Rockstar's L.A. Noire is a detective-thriller set in a "street to street re-creation" of 1940's Los Angeles releasing on May 17th. It is more plot driven than previous Rockstar hits such as GTA and Red Dead Redemption, in that side quests are comparably at a minimum.
L.A. Noire is groundbreaking in that it pushes the boundaries of believability with new technology called "Motion Scan" that surrounds the actor with a myriad of cameras at all angles, and creating a composite 3D model of the character's head. It was strange to watch the video and actually recognize the animated caricatures of real life actors (other than just Aaron Stanton.)
As for the plot, Cole Phelps, played by Mad Men's Aaron Stanton (aka Kenny Cosgrove) is a decorated GI returning home from World War II. Phelps keeps solving cases to work your way up the ranks of the LAPD, gathering evidence, talking to anyone who'll give you answers. Witnesses and suspects that tell lies or half-truths are abundant in the game so the "Motion Scan" 3D modelled facial expressions are imperative to figuring out what really happened. Paying attention to such minute mannerisms is a first. All the while, Phelps is taking notes and discovering evidence to help solve the cases at hand. Throw in traffic accidents, foul play, eavesdropping, crime scenes, fistfights, shootouts and chase sequences and you begin to have an idea of how L.A. Noire will play out.
It's all seems rather reminiscent of SCEA's sleeper hit Heavy Rain, which I enjoyed immensely, but with the 3rd person action sequences we expect from Rockstar. I'm definitely going to be acquiring this game.
Check out Rockstar's L.A.Noire in video at Gamespot.
Pre-Order L.A. Noire at Amazon.
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