L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

[BlueNGold]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

Its an OK game, nothing crazy awesome in my book. All the work they did on the City seems kinda pointless to me, as I would almost always prefer to have the partner drive to the scene as the driving is pretty pointless. You cant hit people, and it just looks out of place to drive fast. The city is probably great but seems like a wasted resource.

The Street Crimes are terrible, and I stopped doing them after a few because they were just weird, short, and had no real story at all.

Gun fighting is kinda bland. I do like the chases and car chases though.

The detective stuff is pretty good and it is alot harder to read people than I thought. I get like 50% of questions right.

Its a cool game, and would like to see them flesh it out with a "dexter" type setting.

Why would you want to run people over? You're an LAPD detective....

It would def competed for GOTY if

1. The city was an open world where you would see crimes take place (like how RDR was with it's randomness)

How cool would it be to assist in a mob take down, or another bank robbery?

2. Controls like Heavy Rain (PS Move or Classic) or something else innovative, It's current control scheme is boring (R* even gives you a option to skip the action part of the game lol)

3. Non linear story, story change based on decisions made.

The graphics are amazing in this game, but gameplay and story isn't anything I haven't seen already..Too limited to be MY GOTY nominee.

Besides the facial expressions, the question witness/interrogation part of the game was done in the CSI games. (I love those games btw; that's why I'm not upset with my purchase of LA Noire, it just has so much potential)

There..

That's my list of l things I would suggest for this series, Im at Vice now and with most people around the Interwebs saying the game gets meh after homicide, I decided to not wait until I finished the game before I gave any feedback lol.

Agreed with #1 and 3. Those are two of the main aspects I don't like.

I don't hate the street crimes but it definitely would have been better if there was a random aspect to it (which I thought was going to be the case) like RDR and even the first True Crime game on Xbox/PS2.

[Buckeyes_Doc]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

I'm enjoying the game so far. I'm only on homicide. The interrogations are great, and I find myself being too easy on a lot of people. I wish there was more to do in the world besides cases and street crimes, as in open world games like GTA, RDR, or Saints Row I enjoy the side stuff as much as the main story.

The graphics are amazing and I think the action is good. I think overall it's a good game, I'm not going to through out Game of the Year candidate or anything as it's still early, but I will say it was well worth my $60 which is all that counts.

[Jasong7777]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

Just finished a couple of hours ago. Great game. Best I have played this year by far. The game was everything I expected it to be, and did everything I expected it to do. Which was a problem for some I see. This is an adventure game. From the looks of it, I guess they are not for everybody. I hope that Team Bondi does not feel the pressure to turn this into another GTA clone. Gamers say they want something new and different, but when a jewel such as this game comes out, they complain. Make up your damn mind.

[Gibbz]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

Good game but not on the level of GTA IV or Red Dead Redemption. The cases themselves are great but have no replay value. The street crimes are borderline painful to play, but I did them anyway. The gunfights were too easy as well.

I don't think there's enough to the game to put it on the level of GTA and RDR. I'm trading it through Goozex tomorrow. I'll definitely look forward to L.A. Noire 2, as I still consider this one to be really fun while the story lasts.

[choadler]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

Just finished a couple of hours ago. Great game. Best I have played this year by far. The game was everything I expected it to be, and did everything I expected it to do. Which was a problem for some I see. This is an adventure game. From the looks of it, I guess they are not for everybody. I hope that Team Bondi does not feel the pressure to turn this into another GTA clone. Gamers say they want something new and different, but when a jewel such as this game comes out, they complain. Make up your damn mind.

I guess this is my point as well. I want something different. I am glad they made it they way they did. I don't need another RDR or GTA. They already have those franchises to work off of.

[SoxFan01605]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

I've mostly enjoyed the story so far, but I certainly get the complaints too. I think the trouble with games like this (and Heavy Rain) that rely so heavily on the story, is that if there are ANY inconsistencies, holes, or dead spots, it stands out more.

