Started playing this a few days ago and I'm bombing through it. Mainly because it's so damn easy and there's no chance for actual failure in the game.
First of all, it looks amazing. The producers have really done well in capturing the look and feel of a 1940's Chandleresque Los Angeles. However, the game lacks any real immersion, as do all of Rockstar's GTA type games to be honest. Mainly because it's played in the 3rd person and there's only a limited number of buildings one can go into and limited places one can really explore. The GTA games haven't ever really been "sandbox" of course, but 'L.A. Noire' especially feels more linear than say 'Red Dead Redemption', or 'GTA IV'. 'Oblivion' or 'Fallout 3', with their 1st person viewing option is a million times more immersive and can be less gamey. In those games you can also go anywhere too, within the actual limits of the map edges of course. There's no reason why Rockstar couldn't offer a 1st person view in the GTA-type games either. It would certain help when the player is looking for objects/clues in the game, that for sure.
While I'm enjoying 'L.A. Noire', I am wondering a little TOO much about where the actual game is. For instance, there is little real threat to your character and the cases all seem to get solved, no matter what. To me 'L.A Noire' isn't so much a game, it's more of a simple and mechanical trip through a story. It's something that all of these GTA-type discs suffer from. So much time and effort is spent creating a rich environment and atmosphere, that the actual game leaves a lot to be desired.
There hasn't once been a instance where I've felt that a case would have to be abandoned, or that I'd made the wrong arrest or whatever. There are no real consequences for my actions or accusations and there is never a real chance of failure in a given case. All this means that there is no actual GAME going on behind the beautiful facade. A much, much better approach would have been to let the player figure out the cases themselves and win or lose a case based on their actual deductions. But, in 'L.A. Noire', nearly everything is spoonfed to the player, leaving one feeling that they are simply going through the motions. I can't help feeling that if this game had been developed for the PC a decade or so ago, then that would have been the way that the game would have operated. But, in the era of dumbed down console quick fixes, this is the type of "game" that seems to be selling at the moment.
The lack of "game" was OK in the likes of GTA, because those type of car chase/gangster scenarios are so ridiculous that the fun comes from the absurdity of the situations. But, in L.A. Noire, the player isn't a ridiculous "gangsta" type, he's a straight up member of the LAPD, very much in the mould of those presented in tons of noirish films. Also, the chances to let rip GTA style are largely absent, because of the position the main character occupies. Flying down the street in your 40's style automobile running over pedestrians just isn't as fun as it is in the likes of 'Vice City' or 'San Andreas' and in the end doing so doesn't really account for much anyway.
The meat of the game is a bit undercooked too (if you pardon the pun) because collecting clues and building the case is a very monotonous and straight forward task. Again, failure is never really on the horizon, because if the player simply investigates all the investigatable items, he really can't miss. Interrogations too are fairly simplistic once the player gets the hang of the very easy "Rock / Paper / Scissors" approach that the devs have presented. You can't really fuck it up to a point where a perp walks and you lose the case. You simply get a lower rating on the automatically completed case.
On the other hand the much touted facial work is brilliant. Team Bondi have really stepped out into a new area with their work here. The faces on the black characters are especially excellent IMHO. Full of character and terribly realistic at times. The jargon and the racial over - under tones also really help set the period. The guy that Phelps is partnered with in his time at Vice is especially unpleasant at times. Although, why 'Vice' is considered a "promotion" above 'Homicide' is beyond me. Also, the central investigation while working the 'Homicide' desk is played out quite well and doesn't pull any punches regarding bodies or violent death. There's a genuine thrill when you stand over your first "vic" and investigate the scene.
I'm not so sure where the army backstory is going and I'm not THAT interested either . It possibly could have been dropped in favor of better game mechanics, or a better actual game full stop.
On the whole though, I'm enjoying 'L.A. Noire', but my patience with Rockstars GTA-type games is really wearing thin at this stage, I have to be honest.
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Originally Posted by Yojimbo
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