of will to ace everything on the first sitting. Case in point interrogations. If you get interrogations wrong by reading a suspect's facial expressions and body language wrongly, most could so easily return to the main menu and try again. Also the structure does not cater for a completely different experience, you either get all the evidence and the complete picture or get few of the clues and have few correct questions and not get much of the picture at all. Though this should damage the game a lot more, it's the variety and pacing of the missions which almost redeem it entirely. So yes if you love the film noir genre and have an appreciation for R* games and the more linear yet more focused approach, LA Noire is essential.… Expand
  95. Andy92
    Jun 8, 2011
    8
    I found LA noire to be a very good game firstly the gameplay was well designed and there was little variety in characters as well as alot of backstory on the main charater. the plot is dramatic and keeps players attached not as much free roam as i thought there would be but that isnt a fault
  96. zuhaibuddin
    Apr 4, 2013
    1
    A highly overrated game in my opinion.....I don' think it even needed to be in an open world....It is highly linear, highly repeitive and has almost no replay value........the only plus point to the game are the wonderful facial animations of the characers......As for the free roam aspect it has been completely wasted as there is little you can do in the city.....
  97. 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
  98. digiart247
    Sep 26, 2011
    10
    The story is engaging and tells a tale much like the old films it's based off of. The graphics are some of the best out there with the facial animation tech making the characters so much more engaging compared to other games. This is not grand theft auto but just because it isn't the same as GTA or Red Dead doesn't mean it's a bad game because it's linear. This is much more of anThe story is engaging and tells a tale much like the old films it's based off of. The graphics are some of the best out there with the facial animation tech making the characters so much more engaging compared to other games. This is not grand theft auto but just because it isn't the same as GTA or Red Dead doesn't mean it's a bad game because it's linear. This is much more of an interactive movie and an incredible experience. I do not know what amazingly fantastic stories people are comparing this game to when they say the story is crap. The story is really good in my opinion. The game play fits into the style of game it is. it's not an all out action game and so the mechanics of how to play and what you can and can not do fit. This game may not have the highest replay value but it certainly has some. No one can get through this game getting all the cases right with five stars the first time (without wiki of course). It is a bit frustrating getting a bad outcome on an interrogation or low score on a case but that's what also makes if fun. You get to go back knowing more and catch the real scumbag or don't take the bs that some dame fed you the play through before. I myself am a fan of vintage era cars and style and this game was fun to play through for that reason alone. Maybe it's not everyones thing but i'm giving it a ten because of all the people "counter acting" high scores. People rate it high for a reason. It's unique and definitely off pace from the mainstream fps flooding the market these days. Another reason I enjoyed it so much. This game was a risk to make so why not take the risk and try it at least. rent if you feel you can't afford to buy or want to test it first. or look online for a used copy, if you can't risk $20-30 on a used game no matter the quality you need a cheaper hobby. I recommend sticks and rocks, they are fun.… Expand
  99. theshonen8899
    Jun 14, 2011
    9
    There are a lot of criticism about the lack of detective work done in what seems to be a detective game for L.A. Noire. While these are very sound and reasonable arguments, it does not detract from the fact that L.A. Noire is a solid and hugely engaging game. The reason for this is most definitely the well written narrative, life-like voice/facial acting, and strong gameplay mechanicsThere are a lot of criticism about the lack of detective work done in what seems to be a detective game for L.A. Noire. While these are very sound and reasonable arguments, it does not detract from the fact that L.A. Noire is a solid and hugely engaging game. The reason for this is most definitely the well written narrative, life-like voice/facial acting, and strong gameplay mechanics (though scarcely used). The game is very similar to Heavy Rain and likewise is very linear. Much of the game is investigations and dialogue. The small amount of gameplay you do get to have like driving and shooting are as you would expect from GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption, which are impeccable. It feels like a shame you don't get to utilize these mechanics more often. If you want a more cinematic, movie-like game however, expect L.A. Noire to deliver, and deliver well.… Expand
  100. 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
Page:

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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »