Critical Gamer: L.A. Noire: review

Critical Gamer writes: With the backing of Rockstar, Australian developer Team Bondi set out to make a different kind of game. Drawing from stylistic detective and gangster movies of yesteryear and boasting revolutionary facial animation, does L.A. Noire earn a commendation or does it deserve to sleep with the fishes?

Set in 1940s Los Angeles, L.A. Noire places you in the role of Cole Phelps, a decorated war hero making his way up through the ranks of the LAPD. Players achieve this by getting involved in crime scenes, looking for clues, piecing together puzzles, tailing people, interviewing witnesses and interrogating suspects.

It would be a mistake to approach L.A. Noire expecting an experience similar to anything else backed or produced by Rockstar. Though it may look and play like a GTA game (with its open world setting, gunplay, tedious collectable hunting and minimal optional extras), Noire is very different.

[xPhearR3dx]

"no option to reload a checkpoint if you want to try again at correctly spotting all lies. The game expects you to restart the whole case if you want to do this and of course even if you get through the interview you messed up there might be more within the same case you weren’t sure about"

You criticize a game because it wont let you retry right before an interview so you can get all the questions correct? Wow. Ever heard of a challenge? Kids these days I swear.

[Xof]

Seriously.

This one reason it's so hard for developers to even attempt branching storylines, or even multiple endings--there are too many idiotic gamers out there who can only accept the PERFECT outcome, and see everything else as "losing."

[artynerd]

Actually, I totally agree with this review.

"There are too many idiotic gamers out there who can only accept the PERFECT outcome, and see everything else as "losing"."

Then why say 2/4 answers correct? THAT is the problem, the game tells you exactly where you screw up. It's pretty much a rails game that wants you to follow a VERY TIGHT path.

L.A. Noire is the biggest letdown this year by far. Why the heck did they put it in an open world?? THERE'S NOTHING TO DO. It's like R* gave them the GTA4 engine and they had some Chinese group provide 1940's themed assets and textures to toss in.

I'm on the 3rd disc and I can't tell you how tired and bored I am of this game. "go here, keep walking around until your controller vibrates, press a, chase some guy, interview some people and make guesses based on inconsistent rules, watch another boring cut scene, watch Cole Phelps do things WAY out of his established character, etc. etc. etc."

I might sell this piece of Rockstar hyper-boil before I finish it. This is the last time I get suckered in by their $XXmillion ad campaigns.

[Commander_TK]

Wtf? I just quit and resume if I get any answer wrong. It's just that easy.

[Christopher]

***Then why say 2/4 answers correct? THAT is the problem, the game tells you exactly where you screw up. It's pretty much a rails game that wants you to follow a VERY TIGHT path.***

Disagree with this. Much like any level in Super Mario Bros., there is the best path to take but it's not the only one that can lead to success. The "correct" questions listed only serve to say that there is a better solution, but it never says it's the only solution.

It's not forcing you to go back and replay any case if you only get some of the interrogation items correct, it's just saying if you want the best outcome, this is where you messed up.

[HolyOrangeCows]

@xPhearR3dx and Xof
Those are some rather ironic criticisms of yours.

"You criticize a game because it wont let you retry right before an interview so you can get all the questions correct? Wow. Ever heard of a challenge?"
"there are too many idiotic gamers out there who can only accept the PERFECT outcome, and see everything else as "losing.""

You can screw up on a bunch of questions, presenting the wrong evidence, and more....some would usually call that "losing"
And I've heard of a challenge; LA Noire not being one of them.

Collection is tedious, optional material is minimal, the facial technology is interesting but the animations are imperfect, it detects lies for you (way to take away from the challenge), the murders can be obvious and you still have to carry on with others, takes the wheel too much......

This is a great review. You don't have to feel the same way, but the reviewer makes great points. It's a detective game that doesn't actually let you do much detective work without the game shoving the answers into your face.

[NegativeCreepWA]

For every ones info here. The game saves every time you pull up somewhere so if you quit instead of restart you can resume the game part way through a case.

Oh yeah, this is crap review the game deserves better.

[strange1986]

Yeah, this is pretty lame, although if you get a question wrong you can just quit the game completely and the auto-save should take you back shortly before the interrogation. But yeah, pretty nitpicky stuff in there.

[xPhearR3dx]

I know right, but the thing is why in the hell would you want to ruin your first playthrough by doing that? On a 2nd playthrough I could see people doing it, but when reviewing a game if you try to cheat and fail, then blame the game you shouldn't be reviewing video games.

