| L.A. Noire | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 2 2011, 10:26 AM (126 Views) | |
| TheGreg | Jun 2 2011, 10:26 AM Post #1 |
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In Rockstar and Team Bondi's L.A. Noire, you play as Cole Phelps. Phelps is a returning WWII veteran who rises through the ranks of the LAPD. Set in 1947, L.A. Noire takes full advantage of its time period and draws on the classic conventions of the film noir style. The dialog is spot on and the acting is superb. It's immediately obvious that Australian developer Team Bondi has put a lot into the presentation. Utilizing a technology called MotionScan, the performances of the recognizable cast are perfectly replicated. The facial animation is easily the best seen in a video game. It's a shame given all this that the plot itself never really comes together as it should. The conclusion of the game is wholly unsatisfying. This becomes a theme in L.A. Noire. There are a lot of great ideas and efforts that don't quite realize their full potential. Gameplay mainly involves searching crimes scenes and interviewing suspects. I love this idea and it certainly isn't broken by any means, but aspects of them are bothersome nonetheless. Searching crime scenes is a bit too rigid. Instead of genuinely detecting, you basically end up walking around until the controller vibrates indicating a clue. When the music stops playing, all clues have been found. It helps to streamline the experience, but comes at the expense of actually detecting. When interviewing witnesses and suspects, the player is asked to determine whether every statement is the truth, doubtful or can be proven a lie. Once again, this is a great idea, but roughly executed. In games like Mass Effect, there are multiple dialog tree options that can lead to the same result. In L.A. Noire, there is a very clear right and wrong answer and far too often the player has to blindly guess which is going to get the desired response. There are also pretty standard action sequences along the way that shake things up, but are never all that thrilling. It's also worth noting that the open world of L.A. Noire is much less of an emphasis than in previous Rockstar titles. The game is very focused on its linear storyline and the supposedly true-to-life recreation of old time L.A. is really only there for sightseeing. Don't take this as a complaint, as I prefer a more focused experience to the sandbox style. There are a lot of strong concepts in L.A. Noire, but the gameplay feels like it needs to be refined. I suppose that's to be expected in a game that embraces such a unique concept. Despite it's shortcomings, L.A. Noire is an enjoyable experience. It's probably unlike anything you have ever played before and if you're a fan of this this genre it's definitely worth a go. L.A. Noire is a good game with a lot of ambition and potential. I hope someday we get a sequel that fully realizes it. |
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7:27 PM Jul 10