Support NeoGAF

[Acquiescence]

I finished the game yesterday, so I made a video of my favorite scene:

(Final Case Spoiler)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zf1t58prng

That was also one of my favourite scenes. It felt...cathartic to watch. I liked it so much that as soon as it finished and I set down the newspaper, I picked it up again and watched it for a second time in a row. Anything that involves Roy Earle being brought down a peg or two gets an automatic thumbs up from me.

 

[fernoca]

Yep.

As announced/expected already, 'Reefer Madness' is out already on the Xbox Marketplace (244MB); later today on PSN-Store.

Remember that, at least for Xbox 360 owners if you have the Rockstar Pass you need to access the in-game store to add the new case to the download queue/history.

'Reefer Madness' is a Vice case; so (after downloading it) look for it under the Vice Desk in Cases.

At the moment, this is the last case that is planned to be released.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

Depends on why you didn't like HR. If it was because of QTEs replacing the action, then you need not worry about this game. All of the action is real-time and far more entertaining than lame QTEs.

I have a theory about those calling L.A. Noire boring, and it's that they were all hoping for RDR in 1940s Los Angeles. They expected a sandbox like Saints Row and instead they got a linear story like Mafia. I know a few people in real life that got bored of it when they realized that they couldn't whip out their guns and go to town on civilians or go find a tank and get the cops after them. They traded it in when they realized it wasn't like that.

Some people are just very A.D.D. But if you are a fan of noire-style films or that era in general, and you like realistic, engaging narratives over "find your own fun in a big city" games, then this may very well be the game of the year for you. One of the best and most unique games I've played this generation.

By the way, the first Deus Ex is in my top 5 games of all time, but I have 0 expectations on this new one.

For me I expected a good detective game/adventure game. Not RDR 1940s.

 

[TheOddOne]

Time to pop this in again. Thanks for the heads up fernoca <3

 

[Chairhome]

Finally finished it, had it since launch. I was a little disappointed towards the end since it kind of seemed to drag. The ending was cool, even if it was less than satisfying, but I liked it. And holy crap, this has to be the longest cast of "actors" I've ever seen in a credits roll.

 

[mik83kuu]

I finished this game today and I'd give it a solid five stars, but honestly this year has seen many other five star games that were better, so L.A. Noire is not even on my top 3 contenders for a GOTY 2011.

I would recommend this game to anyone who's interested after seeing a couple of the better trailers / info videos. This game is one of those few games that need a demo imho.

 

[dwebo]

Good god, reefer madness was terrible. Can't believe I put off reading dance with dragons to play this crap!

naked city > slip of the tongue > electroplating > consul's car > reefer


edit: bah, went to the

Spoiler

store

before the

Spoiler

soup factory

and missed out on two interrogations. that makes the case a bit less terrible, I guess

 

[Emerson]

I don't regret buying this game or the Rockstar Pass, but it's funny that the DLC that people seemed most excited about was easily the worst.

 

[netguy503]

I don't regret buying this game or the Rockstar Pass, but it's funny that the DLC that people seemed most excited about was easily the worst.

why were they most excited about it? Because it was about pot? :/

 

[speculawyer]

I'm not surprised . . . there is a Japanese film noire tradition.

LA Noire tops Japanese chart
Rockstar's detective thriller beats Infamous 2 and Earth Defence Force to No.1


The PS3 version of LA Noire has topped the Japanese software chart for the week ended July 10.

The detective thriller debuted ahead of two other new PS3 releases, Infamous 2 and Earth Defence Force: Insect Armageddon, according to the latest Famitsu sales data (via Nintendo Everything).

01. LA Noire (PS3)
02. Infamous 2 (PS3)
03. Earth Defence Force: Insect Armageddon (PS3)
04. Wii Play: Motion (Wii)
05. The Little Battlers (PSP)
06. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)
07. Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
08. Earth Defence Force: Insect Armageddon (360)
09. GoldenEye 007 (Wii)
10. Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition (PS3)

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/311515/news/la-noire-tops-japanese-chart/

 

[Gouda Jouji]

Yep.

As announced/expected already, 'Reefer Madness' is out already on the Xbox Marketplace (244MB); later today on PSN-Store.

Remember that, at least for Xbox 360 owners if you have the Rockstar Pass you need to access the in-game store to add the new case to the download queue/history.

'Reefer Madness' is a Vice case; so (after downloading it) look for it under the Vice Desk in Cases.

