L.A. Noire

The underbelly of 1940’s Los Angeles is sicker than it seems. Crime and corruption run rampant while sleazy drug pushers and filthy rich Hollywood executives take advantage of the poor and misguided on every turn. In the wake of World War II the American dream is being stretched thin as the man on the street tries to make his way in the world by whatever means necessary. These are dirty streets, and the city needs good men to clean up the mess, but good men are few and far between. And so it’s left to our hero, Detective Cole Phelps - a straight-laced decorated war veteran making a name for himself in the city - to carry the weight. This is the backdrop, the naked canvas that Team Bondi and Rockstar Games have used to as a playground to create what must be a milestone achievement in game design: L.A. Noire.

Drawing directly from the brooding narratives of the film noire genre, L.A. Noire’s tale has been expertly torn from the screens of countless classic detective dramas. Phelps, a protagonist who’s complexities are slowly revealed as the story unfolds, is a perfect fit as a film noire leading man. His is a vast and winding story of double-crossing, intrigue and bloodshed, and the obligatory mysterious, sultry broad with hips that don’t lie. The narrative unfolds at a relaxed pace, but never drags, and even though this is one of the longer single-player campaigns you will have played through recently, there is barely a dull moment from start to finish.

Spanning three discs, Cole Phelps’ story takes us from his early days starting out as a cop on the street. It’s not long before he has proved his skill as an investigator, and soon he is moving up the ranks of the LAPD, with each promotion bringing a new series of cases to be solved. Each case is presented with a cinematic feel, kicking off with a cut scene that gives us a glimpse of the crime being committed, and then it’s up to Cole to get to the bottom of it. The investigations are episodic, and as such can be approached as individual stand-alone missions, but also form part of an overarching narrative that ties the whole campaign together.

There is a vague formula to solving each case, a formula that only really becomes apparent once you’re well into your stride as a detective, but it doesn't mean that it becomes stale or predictable. Phelps’ first port of call is pretty much always the crime scene. Here he has a quick chinwag with the coroner or duty police officer to set the scene, and then it’s CSI time - scouring the crime scene with a fine toothed comb in search of clues that may help our man bag the right bad guy at the end of the day. As with the rest of the gameworld, crime scenes are littered with, well, litter, among other things, so thankfully there is a handy indicator which tells you when you’re near something worth looking at. To keep you guessing there are many things to examine that have no bearing on the case.

If there is a shortfall to the crime scene investigation aspect of L.A. Noire, it’s that you are very limited to what you can examine. I would have liked to be able to search more thoroughly, even if it meant following lots of dead ends, to paint a more detailed picture of the crime scene. Similarly, when it comes to investigating leads, there are times when I really wanted to have a peek inside a suspect’s cupboards or under the bed, but you are only allowed to find the things the game wants you to find.

While investigating the stunningly created locations throughout the game is a big part of Phelps’ time on the job, it’s the second key element which proves the greatest test of investigative skill: interviewing and interrogating witnesses and suspects. This is the area where L.A. Noire truly shines. It really is an inspired bit of game design, the way that Phelps interacts with these characters. In these confrontations the player needs to use a tool we aren’t often required to pull out during gaming sessions: our intuition. Yes, you will have a list of clues, alibis, witness accounts and testimonies at hand in Phelps’ trusty note book, but there comes a time in almost every conversation that those facts aren't enough. It’s at these times that the onus falls on you. Listen carefully to every word, watch each and every facial expression, examine body language - there will be times when all you have to go on is a hunch. It can be genuinely stressful. You've got two suspects in custody, and each has an equally compelling story why they are innocent. One of them is lying. Hell, they might both be lying. Eventually it will be up to you to make the call - get it wrong, and there’s no "undo", the wrong man could be off to the gas chamber before lunch.