In a game like RDR, GTA, or even a more linear action game like ME or Uncharted, there is enough going on in the game play department to make story related problems seem to have less impact. For as much as I enjoy the premise of LA Noire and the game overall, I don't think it pushes the storytelling enough or branches outcomes enough considering what little else there is going on with the game. At least in Heavy Rain, there were serious consequences to failure at several points in the story.

In LA Noire, the story moves forward the same regardless of how good or bad you play it. I don't even think it compares favorably to older adventure games in that regards, as the only failure points are if you die in a gunfight (nearly impossible if you use cover at all-and I usually die like crazy in other games' gunfights) or you fail an action sequence (which you can simply skip).

I would love it if I failed to tail someone properly and lost that lead, or didn't catch a guy in a chase and had to put out a search or have him show up later. An option to maybe play things straight or as a cop on the take would be nice...maybe let it have an impact on both the story and the growth of the city (though this last one is admittedly more "wishlist" dreaming than other things they could achieve). For a game like this where game play is limited and story is key, details like that matter. The game is very vanilla in that regard.

I understand that it's a huge undertaking to deliver a more dynamic experience in that way, so I'm not condemning Team Bondi or R* for it (and it's quite possible that with so much time and effort put into the face scanning tech, they perhaps played it safe with the storytelling aspect on this first run), but if you're built almost solely on storytelling, it's certainly fair for people to expect more in that regard. To be honest, while the facial tech is awesome and innovative, there is little else that I can't find in other games.

As for the open world aspect, I could take it or leave it in for this game. I understand the appeal, but I don't think you need it if they tighten up the main game's features. That said, they could take better advantage of the city. Maybe have location based crimes (beyond responding to street crimes) or accidental clues. For example, let me walk into the jazz club for a drink after a case perhaps. It doesn't have to be some cheezy side activity (1000 drinks and you get an achievement/trophy...lol), but maybe I overhear a potential lead to a case or a start to a side case (kind of like a street crime, but a bit better blended into the atmosphere).

Anyway, I don't claim to speak for anyone, but I don't think that the issues people have with the game are because people think it's bad. I just think there is a feeling of untapped potential for a lot of us when we play it. It's the notion of what it could be that somewhat diminishes what it is.

None of that is to say the game is bad at all. It's good (the interrogations alone make it at least worth a play), and I think very promising if they build on it. I 100% support this game conceptually and have enjoyed playing it well enough, but there was A LOT left on the table IMO. Hopefully, since they mentioned moving this franchise forward, things only improve from here. It's a first effort, so I understand that as well. I just hope they push things a bit more.

[BlueNGold]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

Okay, this is really getting annoying. Not everyone that doesn't like the game or doesn't think it's the greatest thing they've ever played was expecting it to be a GTA-clone.

I was really hyped for this game and KNEW going in it wasn't going to be like GTA, RDR, etc., but I still feel it wasn't as good as it could have been.

It's far from a bad game, but IMO it just missed out on being great (Talking strictly gameplay. Can't speak for the story because I'm not done yet).

[TheDutchDad]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

Okay, this is really getting annoying. Not everyone that doesn't like the game or doesn't think it's the greatest thing they've ever played was expecting it to be a GTA-clone.

I was really hyped for this game and KNEW going in it wasn't going to be like GTA, RDR, etc., but I still feel it wasn't as good as it could have been.

It's far from a bad game, but IMO it just missed out on being great (Talking strictly gameplay. Can't speak for the story because I'm not done yet).

This is what I have been trying to say. My complaints aren't that I want it to be GTA, and no one that has been critical of it for whatever reason has said that either. It's that it could have been so much more, but wasn't It fell shjort IMO in many areas. Mainly, the length and depth of the main story. To be fair I'm not completely done yet, but what I have seen so far leaves a lot to be desired.

For the last time, we aren't asking for GTA style gameplay, story, etc. It's that the game is pretty shallow aside from the main story.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

Okay, this is really getting annoying. Not everyone that doesn't like the game or doesn't think it's the greatest thing they've ever played was expecting it to be a GTA-clone.