At the moment, this is the last case that is planned to be released.

Wow it's only 244MB on 360? On PS3 it's nearly 900MB.

 

[fernoca]

Wow it's only 244MB on 360? On PS3 it's nearly 900MB.

Yep. In fact, all 4 cases (The Naked City, Slip on the Tongue, Nicholson Electroplating and Reefer Madness) combined; are 1.1GB.

I'm not surprised . . . there is a Japanese film noire tradition.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/311515/news/la-noire-tops-japanese-chart/

Yep.
Actual numbers:

01. [PS3] L.A. Noire: 58,436
11. [360] L.A. Noire: 12,621​

 

[pilonv1]

Reefer Madness was barely a case. Way too short and too easy.

 

[Mohonky]

Wow it's only 244MB on 360? On PS3 it's nearly 900MB.

Story of PS3.

 

[andycapps]

Is there a link to any kind of tips to keep this from freezing up my PS3? It gave my OG 60 GB the YLOD so I sent it back to Sony and exchanged it for a 120 GB Slim PS3. It's now freezing it about 20-30 minutes in. Freezing as in the console beeps and flashes red lights. I've tried deleting the game data, disabling the internet connection, etc.. All the Rockstar tips, and it still doesn't work. Sent them a message on their support site and sent them a Tweet hoping that they'll pay more attention to me if I put them on blast.

 

[painey]

Thought RM came out on the 23rd. Might power through and then sell the game later in the week

 

[Incendiary]

So here I am, watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and I start thinking to myself, you know what would be awesome? A Who Framed Roger Rabbit? game styled in the same way as L.A. Noire. Instead of gritty seriousness, though, you go around as Eddie Valiant solving toon cases.

Well anyway, I think it would be a neat idea.

 

[SuperSonic1305]

I actually thought the game picked up again after the first 2 Arson cases. Ending sucked though.

 

[tc farks]

I actually thought the game picked up again after the first 2 Arson cases. Ending sucked though.

Yeah I agree with this. I was more meh to the ending though. Enjoyed the game I want a 2nd one.

 

[TheOddOne]

Reefer Madness was barely a case. Way too short and too easy.

Yeah, nothing noteworthy about it.

 

[mshlive]

Finally hit 100% last night and played through the Reefer Madness case. For me LA Noire was good overall but it could have been so much more, a missed opportunity to be honest.

 

[RedAssedApe]

Just beat it. Was definitely unsatisfied by the ending. Especially with how things turned out with the

Spoiler

Vice unit and LAPD Chief.

. GTAV in a La Noire setting?

 

[Zeppelin]

Just beat Reefer Madness and it was some weak shit. Easily the worst of the DLC cases. Definitly not worth the wait.

 

[VeryGooster]

I just did the DLC cases between yesterday and today. The Naked City and Slip of the Tongue were the only interesting DLC cases. Nicholson Electroplating had such potential but WTF? You have a huge city explosion where Howard Hughes might be (indirectly) involved and you have me ask like three questions total and yet ANOTHER shootout? Come on.

 

[Dan Yo]

I would've sworn that Cole Phelps was played by Sam Huntington (one of the actors in Fanboys).

 

[starchild excalibur]

Just beat the game. Thoughts:

-I think it easily had better writing than Rockstar's other properties. I'm curious if this is due to Team Bondi's strength as storytellers of it Rockstar had significant input in the writing and they've just managed to get steadily better over the years.

-It's a game that i think would be much better as a movie. I preferred it to the massive letdown that was Heavy Rain, but I still felt that the gameplay was severely lacking in spots. You can spot yet another foot chase before it happens, the side missions were okay but not very memorable and gameplay-wise I just found myself bored more than I should in a video game. It actually made me want to go back and play Mafia II - a game that I felt lacked somewhat in gameplay thrills - just because I knew it'd be more exciting in comparison. And I guess I'm not too surprised by this - it always seemed more HR than RDR, but it doesn't make it any less boring in spots. Again, it was much more fun to watch than actually play. If they could condense the story down and make a feature length film out of the cutscenes, I'd probably watch it.

-The facial capture system was impressive, but I felt that the strengths of it were undercut by giving absolutely no one a reasonable poker face when lying. It was rarely an issue to tell if someone was telling the truth or not because of how bad liars they all were, although it was an issue at times to tell whether something should be doubted or called a lie. And I'm aware that if they didn't do this it'd be impossible to tell truth from lies, but I guess I just feel it would have been better to implement another investigative system altogether that's not based on people grinning every time they lie. Maybe one more built on slight stammering, more subtle non-verbal twitches and the fact that it'll just be impossible to get every question right.

