His Review with Ian

Presenting an exquisitely polished and authentically styled detective picture of late 1940’s Hollywoodland, courtesy of Team Bondi and Rockstar, when men were men, ladies were really ladies and cops were as bent as can be.

LA Noire feels less like a game and more like a series of cut scenes from a slick Sunday afternoon police drama series (not Columbo, not even CSI, more like Adam-12) that almost convinces you into thinking it’s a brilliant move in video gaming history (some of the technology and innovation is box office gold), but actually ends up falling short with its narrow linearity, repetitive sequencing and a lifeless leading man, introducing Cole “I smell like a rookie” Phelps.

It can be summarised by the following:
crime – evidence – interview – chase – repeat.

To compare the game and it’s characters to a prostitute is a trifle harsh, but... it looks incredible and has a certain amount of authenticity and charm in its actions; however you ultimately have no sense of emotional connection and are left feeling a little hollow after the experience.

You don’t even have to navigate between crime scenes or locations as you can let your partner (interchangeable depending on which desk you’re detecting) drive or auto skip between locations and this is a strange choice for a game that is inherently based on “looking” rather than “doing”. The driving mechanics are simple to command and the street crime gun toting sequences are pale imitations of any character who has ever held a weapon in any video game before. Even the side quests deviating from the main cases (landmark collecting, film reel hunting, car unlocking and street crime solving) barely register on my interest scale because they too are repetitive, predictable and narrow experiences.

LA Noire is so focussed and tight that you don’t have the freedom to explore the richly detailed environment (which is strangely static in its interaction with Cole) unless you enter free play mode whilst the NPCs acknowledge little and the buildings are paralysed by their beauty and inaction. Why can’t we go inside some of those stylish 1940s shops? They look so inviting with their beautiful frontage, but we’re unable to enter and have to imagine what is within.

Back to Mr Phelps, who makes ice cubes look warm. As you progress through the cases there isn’t a single emotional inroad into the man that is Cole Phelps. You won’t like him, you won’t empathise, you won’t get angry, and you won’t even care what he had for breakfast. If only 0.1% of the depth of the lusciously rendered scenery had been transferred to Cole, then you might have got someone you actually want to engage with and this is one of the many reasons, which make this entire experience unenjoyable for me.

The soundtrack and audio presentation is as good as Rockstar’s own. A delightful Jazz score by Andrew Hale (Sade band member) is complemented by a series of choice cuts on the radio from the likes of Louis Jordan and Billie Holiday plus there’s also a remix EP featuring the work of Dave Sitek and DJ Premier who’ve reimagined classics from Ella Fitzgerald and Lionel Hampton. The voice over and acting work by over 400 actors, full of inflexions and dynamic range, was spot on (boy did I hear “I can’t take that shot from here Cole!” when Tracey was driving around like she was playing Burn Out) and was a pleasure to listen to throughout.

The linearity is unforgiveable, the repetition and predictability of the cases is lazy and Cole Phelps is my new Public Enemy No.1 but there’s no denying that LA Noire is a pioneer and sometimes pioneers aren’t popular because they’re doing things people haven’t done before. The act of blazing new ground through the use of Motion Scan technology (only used on the face and hands – I thought his hands looked brilliant if slightly eerie) will be remembered long after LA Noire is forgotten. Like it or not history has been made and LA Noire has set a new benchmark.

Her Review with Tracey

At the risk of this review becoming a good cop, bad cop routine with Ian, having spent over 30 hours screeching around L.A. chasing down bad guys in collectable cars, searching up drainpipes and in garbage bins for clues, examining exposed mutilated female murder victims and intensely interrogating vagabonds to movie stars, I’m convinced that L.A. Noire is not only an outstanding achievement for Team Bondi, it’s the first step in changing the way we play and talk about playing games.

There is plenty of the usual gaming attributes packed in here to mention. Within the main story, there’s a little map and nearly 100 cars to unlock as you get around. Hidden newspapers, famous landmarks and film reels await discovery (yay say the completionists) and the controller configuration will feel very familiar to anyone who’s played previous Rockstar titles. All very interesting I’m sure but irrelevant and shallow in comparison to the overall playing experience. Arriving at a clue packed crime scene, everything is jotted down in your notebook in neat handwriting for you to refer to at any time and the premise is simple - use any evidence you find to hunt down the criminal and solve the crime.

