Why I hate L.A. Noire's protagonist: Cole Phelps

Read on to find out why Cole Phelps is the biggest dick in gaming and why that might not be so bad.

[fluffydelusions]

Game was fun for a couple of hours and then you realize it's the same procedure over and over and over again.

[THR1LLHOUSE]

I can see that, but the final mission at the Homocide desk is one my favorite video game "levels" in a long time. It was like playing a detective show!

[NukaCola]

This game took a daring new approach and it payed off. It wasn't perfect, but it was definitely worth the price of admission. I even forked out for the $10 R* PASS and really dug it. The Reefer Madness case was kind of weak, but the one about the explosion was really awesome. The City wasn't lifeless, but it should of had more interaction like RDR did. Maybe in the sequel, hopefully. I like that they added badges other things to get you searching. I thought it was pretty unique in concept. I really would love to see a miniature version for the Vita. Love to use those features to solve crimes, take AR photos, touch screen searching, etc.

On LA NOIRE's Story. I thought the final cut scene didn't support the great ending. I really would of preferred something involving Cole's family. They never really were there. They could of had a bigger role. Also, for kicks, it would of been kind of cool to have a flashback to the war scene (if done right) just to play through for a change of scenery.

[CarlitoBrigante]

It was a repetitive game, not to mention the lame story with the most horrible ending.

[Dovahkiin]

I just don't see why there was nothing to do outside the main missions, the world was lifeless.

True Crime style open world would have made this game amazing.

But i guess that would have meant more work for the moaning devs.

[OhMyGandhi]

Totally agree. the world seemed to be paused, and there was little incentive to wander.

I wish it could have followed Mafia 2's example...

[YodaCracker]

There certainly was more to do outside the main cases; forty unique street crimes, fifty golden reels to find, a couple dozen hidden cars, etc.

[fragnificent]

if you wanna be a detective then play Batman :)

[Canary]

...That's because it's a procedural drama. Surely you've heard the term before?

And the only good reason for disliking Cole is the same reason everyone has: he's an unlikeable twit. That, and the hamfisted railroading--but that's not really Cole's fault, is it.

[SilentNegotiator]

Evidence collection was almost automatic, interviews were too forgiving, the shooting and driving sequences were sub par, the realistic faces on the paper doll bodies was creepy as can be, it was overall very repetitive....

The fans of this game are the same sort of people that liked Enslaved, to be sure. Lots of pseudo-flash and story, very little gameplay tact.

[aquamala]

This is not a detective game, people that think that will be disappointed , you can miss half the clues and half th dialogues wrong and the cases still get solved. There are cases I had no idea what happened at the end but I still get 4 stars. Too many cases just end in a chase or shoot out, you don't even need to figure out what happened

[crazytown99]

Kelso wasn't much better, but I liked him more.

[Christopher]

I think they did that on purpose in case there was a sequel. Cole? I always felt he was doomed from the get-go.

[crazytown99]

I agree so much that I clicked where it says "Agree."

[THR1LLHOUSE]

I really liked LA Noire, but it's kinda tough to argue with any criticisms people have about it...Either way, I like Cole. He was just a guy who got in over his head a bit.

[Nozzle]

I liked Phelps, I just hated <Spoilers>...his crappy death scene, it felt so tacked on and there was no emotion building up to it, one second he's there and the next he's not.

I think adding Kelso as a playable character towards the end of the game ruined the death scene because it didn't give Phelps a good heroic emotional build up to his death. Oh and Roy Earle delivering Phelps's eulogy...WTF

[Canvas Of Flesh]

That's why it fit so perfectly in the Noir genre. The main characters aren't always likable and they are sometimes denied a subtle, "heroes" death. The good guys don't always win, and the bad guys, more often then not, are left unpunished.

I will agree that playing as Kelso was a bit of a misstep.

I felt it was still a thoroughly enjoyable game.

[CharlesDCI]

Thank you Canvas lol. The Noir genre is filled with imperfect characters and bad endings. Max Payne is an example of a modern Noir character.

