In the month or so since its release, L.A. Noire has become pretty divisive, even in our own offices. On the one hand, the game is smartly written, visually fascinating and unlike anything else on the market. On the other, some find its system of evidence and interrogation too rigid and confusing, and its action tends to favor “dramatic” outcomes instead of, say, simply letting players catch up with fleeing perps. It’s not perfect, and it’s not for everyone.
So why’s it on this list? Ambition, for starters. At its core, Noire is a linear detective story that tells you when to investigate, when to shoot and when to ask questions, but it isn’t content to stop there, and lavishes an incredible amount of detail and personality on its freely explorable re-creation of 1940s Los Angeles. Its story pulls no punches, and is immensely compelling as a result, with memorable characters whose motion-captured faces turned out surprisingly easy on the eyes.
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