The fact the same reviewer gave Dragon Ball Z two points higher than L.A Noire is just laughable. Those games haven't been good in a long time.

[strange1986]

@xPhear

I agree with you, I was just pointing out the ability to do so.

[jrbeerman11]

I am tempted to click article to see why this review is so negative. But i would hate to reward a troll article with a hit.

[otherZinc]

I agree with this score:

This is a game that the primary function is to determine a sequence off facial animations...whatever. The game is garbage.

5/10

[PirateThom]

I don't even use the facial cues, I use the evidence and what they say.

[kingdavid]

This review is trollin'

9/10 for me. As long as you dont play it hours in a row its great.

I do a couple of cases, then come back the next day. Keeps things fresh,

[OcelotRigz]

Same here. I love the game, really do, but can never seem to to play for more that a few hours a day.
I think it could be because i dont like quiting in the middle of a case because when i come back i might forget a few details.

On topic, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but its obvious from reading this review that the reviewer is easily irritated, has no patience and probably the sort of guy who abuses glitches in the cod games or/and he is just doing this for hits.
Maybe, maybe not, regardless i think his review is ridiculous.

[iistuii]

With you, but to have to leave it and go back to keep it fresh seems to be the very point, and that is it gets very repetitive very quickly. Some great games I can't put the controller down, this isn't one of them. Go to crime scene, check body inc pockets, search area and then go chatting to a few people, then repeat this every mission. It's good but not great, it's not a 4 it's more a 7 in my opinion.

[artynerd]

Your opinion is that this review is "trollin'" and I say anyone who thinks this game is 8/10 or higher is a graphic whore.

Seriously, remove the facial capture tech and you're left with a very shallow game that doesn't even follow its own rules.

Most honest review of L.A. Noire I've read.

[kingdavid]

Graphic whore? Honestly I think the game looks pretty much crap tbh apart from the faces.

I love slow story type oriented games and I find it original. Its just preference.

[FunAndGun]

I don't see how you can give a game a 9 and NOT play it for hours on end?

Do you play 7/10 games for hours in a row?

If you NEED to play this game like that in can't be THAT good.

I don't get it...This game is awesome!, but only in small doses. To me that just makes it sound repetitive and boring as to why you need breaks from it often.

[MrDead]

My god this sites going down the toilet we need hits and fast!...
Lackie, whats the biggest game out right now?
L.A. Noire sir.
Ok rip this game apart, any small issues blow them out of proportion and make some stuff up if you need. We need to make this game seem like more of a chore then a stand out title.

..... if this doesn't work start an article on how the PSN being down has brought on armageddon.

[RedSky]

Equating the biggest game out there with quality is exactly what's wrong with most reviewers these days and the hype culture around games.

Critics gives games like GTA4 critical fellatios, yet take a look at what users actually think of them:

http://www.metacritic.com/g...
http://www.metacritic.com/g...
http://www.metacritic.com/g...

And yes:

http://www.metacritic.com/g...

For the record I'm honestly quite enjoying LA Noire but dear god is it repetitive in some ways.

[MrDead]

this game is not a 4, that would make this game on par with Thor.

I loved GTA4, too many people where comparing it to San Andreas they should have compared it to GTA3. The core gameplay was more important then the lite RPG elements and side missions. Get the guts right and add what you like to later games as they did to Vice City and San Andreas

As for Black Ops and Rock band, yes the critics reviews are way too high

[Corrwin]

Nice to see a review talking about the bad side of a game, though 4 seems harsh.

[F4sterTh4nFTL]

A 5/10 is a fair score.

[AnonUser5555]

LOL. That score is "way too low" ....so you give it a whole extra point to make it 5/10. wth haha

[Kran]

4/10 is way too low. No way is this game a 4/10. I wouldnt give the game a 10/10, but definitly not a 4/10. 4/10 is naughty bear.

[clarkjudo]

I did not bother reading this review (if you want to call it that). Maybe his personal life is messing up his emotions and logic. The score reveals that someone else may need a review done by their Shrink.

[BeaArthur]

I'm not enjoying it quite as much as I thought I would but I don't see how you could actually give it less than a 7/10. Personally (on my last Vice case) the games an 8/10 for me.

[iistuii]

I'm the same, I thought I'd enjoy it more than I do. It's an ok game and I seem to be playing it now just to get to the end. I don't think I'll go through it again.

[darx]

Sound like an average game then. 5 is average right?