-The atmosphere was good, but I still didn't find it as impressive as I did in RDR or GTAIV (or even Mafia II, truth be told). Whether that's just due to personal taste or something else, I don't know.

-The

Spoiler

Black Dahlia

set of cases went on FAR too long. I was so bored during that stretch, Jesus Christ.

-I found it to be the type of game that was hard to just plow through (like I could even with GTA IV) and this made it difficult to jump back mid-case. Names, clues and leads were hard for me to remember after not playing the game for several days.

-The last quarter of the game was good, but I found some of the character shifts really sudden and arbitrary.

Spoiler

Why did Ilsa all of a sudden take a liking to Phelps? Why did Kelso suddenly become a key player and go along with Phelps and Ilsa? etc.

I'd give it a 7/10 for me. I really don't see myself replaying this anytime soon.

 

[AppleBlade]

Just got this game from Gamefly and so far I would so I am mildly disappointed. The peerless presentation values are reason enough for me to play through it but the gameplay, or lack of gameplay to be specific is disappointing.

Also, unlike the previous poster, Heavy Rain hooked me much more then this game has thus far (I am on case 9). I know, that might sound hypocritical because many have criticized Heavy Rain for the very same thing, but I just felt like the story of Heavy Rain was being pushed forward by my actions but in this game I feel like the opposite is true, the pre-determined story is dictating what actions I am able to do and how I should do them.

 

[DryvBy]

Does the Rockstar Pass not work on newer cases? That new traffic case was $3.99 for me and I have R* Pass.

 

[Apoc87]

So here I am, watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and I start thinking to myself, you know what would be awesome? A Who Framed Roger Rabbit? game styled in the same way as L.A. Noire. Instead of gritty seriousness, though, you go around as Eddie Valiant solving toon cases.

Well anyway, I think it would be a neat idea.

Hellz Yeah.

 

[kuYuri]

Ugh, trying to find these cars for 100% is utter crap.

 

[TurboLibre]

Just started the game up. It seems pretty cool, but what the hell is going on with the doubt button? It's hilarious. I'll doubt someone in hopes the detective will prod them for a little more information, instead he immediately jumps the conclusions and makes bold accusations that they're a murderer. I sort of want to play the whole game like this.

 

[AwesomeSauce]

Just started the game up. It seems pretty cool, but what the hell is going on with the doubt button? It's hilarious. I'll doubt someone in hopes the detective will prod them for a little more information, instead he immediately jumps the conclusions and makes bold accusations that they're a murderer. I sort of want to play the whole game like this.

It gets really annoying the more you play.

 

[TurboLibre]

It gets really annoying the more you play.

How much do these conversations effect the game? Can I bomb the interview and continue just fine? I still don't have a feel for how these things play out.

 

[StevePharma]

I waited some time to play all the DLC cases at once. Some quick reflections. Might be a bit spoilery but only general remarks are made.

I started with Reefer Madness. A short action case which was decent but nothing spectacular. In retrospect I can understand why people thought this was weaker than the other DLC cases.

Next up was Nicholson Electroplating. I really liked this one. A cool scenario with espionage and military involvement and a decent blend of investigation and action.

After that I started Naked City. Easily the longest and also the best DLC-case. I wonder why this one was cut because it doesn't feel like a DLC case. Almost every gameplay aspect comes into play and the conclusion is satisfying. Also Roy Earle = best partner.

Finally I finished up with the two Traffic Cases, Slip of the Tongue and Consul's Car. It's interesting to see story elements are being discussed in several of these DLC cases. Slip of the Tongue is short but has good interrogations (and one especially funny one), and Consul's Car is short but has nice characters and a cool chase sequence.

All in all I'm really satisfied with what I got for my buck. I'm really interested if Bondi/Rockstar go the full expansion route with the scrapped Burglary and Fraud desks or that this is it. I certainly hope not because the episodic nature of these expansions makes me want to come back to this amazingly atmospheric game.

Maybe Rockstar will slip us some info in the next couple of months because their Q3/Q4 for 2011 is surprisingly empty....

