L.A. Noire has more in common with Capcom's Ace Attorney Series than it does with it's Rockstar Brethren. It's got the investigation process, the shifty witnesses, and protagonist Cole Phelps shouting out OBJECTION every time he accuses the witness of lying. Okay maybe not that last point, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did shout it out halfway through the game. More importantly, both L.A. Noire and the Ace Attorney games share the talent to tell an extremely engaging story.
This is the heart and soul of L.A. Noire, where the post World War 2 period has given rise to drugs, violence and corruption in the streets of Los Angeles. As Cole Phelps, you'll go through five different ranks in the police force, from patrolman all the way to arson investigator, where all ranks have their own main arc stories, meaning that each case are not entirely separate of each other, but linked even though you may not think so at first. The fact that they are all connected to create a larger picture is great because it creates a 'one more case' mentality, where you won't stop investigating crime scenes, questioning witnesses and even chase bad guys until you've solved everything there is to solve. Simply put, it's quite addictive!
Even if L.A Noire was just a story, it would still be good, but the fact that it's a game makes it a huge success. Unlike other games where story and gameplay are entirely separate of each other, L.A. Noire succeeds because the plot and the gameplay itself work in tandem with each other, encapsulating the player in the world of Cole and his colleagues.
Gameplay is generally centred around investigating crime scenes, areas linked to the crime and questioning individuals who are some how linked to the crime, as well as the shootout and chase scene. Investigating has Cole searching for clues, where the game alerts you with a chime and a rumble of the controller if a clue is found. It can also trick you into investigating mini red herrings (such as a beer bottle that somehow turns up in almost every case) that have no bearing on the case. The process is highly rewarding because each clue discovered unveils another piece of the case itself and ultimately unveils another piece of the story: for example a ledger that directs you to a person of interest, which then leads you to track that person's address which then leads you to questioning that individual for further clues and perhaps even your main suspect!
Which leads to the other hook of L.A. Noire: the questioning of individuals who have some association with the crime itself. Like Phoenix in the Ace Attorney games, Cole must question individuals to either gain more clues, ascertain whether the individual had a major involvement in the crime, and in some instances, charge the suspect with the crime itself. Ascertaining as to whether or not the individual is telling the truth or not is decided on whether they are telling the truth, holding back some information or flat out lying, in which case truth, doubt and lie are assigned to three of the face buttons. In the case that you decide the individual is lying, evidence must be presented to back up your accusation , ala Ace Attorney.
Bondi Team's use of motion scan technology, which is a highly developed and more detailed version of the usual motion capture technology used to capture a more realistic facial expression, is what makes and to some extent breaks this section of the game. While the facial expressions are indeed very real and highly interesting to watch, the fact that there is little subtlety to the actual facial expressions, makes discerning truth from lie easier than it should be. Case in point, if the individual is telling the truth, they will look maintain full eye contact with you, if they are lying or holding back info, they'll look away, move their lips and a whole host of other facial expressions that scream out “I'm lying!”. However the feeling of making a successful judgment is still one to behold, as what usually follows is more clues, allowing the story to progress or just proving your belief that the individual was a lying sack in the first place, and that's always a whole lot of fun! Failing either this or failing to find potential clues can lead to some parts of the story being entirely missed, and in some rare cases – the innocent being wrongly accused of crime because of a lack of evidence. The game lets you know this with the continued references to the 'gas chamber' – making the impact of failure a whole lot more heavy, as a fatal error could result in the death of an innocent (remember capital punishment was alright during the late forties). However in most instances, the game does it's best to make sure you catch the right guy even if you're the most incompetent detective, which is somewhat disappointing as the few instances where you are forced to choose between two suspects who are both equally guilty and not guilty are some of the best moments of L.A. Noire.
Presentation wise L.A. Noire treats the eponymous (if oddly spelt) crime genre with the respect and care it deserves. From the blurring of the lines between good and evil to the melancholy soundtrack, the underbelly of Los Angeles and the rain which creates a depressing atmosphere, it certainly is representative of one of the key genres of crime fiction. The voice acting is some of the best heard in a video game, with Aaron Staton as Cole Phelps delivering his lines like any top grade actor. The motion scan is brilliant too, with some moments of 'hey I know that guy from [insert movie/tv here]!' indicative of how effective the technology is. The fact that I managed to recognise an actor who played a brief role in Supernatural is further evidence that the technology should set a benchmark for future games.
However what makes L.A. Noire extremely memorable is the fact that Team Bondi has managed to create a game that presents a fantastic story and fantastic gameplay that work wonderfully with each other. Never does either feel like it overpowers the other, creating a seamless experience that is utterly encapsulating, utterly magnificent, and utterly deserving of one of the games of the year thus far.
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