Difficulty:

Very Easy

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"All flash, no substance"

LA Noire sees Cole Phelps, an ex soldier progress through the ranks of the police force, initially starting on Patrol, and moving into Traffic, Homicide, Vice and Arson. The several murder mysteries is the best part of the game. Initially, they seem like individual cases but as you progress it is suggested that maybe not all is what it seems because each case shares similarities and the police start to consider if they have locked up many innocent people and are in fact, dealing with a mass murderer. The Vice and Arson cases mainly tie together too and deal with Phelps' ex-military colleagues. The game itself plays like a cross between the CSI game series and a stripped down version of GTA. You are given a case and you travel by car to the crime scene. Mainly you drive your given police car, but can commandeer any occupied and unoccupied vehicle of your choice. Once you arrive at your destination, you look for nearby evidence and sometimes talk to the witnesses. The crime scenes are very much like CSI where you have a limited area and will take a closer look at any objects that seem like they can be interacted with. Relevant objects can sometimes be looked at further and you use the control stick to pan the object round to uncover parts of interest. Once you have a lead, you can go to the next place and interview the people identified. In conversations you must listen and analyse their facial expressions and choose if they are telling the truth, doubt (if you feel they are hiding some detail), or lie (which you must back up with evidence). The facial animations and dialogue are well praised aspects of the game, and for good reason too. You gain points and extra information if you correctly choose the correct option, however, selecting the incorrect answer doesn't seem to hinder your progress at all. Sometimes the suspects will flee which lead to chases by foot or by car which has comparisons to GTA. Some missions, particularly the side missions; involve gun fights which provide a bit of variety and more GTA comparisons. There are some frustrating platform type parts at the end of the Homicide section which are let down by poor control and they feel completely necessary. The enjoyment in LA Noire comes from the overall experience; the characters and animation, the story, and the atmosphere, rather than the game-play itself which is simple, linear, and limited. If you enjoy the CSI games but want something a bit more engaging, then this game is for you. If you don't like the CSI games, then you will most likely find this game boring.