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LA NOIRE - Video Game Review
GRADE: C 
Rockstar Games knows how to stand out from the crowd within the video game industry. From the complexly presented open worlds in the Grand Theft Auto series, to the enriched gameplay and story of Red Dead Redemption, the company undoubtedly breaks the mold of development with every game it releases and publishes.
Continuing that ambition, Team Bondi, in conjunction with Rockstar Games, have added a new entry to Rockstar’s eclectic catalog with LA Noire. The game takes place in 1940s Los Angeles, where it draws aesthetic and stylistic elements from the film noir genre ofthe same era. Drawing from Rockstar’s previous games, the open-world aspect of the game is the most detailed I have seen in any game. There is an ambiguous presence within this virtual city, and it is able to contrast and blend in with the game’s heavy emphasis on the tense underworld of Los Angeles. Players take the role of detective Cole Phelps, a former WW2 war hero and a new LAPD detective. The game follows Phelps as he rises through the ranks of the department. Investigating murders that eventually tie-in to the real Black Dahlia murders, Phelps tries to restore order to the violent streets of Los Angeles.
To compliment the game’s overall homage to the film noire genre, LA Noire places a heavy importance on human deceit and emotion. Introducing a brand new technology called MotionScan, Team Bondi has crafted pure performances from a talented group of actors. Capturing every wince, wrinkle, and fake smile, the technology is a breakthrough in bringing cinematic quality visuals to the world of video games.
Accomplished in storytelling and recreating a vintage aura, the gameplay is not as groundbreaking as the technology itself. Unlike other entries produced by Rockstar Games, there is no sense of debauchery and violence, which is partly what brought success to their previous entries. Instead, the player goes through investigating a series of crimes as society’s “good guy,” scouring Los Angeles for clues. This includes questioning witnesses and suspects, where the gamer must determine whether he or she is lying or withholding information (this is where the motion technology shines). Basically, every level is the same procedure: go to the crime scene to look for clues, question witness, look for more clues within Los Angeles, and accuse the suspect. With that said, the game also does not offer much variety. You do not have that much control over the scene due to the fact that the end of the level will be the same, no matter the actions that lead there. Sure you can stray away from the scene for a temporary amount of time, but essentially, the gamer is a page turner pushing the set development of the game; the player does not have any control over the outcome. Occasionally there is a car pursuit or a gunfight, but ultimately, those are not primary constituents of the game. While the gameplay is intriguing and at many times entertaining, it is not varied enough to fill its 30 hours of gameplay with noteworthy moments.
Overall, Team Bondi’s first attempt at developing can be seen as a success: LA Noire is visually groundbreaking, cinematically amazing and overall a unique game. While it is most of the time entertaining, it is a shame that the gameplay is too repetitive and does not offer much variety. LA Noire succeeds in bringing a new genre to the table, but the introduction is not as flawless as one would hope.