The story is well written and the cases, which are more than just a point and click affair do become more diverse as you progress so don’t feel repetitive (following treasure hunt clues left by a killer, tracking down a gunman in a darkened warehouse, reconstructing exploded evidence or silently trailing dodgy movie stars). Running and jumping, driving and climbing shooting and exploring your way through a story is what we’ve come to expect in games, it’s a means to an end. The real beauty, brilliance and innovation of L.A. Noire lies not in the graphics, the pace or the mechanics of how you move but is firmly in the characters, specifically in the interactions you have with other characters; the pauses, the outbursts, the gossip and the indecision, the power of deception and suggestion and the attention to detail that if overlooked can influence the outcome of the case. The realism, subtly and nuances demand you approach it in a different way to other games, that you pay attention to not only what people say but how they say it. Choosing your response is where the real challenge lies.If the motion scan looks impressive during cut scenes, it mesmerizingly shines when questioning witnesses or suspects. Every saucily raised flirtatious eyebrow or wobbly sweaty jowl, every gulp, tightened lip or coy smile is captured perfectly. A stammer may lead you to doubt what you’re being told so you come down hard on them and they clam up. If they avoid making eye contact or rub their hands together they might be lying, have you got evidence to back up your accusations? A detective’s work is logical, routine, methodical and tidy. Guess work will get you nowhere whilst personal opinions may lead to failure. It’s a fascinating gaming experience where emotional detachment and good practice is rewarded.

I found this meant Cole was not an easy character to like and he certainly doesn’t make friends easily but where is the big rule book of how to make video games that states the leading man has to be likable? Sure it’s sometimes a struggle to care about his successes or failures but playing the ambitious, arrogant, stubborn and smug guy, vying for glory as an LAPD detective after a questionable military career is perhaps the challenge itself here and is important in terms of the authentic, interactive experience on offer. Like Ian, I found it jarring and unfamiliar to feel such a lack of attachment or empathy towards Cole though it didn’t stop me enjoying the process and I felt like I came as close as I ever will to doing actual detective work (a little secret dream come true). Perhaps if we had got to see more of his private life in earlier parts of the game we might have understood more about the decisions he makes but there’s no denying, love or hate him, Cole’s flaws are integral to the overall story and Aaron Staton turns in a brilliantly dynamic and convincing performance.

From the atmospheric alley shadows of the menu screen to the smoky bars or neon bulb lit film sets of the 40s, L.A. Noire is impressively accurate and meticulously researched. Lovingly embracing jazz music combined with some gritty pulp fiction and plenty of real life cases and environments, this is a Hollywood that is simultaneously glamorous and threatening. You have to remind yourself to stop and look around once in a while to appreciate it as Cole relentlessly ploughs through case after case.

I can’t wait to see what the future impact L.A.Noire will be, not just from a technological, dramatic or cinematic point of view but in whether it will truly inform what we as gamers come to expect in terms of interactive experiences. This game has to be seen to be believed. Team Bondi and Rockstar clearly believe that nothing is as interesting as that which reflects real life. Here is it under examination with you uncovering it piece by piece and it is as complex as it is beautiful and I love it.

L.A. Noire is available now on Xbox360 and Playstation3.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!!!

Rockstar have today announced that for a limited time, you can purchase an L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass, which gives players access to all seven forthcoming DLC. There are several collectibles and challenges in the pipeline plus “Four new cases, strong standalone stories that sit perfectly alongside the main game” said Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar Games. He goes on to say “With its blend of real crime influences and noir atmosphere, L.A. Noire contains boundless potential for new stories and new cases”.

These include:

• Chicago Lightning Detective Suit (Social Club only) – May 17;
• L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass (limited-time discount price) – May 31;
• “The Naked City” DLC case – May 31;
• “A Slip of The Tongue” DLC case – May 31;
• Broderick Detective Suit and Gun – May 31;
• Sharpshooter Detective Suit and Gun – May 31;
• The Badge Pursuit Challenge – May 31;
• Chicago Piano Machine Gun (free community unlock) – May 31;
• L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass (standard price) – June 14;
• “Nicholson Electroplating Disaster” DLC case – June 21;
• “Reefer Madness” DLC case – July 12.

The Rockstar Pass, once purchased will enable gamers to download all the announced DLC for free as it becomes available on the PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE over the coming months – the equivalent of a 50% discount compared to purchasing the DLC content individually. As a token of thanks to fans, members of the Rockstar Social Club will also receive a free download of the Chicago Lightning Detective Suit. In addition, Rockstar will unlock the Chicago Piano machine gun for free to all players via the PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE. Both are available now. Registration to join the Social Club is free of charge and can be accessed at http://socialclub.rockstargames.com