[lochdoun]

LOL!
Go back to playing Black Ops and Mortal Kombat, this game isn't for you.

[F4sterTh4nFTL]

Go back in your mothers womb you don't deserve to be born. I agree with Black Ops though that game sucks as much as you.

[emekcrash]

Don't even have the game, nor I'm interested in it, but this review is a joke. It's obviously a great game.

[RAmar101]

clear TROLL review

[SimpleSlave]

"The first problem is that accusing somebody of lying is only successful if you have proof to back it up (realistic at least); but there are times when you have multiple pieces of evidence which, while all circumstantial when separate, prove absolute guilt when combined. The game does not allow you to do this and forces you to guess which it wants you to pick. There is no game over for going down the wrong route in a conversation and things will play out differently based on what happens, but it is incredibly frustrating when you are not at fault.

There are also ridiculous accusations of murder thrown about by Cole if you spot a provable lie of minor importance. The game cannot tell the difference between you believing someone to be a liar and believing that they are a murderer. It feels as if Team Bondi has assumed that the player is unintelligent, to be blunt.

The worst crime occurs during the homicide cases when a string of murders happen under the same circumstances. It is infuriatingly obvious even within the first case that a serial killer is getting away with murder and that you are going after the wrong people, yet the game arrogantly thinks it has fooled you – culminating in one of the most boring climaxes to a plot we have ever seen. It even goes one step further by lying to the player. Cutscenes at the start of the homicide cases show the murder happening and go so far as to use character models of suspects within the case carrying out the kill, even though it later retroactively changes the continuity of this to nobody’s surprise. "
----------------------------- -----------------------------
THIS pretty much sums it up for me. This could've been prevented by spending less time in recreating LA city and more time tooling away at the game mechanics. Look this game is not a 4 but it is not a 9, it's an excellent case for a 7/10. The game it's not broken but it fumbles too much with the game mechanics.

Just like the reviewer said, I have a bunch of evidence but I can't pin the person with the crime because the games decided I was doing the case out of order...really? Secondly; the choosing of 3 options (Truth,Doubt,Lie) feels archaic and outdated right of the bat. There is no room to play around with evidence, no room to trip the person up, no mechanic to actually build a case, even though I am an investigator. It would've made more sense to have actual questions that i can choose and play around with, instead of the three options, it doesn't fit with the revolutionary expression tech.

Apart from that, the open world is as boring as the actual city =) and there is nothing to do, at all; Badges and Golden Films do not make for a fun city to explore. The game should have been more in the line with a game like Deus Ex, with lots of room for exploration, optional fact and side finding, and an actual conversation tree, all set in smaller scenarios.

This is a good start but an average game. The ideas went the complete wrong way, same thing happened to Mirror's Edge. Hopefully, in both cases, the sequel will fix it.

Cheers

[Kakihara]

I have to admit the interrogation system in this game does piss me off. I really think they should have had some kind of Mass effect style conversation system rather than this baseball-like 'three strikes and you're out' minigame. You should be able to lead a suspect into certain areas of conversation and use mind games to trip them up, that would be real interrogation. As it stands with having to believe, disbelieve or doubt them after every sentence it just feels like a random minigame. Often the suspect says something that doesn't even sound like there's anything in it to believe or disbelieve but you have to choose.

Even with that and with the fact that I'm playing as a guy who lives to screw up fingerprint evidence, I'd still give the game a solid 9, 8.5 at the least. Probably because I'm a big noir guy but also because when this game works, it's incredible. It's a heavily flawed but brilliant game.

[Cosmo811]

Well that was a shit review.

[n to the b]

I see a lot of n4gers claiming 'bias' and/or 'idiocy' without bothering to actually argue the points made by the article. why don't u try typing something useful instead?? tell us exactly why this review is wrong...

[Optical_Matrix]

I don't even know what to say because this is easily the best new release this year and one of the best new IP's I've played this generation. Has some problems, like it IS repetitive but the narrative is so good and the investigation process so addictive that I can excuse it. Easy 9/10 for me. Each to their own though. This review isn't going to stop me enjoying the best game I've played so far this year.

[Pintheshadows]

There is someones opinion and there is complete bullshit. This review falls into the latter. If it was say given 6 with valid criticism that is fine. But this is probably the worst review I have ever read.

[yog-sothot]

I think it's great when your actions have an impact on the game, so I have no problem with the absence of a quickload option

[RugbyGod]

4/10 flamebait review. Sorry wankers, not falling for it. No click for you.