 

[Hey You]

Your Chance to Turn the Tables and Interrogate the L.A. Noire Detectives

In L.A. Noire, it's usually L.A.'s Finest that are asking the tough questions of illicit businessmen, shady suspects and other various persons-of-interest, but now we're turning the tables on the actors who play L.A. Noire's detectives with a unique version of our popular 'Asked & Answered' series.

This is your chance to ask Aaron Staton (Cole Phelps), Michael McGrady (Rusty Galloway), Adam Harrington (Roy Earle), Sean McGowan (Stefan Bekowsky) and Keith Szarabajka (Herschel Biggs) any burning questions you may have - insights on their characters, details of the MotionScan process, their reactions and impressions from playing the finished game itself or anything else that comes to mind.

Send us your questions by either posting in the comments section below or email them to us at mouthoff@rockstargames.com by the end of the day Monday August 8th, we'll review them all, select the best ones and in the weeks to follow we'll post the answers right here on the Rockstar Newswire giving the selected interrogators full credit for their choice lines of inquiry.

[Blog Post]
.

 

[schick85]

The game still feels "incomplete" with all the DLC cases. I demand they release more.

 

[MaddenNFL64]

The game still feels "incomplete" with all the DLC cases. I demand they release more.

I want more too .

 

[zruben]

LTTP here...

I want to play this game but it's freaking expensive right now where I live.

I can rent it very cheap for 5 days on a blockbuster (yeah, we still use that on my country), do you think that will be enough time to finish/enjoy the main game??

 

[Lunar15]

Beat it last week. Overall, wasn't too happy with it. There's so many good ideas here, they just fall short in execution. I loved the theme, the setting, the concept... which just made it harder for me to like it when they couldn't pull it off in a coherent package.

Spoiler

Anyone else feel that the last few cases with Kelso should have actually been what the whole game was like? Being a private eye was far more interesting and coherent than being a cop.

 

[MaddenNFL64]

LTTP here...

I want to play this game but it's freaking expensive right now where I live.

I can rent it very cheap for 5 days on a blockbuster (yeah, we still use that on my country), do you think that will be enough time to finish/enjoy the main game??

If you're not out to 100% the game, and just wanna do the story, I think so. Gonna have to put in the hours per day though.

 

[MaddenNFL64]

Beat it last week. Overall, wasn't too happy with it. There's so many good ideas here, they just fall short in execution. I loved the theme, the setting, the concept... which just made it harder for me to like it when they couldn't pull it off in a coherent package.

Spoiler

Anyone else feel that the last few cases with Kelso should have actually been what the whole game was like? Being a private eye was far more interesting and coherent than being a cop.

Spoiler

Kelso sucks balls though. He just fell in line at the end. And no, I liked being Detective Cole Phelps

 

[Nori Chan]

Yeah to me (ending spoiler for LA Noire and Red Dead Redemption)

Spoiler

I couldn't connect to Phelps like I did to Marston. Seeing him cheat on his wife, I thought it was an honest mistake. But then he goes to Ilsa's house every time, making out with her in the back alley, it started me to kinda dislike him. I guess that's great character work, but I didn't feel that impact when Cole died as I did with Marson. God I almost cried seeing John die.

my two cents

 

[Musha_Soturi]

I've just started playing this and I'm kinda disappointed so far. Some of it is fun but the interrogating is started to piss me off. At the moment I'm getting around half the questions right, will I be able to complete the game like this or do I need to do it better?

 

[Deleted member 20415]

I've just started playing this and I'm kinda disappointed so far. Some of it is fun but the interrogating is started to piss me off. At the moment I'm getting around half the questions right, will I be able to complete the game like this or do I need to do it better?

You will be able to complete the game and all cases, but not to the best of your abilities. You can completely botch an interview and not be able to convict the right person, but will have to convict an innocent person instead. It can be rather frustrating....

I beat the game today and while I enjoyed the beginning and really loved what they did towards the end, that middle part sagged. I felt that there was some great pacing going on and then I just hit a wall and started to hate the game and hate Cole as a character. That end part saved the game for me and switched things up enough that I became interested again.

 

[TurboLibre]

Played a bit more and I'm not too sure I like this game.

I'm finding the interviews frustrating. I really have no clue how I'm supposed to respond to half of the things these people are saying. For example, I was talking to a bartender about a hit and run. He mentioned they were fighting and said something along the lines of "the two were having an argument, there's nothing like airing your dirty laundry out in public". Apparently that generic statement was a lie, even though it matches an earlier testimony perfectly. I'm sure it's all in the mannerisms, but I can't really get a read on someone I've met thirty seconds ago. It's hard to tell when someone is acting suspicious when you haven't seen them normal, if that makes any sense. Maybe there's canned responses I need to look for, but even then it's still a guess between "doubt" and "lie".