I was really hyped for this game and KNEW going in it wasn't going to be like GTA, RDR, etc., but I still feel it wasn't as good as it could have been.

It's far from a bad game, but IMO it just missed out on being great (Talking strictly gameplay. Can't speak for the story because I'm not done yet).

I feel fairly similar about Noire. Going in I did not expect a GTA or RDR sandbox style game. In so many ways I'm glad we did not get that kind of game. What this game does well is the cases, but that side mission stuff is annoying as hell since its the same thing over and over......chasing after someone which can get repetitive. Hopefully they learn from their mistakes with this game if they ever make a sequel.

I am about 8 hours in right now and do feel that I did get my $60 worth. I am not even halfway through the game so I can't complain.

[Tiko7523]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

i am pretty far into the game (disc 3) and its really getting annoying to me and just seems i am doing stuff over and over again....

i really hate driving now it seems so long and so damn pointless to me driving through for 5-10 mins on some stupid questioning it just drags the game.

i am honestly trying to beat it as fast as possible at this point to get achievments then trade it in for infamous 2 and red faction.

game is a let down imo ill give it a 7

[BlueNGold]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

i am pretty far into the game (disc 3) and its really getting annoying to me and just seems i am doing stuff over and over again....

i really hate driving now it seems so long and so damn pointless to me driving through for 5-10 mins on some stupid questioning it just drags the game.

i am honestly trying to beat it as fast as possible at this point to get achievments then trade it in for infamous 2 and red faction.

game is a let down imo ill give it a 7

You don't have to drive.

[42]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

i really hate driving now it seems so long and so damn pointless to me driving through for 5-10 mins on some stupid questioning it just drags the game.

</url>

[TheDutchDad]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

I feel like if I didn't do the driving it would make the game seem ever more less involved than it already is. So I still drive everywhere in order to prolong it a bit.

[Kramer5150]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

Hopefully the PS Store comes back up in the next couple of days,as I am looking forward to getting the "Naked City" DLC.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: L.A. Noire (PS3/360)

Hopefully the PS Store comes back up in the next couple of days,as I am looking forward to getting the "Naked City" DLC.

That was definitely one of my favorite cases. Pretty fun and it was kind of a crazy plot similar to the traffic cases.

Anyway, there are definitely things they can do and add to make the next game better, but I'm not disappointed in LA Noire at all. Its a fun and very enjoyable and to be honest, I'm having more fun and liking the story and game better the second time through. All the recurrences and subtle links that they created in the world adds to the immersion of the open-world. Its a great basis for what I hope is either the start of a genre or, at the very least, a franchise for Team Bondi.

Some things I think would be cool for this and I know others have mentioned some of these as well:

Informants - Roy Earle had one, but I could understand why Cole didn't (yet) since he was a new guy. It would still be cool to see what kind of info you could get from your informants to help you out on cases/leads.
Real Consequences - I kind of enjoyed getting bitched at by the captains when you ****ed up and charged the wrong guys. Those scenes were nicely done, but they didn't really follow them up with actual repercussions. I mean, if you mess up bad then you have to do like one or two easy, minor cases to build your cred back up with the department. Also, there should be some kind of consequence for accusing the suspect of lying and then backing out of it when you find out you don't have any evidence. Maybe take away the doubt option.
Police HQ - It would be cool on cases to get some feedback from your captain. Maybe throw a suspect in jail first before hauling him into the interrogation room to "soften" them up first.
Lawyers - I'm not sure how the 40s interrogation worked. I'm just going to assume that initial interrogations could be done without lawyers for the sake of the game, but having to go through lawyers, especially for the more high profile crimes (ie: homicide) would add a nice layer. It would also add to the difficulty, too.


Personally, I would love for Team Bondi to make a PI game where the player had their own PI business and had some kind of economy system associated with that (ie: paying informants, bribes, paying for leads, etc).

As I've said many times, I love LA Noire. As a first attempt, its pretty stellar, but I hope they continue to build on this foundation and flesh the experience out even more.