A system like this wouldn't have been possible, not to this level of detail at least, had it not been for L.A. Noire's ground breaking facial animation technology, MotionScan. To read a person's reactions, facial give-aways, quirks and general attitude, requires a level of detail not yet seen in the gaming world. L.A. Noire is a pioneer in this respect; it’s no exaggeration to call this the most stunning example of facial animation we have ever seen in a game. The MotionScan technology used to create these frighteningly lifelike characters is miles ahead of anything else you’ve seen until now. It’s impossible to appreciate the nuances and subtleties of the animations until you’ve seen them in motion, but rest assured that this is a new milestone in character realism. It’s no wonder that L.A. Noire is packed onto three discs, since these are not merely stunning 3D models, but digitized versions of actual actors - many of whom you will have seen in popular TV shows and movies.

To be a harsh judge, things aren’t quite as exquisite below the neck. Body animation and modeling is far less advanced than the fantastic facial work, sometimes making it seem like the faces and bodies don’t gel together perfectly. Still, the character animations are probably at least as good as what we’re used to, they just don’t live up to the outstanding standards set by what the MotionScan tech has achieved.

Team Bondi’s rendition of the city of angels is also an incredible piece of work, a sprawling and (mostly) accurate model of the area in the late Forties. It’s truly massive and diverse, but the city plays a supporting role in L.A. Noire, unlike the GTA series where the city takes center stage as a wondrous place to explore. You will cover a lot of ground here, but it’s just window dressing for the main event. In fact, I quickly found myself auto traveling between locations as apposed to driving there myself, because it just becomes tedious and quite boring. You will be missing out on unofficial missions though, barked out across the LAPD radio, that can be taken on while free roaming. These missions are worth accepting, since they dish up experience points and offer a pleasant change of pace from the intensity of the core investigations. They usually involve shoot outs or chases, which inject a bit of action into proceedings.

That's another thing that instantly separates Team Bondi’s outing from anything bearing the Grand Theft Auto name: there is surprisingly little action involved here. There are occasional shoot outs, fist fights and chases on foot and on wheels, but it’s a rarity instead of the norm. The focus is clearly on the more cerebral aspects of the game - fail during an action sequence and you are often prompted to skip it altogether to get back to the story, with no impact on your case record. Combat, both armed and unarmed, is ridiculously easy too - I think I died once throughout the whole game - thanks to a far too effective auto-aim and cover system.

No, L.A. Noire isn’t about shooting people. It’s about reading people, getting inside their heads, and digging until you find the truth. It’s about a dark and ominous story that is dripping with tension and atmosphere, exposing the wicked side of Hollywoodland and people who inhabit it. Phelps, a man with the moral fibre of a saint, is slowly unravelled as we progress through his career - it seems no one is immune to the vices that plague the city of angels. I will admit that I found Cole to be a rather annoying character for at least the first two thirds of his adventure, just because of his insistence on doing the right thing regardless of the circumstances or the cost, but that’s probably a matter of personal preference. I struggle to relate to someone who takes the moral high ground and tends to look down on those who don’t have his resolve or stoic strength of character. Still, his personality is integral to the story, and doesn’t detract from what is probably one the most involving and enthralling narratives you’re likely to experience.

There is merit to the argument that L.A. Noire represents a new gaming benchmark in certain respects. The breathtaking facial animation alone is enough to grant this title instant praise as a groundbreaking technological feat, but there is so much more to admire beneath the skin. This is a game that you will wish never ends - so much so, that some may feel rather despondent when the credits do eventually roll. I instantly found myself on the look out for upcoming downloadable cases, of which there already are a few, to extend my time in the spit-polished shoes of Detective Phelps. Few games will drag you so deeply into their world as this one does.

In fairness, L.A. Noire isn’t the perfect game - there are minor bugs to be taken care of, and a handful of superficial continuity issues that break the total immersion at times - but it is also a clear sign of intent from Rockstar and Team Bondi. With this exquisite release they are showing us the way forward, and are leading by example. Those hoping for the wildly diverse and multifaceted gameplay of the GTA series will be somewhat disappointed, because L.A. Noire is a far more focused and intense game than GTA ever was. Don’t expect any comic relief here - it’s gruesome at times, poignant and emotive, and is to be taken seriously from start to finish. This is a game that demands and deserves your attention, your time, and your money. Case closed.

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