[BattleTorn]

aaaahh. my eyes! I looked! I shouldn't of looked!

[RioKing]

Quick! Get reallly wasted and forget it ever happened ;)

[NagaSotuva]

You don't reach make it to "Detective" by being a sweetheart.

[jeeves86]

If you've ever seen the movie Serpico, you know what happens to people who are walking, talking rulebooks, looking to stamp out corruption.

[Tuxedo_Mask]

Great movie, and I'd argue it's Pacino's best.

OT: Phelps is a complex character. Like him or not, his faults are what make him more "human", even more so than the facial animations.

[simonrope]

i hated all the stupid over the top facial expressions that irl you wouldnt do at all. it was just over the top trying to show off the engine and that made me hate it.

[Proeliator]

My opinion on LA Noire.

*mission about popcorn morphine ring*
YO MAN YOU CAN'T PROVE SHIT
*select popcorn bottle with morphine taped to bottom*
*failure music*
YO MAN WHATS THIS A SHAKEDOWN

T_T

My opinion on Cole Phelps:

"I'm sorry, I love my mommy so much and it's hard to think with her gone."
Cole: "It's okay honey, just tell me what you know."
*states something*
"YOU BETTER NOT BE LYING TO ME YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

*facepalm*

Great game, but it did baffle me.

[SwampCroc]

L.A Noire was a quality attempt at something a little different.

even though it doesn't venture to far from the GTA model...

the only thing I wish was when you run around you should be able to use the guns..

it also shows that massive technology and face-capturing have come a long way... they need to just work on compressing the file sizes so they can include other tasks for the player to perform rather than the typical go from point A to point B.

[wenaldy]

The murder case is my fave, the conclusion about the real suspect is surprising!!!

[DarthBigE]

I agree with the author
that whole thing about sleeping with that chick was weird. I was like wtf is he doing?! Why? She's not even hot!...after that i just pushed through the game to finish it. But not one of my favorite games at all.

[AdrianHD]

You hear it towards the end. He wasn't happy. After he did that and after he got heat from everyone, he felt better again. He was fresh and new. No ties.

[BX81]

I thought the game was excellent. It was a refreshing step away from the games out at the time.

[Lord_Sloth]

This title should have stopped just before the ' entered the picture.

[jon1234]

i like phelps after this :)

[Ocean]

Up there with Heavy Rain in terms of enjoyment...one of my favs this gen

LA Noire could have done with some side missions, a few things to do in game world but on the whole i really enjoyed it

[YodaCracker]

What L.A. Noire were you playing that didn't have forty "street crime" side missions?

[SnowBlu]

ahem spoilers

[Dfooster]

When you play a valve title you can feel the love and care that has gone into making it. La noire felt cold to me even before the news broke about the harsh treatment of staff at team bondi. It felt disjointed during the play through and I wasn't too bothered when the credits rolled and I traded it in.

I would be interested if rockstar were to have a stab at it but the whole thing needs looiking at from the ground up. The interrogations were seriously flawed, the facial expressions and false leads baffled rather than provided you with the tools to be a detective, whilst the game solved the crimes itself regardless of my actions. (Broken sword this was not)

Would love a blade runner sci-fi type la noire experience made by rockstar, I can but dream. Sort it rockstar, you would rule the world if you did science fiction.

[FunkMacNasty]

I Loved the way that Phelps was a totally flawed character. He was on the "right" side of the law, but his moral compass was totally flawed and his personal life suffered because of it. We had reasons to like Phelps, such as his heroism and his unwaivering quest for justice for the victims, but at the same time, we just can't stand him becuaswe of his self-righeous attitude, his inability to take a joke, and of course his inability to be faithful to his wife and family. He was a typicaly Rockstar character of this gen, with a character development very similar to John Marston or Niko Bellic.

LA Noire was def one of my favorite games of 2011

[Ch1d0r1]

No one cares why you hate him. Its just a video game.

[thesummerofgeorge]

"What's your beef with this guy, Phelps?"

[acemonkey]

this game gets overhyped and still is overrated...this and heavy rain