L.A. Noire - The Official Thread of Truth, Doubt and Lies

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R Nilla

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2006
3,835
1
0
I understand where people are coming from, but since when is 20 hours "short" for an action/adventure game? When this type of game is much longer than that I usually find myself losing interest--unless it's a sandbox game (which LA Noire certainly is not) or it is expertly varied and paced.

We'll see how I feel once I finish the game, but 15-20 hours sounds plenty beefy to me. As a working adult I find myself having a much shorter attention span, especially with the plethora of high quality games these days that are available year-round.
 

warcrow

Lifer
Jan 12, 2004
11,078
11
81
First Impressions (PS3)

I have to be honest, in order for LA Noire to pull me in I had to play it for a few hours. I'm not quite sure what it was (too hyped perhaps?) but I just wasn't feeling it at first. Once I completed my first real case without any hand-holding, and my first side mission, the game began to sink its hooks in me. It's a really interesting, fun and unique game and I cannot wait to get back home and play it. Remember, despite the fact that it has action sequences this isn't a GTA game--it's more of an adventure game.

Here are some random thoughts:

- LA 1947 in this game is just incredibly detailed. You'll want to veer off, get out of your car and explore, and you can if you wish. Most builds cannot me entered, but there are landmarks to tag (hit a button when you drive by it), newspapers to find and read (I think these might only be available at a crime scene), 40 side missions like chase down a robber.

- The newpapers you find initiate a cool cut scene that never feels too long (at least not yet).

- I've found cut scenes cannot be skipped even when replaying a mission. I found this really strange because all of the Rockstar games I've played in the past have had cut scenes you could skip.

- The driving in LA Noire doesn't feel like driving in GTAIV. The cars have more of an arcade feel to them.

- From my experience, when crashing a vehicle, you cannot flip it no matter how bad the accident is. Not a big deal, just noting it.

- You have the ability to turn your siren on at any time, and when you do vehicles ahead of you will pull over to let you by. :)

- The facial animations are stunningly beautiful. I mean, unlike anything I've ever seen and it doesn't feel like a gimmick. After experiencing it I hope GTAV is using this tech.

- The facial animations are too good. What I mean by that is that it can be distracting in a weird way. It almost makes everything else look awkward or out of place. This could be an Uncanny Valley thing.

- The texture quality, environmental detail and modeling is extremely well impressive. The attention to detail will stop you in your tracks, particularly during the crime scene investigations.

- I've had one frame rate drop--and it was quite significant--during a chase scene. It only last a few seconds.

- Interrogating people is thrilling. What I mean is, at times it's kind of puts you on the edge of your seat because you don't want to mess things up. If you call someone out (a liar) you have to prove it by providing the evidence. There have been a few times where I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing and it wasn't exciting to wait for the little queues (suspects reaction, music) to let me know if I succeeded.

- Walking around the crime scenes, picking up and examine things is cool. :)

- The voice acting is what you expect it to be--awesome.

- If you like you can play the game in black & white! :)

- There is something missing in regards to the city. It has personality, and it is beautifully constructed, but there is something stagnant about it. I'm not saying it feels like a Disneyland ride like the city in mafia 2, but it also doesn't quite feel as lively as the city in GTAIV.

Ok that's all for now. :)
 
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SandEagle

Lifer
Aug 4, 2007
16,809
13
0
does it play like a GTA game? if so, then pass. that's what i hated about RDR. i can live with a Heavy Rain type gameplay
 

Krynj

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2006
2,816
8
81
does it play like a GTA game? if so, then pass. that's what i hated about RDR. i can live with a Heavy Rain type gameplay

I was worried that it would play like a GTA game, but no, it doesn't. It's slow paced with a heavy emphasis on getting facts and details from customers -- gathering clues and statements, and putting things together. You will encounter foot chases and gun fights, but it's definitely not what the game is all about. The cases are captivating, and quite thrilling to watch unravel. Can't wait to get out of work and put more time in.

Although it's an open 3D world, it's pretty much the other end of the spectrum of the GTA games.
 
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warcrow

Lifer
Jan 12, 2004
11,078
11
81
does it play like a GTA game? if so, then pass. that's what i hated about RDR. i can live with a Heavy Rain type gameplay

What do you mean by this? Do you mean in terms of pacing? Mechanics? Feel?

To me it's nothing like GTA at all. It's almost completely linear, the cars handle differently (arcadey, like i stated above) and there is zero carjacking or running over pedestrians. :)
 

SandEagle

Lifer
Aug 4, 2007
16,809
13
0
I was worried that it would play like a GTA game, but no, it doesn't. It's slow paced with a heavy emphasis on getting facts and details from customers -- gathering clues and statements, and putting things together. You will encounter foot chases and gun fights, but it's definitely not what the game is all about. The cases are captivating, and quite thrilling to watch unravel. Can't wait to get out of work and put more time in.

Although it's an open 3D world, it's pretty much the other end of the spectrum of the GTA games.

good info, just what i wanted to know :thumbsup: may pick it up on the way homw
 

zerocool84

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
36,041
472
126
I understand where people are coming from, but since when is 20 hours "short" for an action/adventure game? When this type of game is much longer than that I usually find myself losing interest--unless it's a sandbox game (which LA Noire certainly is not) or it is expertly varied and paced.

We'll see how I feel once I finish the game, but 15-20 hours sounds plenty beefy to me. As a working adult I find myself having a much shorter attention span, especially with the plethora of high quality games these days that are available year-round.

