It had that Rockstar game feel, but also had something more:
There haven't been many games out there about detectives solving murders and crimes (like those old problem-solving games on the PC back in the day). LA Noire wanted to reopen a new genre of gaming. What to expect from Rockstar Games? A good sandbox game with funny, enjoyable, real characters. A big world to explore. . .literally I was running and driving around most of Los Angeles getting to mission markers and places to find secret, classic cars to drive around town with. Aside from that, you also expect a solid story line full of intrigue, betrayal, suspense, and humorous moments. Rockstar delivered, but every game can only take so much repetitiveness sadly.
The Story: You play as a young Caucasian male named Cole Phelps, married with a child, ambitious, intelligent, overall a just person with a responsibility to the world not seen by other Rockstar characters: GTA III's character never talked, and did anything other people told him to do/ CJ from San Andreas was your typical African-American gangbanger from the movies who did it for the streets/Tommy Vercetti from Vice City was yet again your stereotypical hard-ass, coked up, Italian mafioso doing it for the cash/Niko was that unknown man, a horrifying history that would haunt him throughout the game, but all them had the same thing in common: They all took on responsibility to satisfiy a need of another. Cole Phelps seemed to be that character again with a troubled past (former Marine lieutenant, 3rd Division, fought in some of the thickest battles in World War II, and was haunted by his actions during the war) his past would be a reoccurring flashback throughout the game that would all culminate at the end with spectacular fashion. His hard-knock Marine discipline plays a crucial role in the game as it makes him the just zealot, solving crime for the greater good and to aspire to be a great hero like he did during the world.
You start off as a blue shirt (patrol cop), doing the grunt work for detectives like setting up police lines, patrolling the streets. You eventually solve your first case with flying colors and impress the Captain of your district and promoted to the Traffic Desk i.e. average joe crimes around the city. You gain your first partner and begin a list of crimes that all revolve around the Black Dahlia murders. After solving each crime with flying colors, you move on to Homicide, Vice, and finally Arson desk each with a different partner with their own personality and takes on how to solve the crime. The end leaves you in awe. . .and WHY!? WHAT!? You BASTARD! And I'll leave it at that.
Gameplay: The finding of clues is the basis of the game. To solve each case finding clues at the crime scene is important (especially for the interrogations). Each clue you find is put into Cole's mini notebook that details the clue further. Clues are fucking important. . .don't miss even one or it could make or break an interrogation. Questioning prior to interrogations is a big factor. With the "face-recognition" feature you had to base your gut feeling on this and conclude if their alibi checked out or believed their story (if you got it wrong you, man it would fuck your day over). Choosing from 3 choices: They were telling the truth, you have doubts
(I doubt you 90% of the time. Basically I'm gonna agree with you now and kick in your door later and find the the GOD DAMN EVIDENCE just to smite you!)of what they said, or they are straight up lying. These lead to the interrogation where you make the decision if this man is guilty or not. On some occasions I didn't know if the man I just accused of even did the crime. . .oh well another scumbag behind bars I guess. Gaining the confession from the interrogation is the only way to pass on to the next case (if you fail you redo the interrogation). Also at the end of each case you're graded, which really doesn't matter unless you killed a few innocents or they get hurt during the case, property damage etc. The game begins to get repetitive with the same style of interrogating, questioning, clue searching, driving around. . .(except you can tell your partner to drive around for you, but you miss out on local crimes that you can call in to help out i.e. a liquor store robbery). Shooting is reminiscent to Red Dead Redemption with auto-lock, but you don't have to use it. You mostly use your M1911, but can pick up a shotgun or a Thompson in certain occasions. Minor shootouts, chase and pursuits, looking for clues, questioning, and interrogation are step processes you will have to complete in on each case to move on. . .which gets VERY repetitive.
Visuals: Awesome. . .especially the facial recognition of each character.
Sound: Um, good?
Final say: Overall the game was exciting, with a unique story-plot twist. You really get a sense of realism in this game and the repetitiveness, though tedious and often boring, was special and made the game feel like you were a detective not sleeping for days working on a single case. Game mechanics were innovative and fun, hopefully in the future to evolve into something greater. Characters came and went and somewhat left a mark on you. Story was a roller coaster ride, climatic endings to each case yet always the same grind up the top.
Fun, innovative, new taste, replay value. . .with the last of the DLC out is worthwhile but not enticing, story is exciting and you force yourself through the tedious detective work to find out what happens next, 9/10 a fresh new taste in this RPG/sand box/first person shooter/ third person rebirth/ horror filled gaming world we live in.
