L.A. Noire Review (A Harmless Cat)
A dark and violet crime drama, set in the backdrop of 1940s Los Angeles
L.A. Noire is an action-adventure game developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar Games. It's an exceptional crime thriller set in the golden age of Hollywood. The powerful combination of acting, writing and direction make for an unforgettable narrative where a detective has to uncover the truth in a city where everyone has something to hide.
Narrative and Gameplay
The City of Angels has some devilish roots
After an honorable discharge from the US Military, First Lieutenant Cole Phelps joins the LAPD. Just an year on the beat and his brilliant results already land him the role of a Detective. Working each desk of the department and rising through the ranks slowly reveals a bigger, much more disturbing picture, of how the City of Angels really looks. As per the game's name, there is a lot of inspiration taken from classic Noir films of that period. Every case feels like an episode of a Noir show, and while they feel unrelated at first, all cases eventually present a bigger story, one which is anything but angelic. The main protagonist also develops gradually through the game, his backstory is revealed in parts, through flashbacks triggered in different cases. The city changes everybody and everybody really has something to hide. It's a mature and well-written story, which should be experienced slowly.
True detective work is needed in order to crack this case
L.A. Noire is one of the only, if not the only, game that covers this niche genre. This is certainly not "GTA as a cop". There are not as many shootouts throughout, there are some, but they don't happen as frequently as in other Rockstar titles. Detective work is at the center of gameplay, you must carefully examine clues and link evidence in order to solve cases. Interrogation questions also play a big role here, they are well written and challenging enough to get right, especially on a blind playthrough. Shooting and driving mechanics are simple but they get the job done in a game like this.
Technical Aspect
Under the artistic hood, L.A. Noire is also a technical marvel, especially for its time. Proprietary MotionScan technology is used to capture an actor's face and movements in order to make a cinematic experience. This is interesting technology that is not really used anywhere else and, in my opinion, it still holds up even to this day. There are some weaker technical aspects, of course, such as driving and shooting. They are not the main focus of the game and thus aren't as polished as those in GTA, for example.
PC version of L.A. Noire is fine, for the most part
Since L.A. Noire is a Rockstar-published title, it is bound to have some jank on PC. Thankfully it is nothing like GTA Trilogy or Bully. The main issue most people would have is the 30fps lock. PCs these days are far more powerful and can run this game without issues. The reason it's locked to 30 is due to the facial technology. All facial scans and animations were made for 30 FPS, unlocking the framerate is possible with external tools but it's not really recommended. The game's narrative and structure work like a movie, there are many cutscenes that transport you in the world of 1940s Los Angeles and if you pay attention to those, you'll get used to the framerate quickly. I've only played this game on Xbox 360 prior and had no idea PC ran at 30 FPS as well, with that said, after like 10-15 minutes I already stopped paying attention to the frames and had no issue with the lock at all.
Definitely check out this masterpiece
L.A. Noire is unique and bloody brilliant, if you are even remotely interested in this genre, definitely give it a shot. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Unless you don't care about stories and only appreciate high-octane gameplay... if that's the case then this likely won't be your cup of tea.