That`s part of what I think is wrong with modern gaming. We`re getting used to paying $60 for 5hrs of gameplay.
 

Krynj

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2006
2,816
8
81
good info, just what i wanted to know :thumbsup: may pick it up on the way homw

Wow, I don't know why I said "getting facts and details from customers". I meant to say witnesses.

Also, the music is wonderful. The music varies depending on what you're doing, and it really adds to the experience.
 
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Reckoner

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
10,851
1
81
Sounds like a rental at best. The fact that you can't fail a case bothers me. Like ign said.. You're basically a page turner. You can't fail an investigation in this game.
 

Krynj

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2006
2,816
8
81
Sounds like a rental at best. The fact that you can't fail a case bothers me. Like ign said.. You're basically a page turner. You can't fail an investigation in this game.

It's not quite that cut and dry though. You could call it a page turner, but if you're just playing the game to get through it as effortlessly as possible, then why even bother playing? Part of the challenge is 'winning' the interrogations. Successful questioning gets you more clues and more leads. And it sucks to just blow an interrogation, because the acting and animation makes the whole process quite gripping -- you've really gotta try it out to know what I mean. Part of the thrill is trying to read the suspects correctly and calling them out on their lies. Having a suspect abruptly end the questioning because you're making all the wrong moves will drastically effect your score, and it leaves a lot of clues and leads undiscovered.

I agree with you though. It's definitely worth a rental, because it's a solid game. Once you get an hour or two into it, it'll pull you in.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
86
I understand where people are coming from, but since when is 20 hours "short" for an action/adventure game? When this type of game is much longer than that I usually find myself losing interest--unless it's a sandbox game (which LA Noire certainly is not) or it is expertly varied and paced.

We'll see how I feel once I finish the game, but 15-20 hours sounds plenty beefy to me. As a working adult I find myself having a much shorter attention span, especially with the plethora of high quality games these days that are available year-round.

Considering most of the "greatest games" (read as Ocarina of Time) took maybe 20 hours to beat if you just blasted through it, I fail to see how 20 hours is considered short. Especially as an adult, most of these games don't take nearly as long as they did when we were children. There are probably a lot of small things to do that take up much more time, but 20 hours to get through the story is pretty good.
 

coldmeat

Diamond Member
Jul 10, 2007
9,195
88
91
I think I'll buy this today. I would probably have rented it, but there's nowhere to rent games in town.
 

bl4ckfl4g

Diamond Member
Feb 13, 2007
3,669
0
0
This sounds awesome. Do the clues and interrogations actually make sense unlike that stupid popular ds investigation game? I can't remember what it is called.

What happens when you fail an investigation?
 

Reckoner

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
10,851
1
81
This sounds awesome. Do the clues and interrogations actually make sense unlike that stupid popular ds investigation game? I can't remember what it is called.

What happens when you fail an investigation?

You could ask all the wrong questions, and you'll still solve the case. It'll just take longer.
 

Krynj

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2006
2,816
8
81
This sounds awesome. Do the clues and interrogations actually make sense unlike that stupid popular ds investigation game? I can't remember what it is called.

What happens when you fail an investigation?

Yes, they make sense. They'll tell you things about the victim or the suspect that you can then use to catch them in lies. It doesn't quite hold your hand either. You've gotta pay attention and piece clues together. At any time during an interrogation you can reference your evidence and clues in case you forget certain details.

And so far, I haven't 'failed' an investigation. I failed the first interrogation in which you go it alone, but then boss sends you right back in to do it again. Other times, if you accuse the witness of lying, they'll get pissed off and won't cooperate. I have failed one of the side missions though. Had to chase a guy on foot and he got away. At that point you just start the side mission over (if you want).

Once you play it and experience the interrogation, and actually start getting them right, it's pretty rewarding watching it all unfold, so you'll actually want to do the interrogations correctly, regardless of whether or not the game moves along if you pass/fail.
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
I imagine it would make it very difficult to craft a narrative if it was possible to completely fail a case, but it still would be interesting if things where very entwined and making a mistake on one case affected others.

Maybe some kind of branching case tree, where succeeding or failing a particular case might open up or close off other cases. It would add more replay value anyway.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,125
30,076
146
I imagine it would make it very difficult to craft a narrative if it was possible to completely fail a case, but it still would be interesting if things where very entwined and making a mistake on one case affected others.

Maybe some kind of branching case tree, where succeeding or failing a particular case might open up or close off other cases. It would add more replay value anyway.

I think for the console world, that is near impossible to do. Simply b/c the audience wouldn't stand for it.

I'd very much like a game that doesn't give you the option to retry, where you certainly can fail and drastically affect further events. You can dilly-dally on some useless mission while something else has passed you by.

Anyone remember Star Control 2?

I'd like to see the end of "100% complete"
Great--I collected all 52 porno mags. whoopty-fucking-do.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
126
I've been playing for a couple hours now and I'm torn. It's a good game thus far but it just doesn't seem to be clicking yet. I understand why they made it so you can't fail a case as it could get frustrating to redo so much to get to the one part you messed up. However you are graded and can replay any part again to do it better. Each case also ends with notes hinting what could have gone differently if you played things out differently. That means there's multiple end cut scenes for each case depending on how bad you do
 

DucatiMonster696

Diamond Member
Aug 13, 2009
4,269
1
71
Been watching the live streams of this game on Justin TV and the facial animations are amazing good and are actually part of the game play. This game is a damn good detective "who done it" rather then a "Lets kill everyone on our mission" GTA game.
 
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