A big problem is on my end too, I have to restart the case when things don't go the way I wanted it to. I'm cool with screwing up every now and then, my issue is when I expected one result and the game gave me something completely different (like that damn doubt button), that's when I hit reset. Unfortunately, that's happening a lot.

 

[Dynedom]

Finally finished this game last night.

One of the most anticlimactic ending sequences and endings I have had the unfortunate privilege of playing. I mean my god, even Heavy Rain's ending was more exciting and solid than this (and it shouldn't have been). I mean, I was captivated by the story bu somewhere towards the end, it started to lose me a bit (like not out of confusion but more waning interest) and the ending left a bad taste in my mouth.

I like the game, don't get me wrong. It was solid fun. The interrogations got challenging and I loved canvassing areas for clues. The street crimes were also really fun diversions.

I think it's pretty telling that I will probably remember every one of Phelps' partners over Phelps himself though. One of the most bland and worst developed protagonists in recent memory. I'm still not exactly sure how I'm supposed to feel about the guy. Maybe it's just the way his "progression" happens. None of the "villains" really stuck.

Decent game propped up by some nice fresh ideas but hampered by some below-average character development and an unsatisfying conclusion.

7.5/10

 

[Always-honest]

Played this game yesterday to honor the people that made the game.
I've heard great things about the facial animations and i think they add a lot to the the game.
But i have to be give my honest opinion about the gameplay too,.. and i thought it was boring beyond anything else i have ever played. I barely touched my controller during two hours of gameplay (and when i did, it was for pretty silly obvious stuf).

Now i realise that i can't judge the game from two hours of gameplay, but surely people will have to agree that the facial xpressions during "lies" are just laughable.
In fact the game takes you by the hand the entire time.

I will try to play the game without the hints (and hopeflully without the rumble), but that will just mean the gameplay will get even more tedious and boring.

The acting stuff really added a lot, but the best gameplay were the old gta/ mafia type gameplay elements.

Maybe it's just not my cup of tea..

I'll ask you for advice even: is it smart for me to continue (without hints) and will the gameplay get a bit more exciting or is it wise for me to stop here and play another game.

BTW, forgot to say this positive note: i was intrigued by the flashback storyline.
I did play on because i wanted to know more (still do).

 

[HIGH DEF JEFF]

The worst response and action I can have/take towards a game is the willingness to trade it in, regardless of whatever amount I will get for it. I'm trading L.A. Noire in tomorrow for whatever Gamestop will give me.

But, I am not going to give them the DLC codes I got when I pre-ordered it.
So GAF, quote me if you want either "The Naked City" or "The Consul's Car" (both PS3), first response get's it. They were not redeemable due to the PSN outage and I couldn't stand to play Noire past it's first weekend of release. I also have those Badge Pursuit Challenge pictures, but I think that was a stupid trinket they packed in with the game.

 

[dwebo]

I'll ask you for advice even: is it smart for me to continue (without hints) and will the gameplay get a bit more exciting or is it wise for me to stop here and play another game.

If turning off hints leads you to hump every square inch pressing X, then yeah, probably turn them back on. As for if it gets better, there will be more GTA/Mafia shootouts, and the lying animations do gradually become a bit more difficult, but if you're not enjoying the first few hours, then the rest of the game probably won't change your mind.

But, I am not going to give them the DLC codes I got when I pre-ordered it.
So GAF, quote me if you want either "The Naked City" or "The Consul's Car" (both PS3), first response get's it.

You should at least play Naked City, as it's quite good. I just replayed it, since I'm trading in too soon ($27.95 at Amazon, aww yeah). Actually, it might just be my favorite case in the whole game. I still can't believe they locked it behind preorder/paid DLC.

 

[HIGH DEF JEFF]

You should at least play Naked City, as it's quite good. I just replayed it, since I'm trading in too soon ($27.95 at Amazon, aww yeah). Actually, it might just be my favorite case in the whole game. I still can't believe they locked it behind preorder/paid DLC.

I've heard that but there is nothing that will make me want to play Noire again, not even trusted opinions. I'd rather give the DLC to someone who missed out.