Highlights

  • L.A. Noire, released in 2011, is a unique detective-based game with a 1940s noir thriller setting.
  • Despite some flaws, such as outdated motion capture technology and a smaller open world, L.A. Noire still has great potential as a game.
  • Rockstar Games should consider giving L.A. Noire a proper second chance and create a sequel that fully embraces an open-world experience.

Nowadays, Rockstar is known for creating some of the biggest video games on the planet, with Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 still being some of the grandest gaming projects ever made, at least in the Western world. And though they took years to develop, all the effort has seemingly paid off, with GTA 5 still being a money-printing machine a decade after its release, and Red Dead Redemption 2 still being considered as one of, if not the greatest video game of all time. Rockstar has grown such a lofty reputation that fans are even champing at the bit just to see a single glimpse of Grand Theft Auto 6, and that's incredibly impressive.

But while Rockstar tends to stick with the too-big-to-fail projects nowadays, that wasn't always the case. Just over a decade ago, Rockstar used to take the chance on some more experimental titles, and while fans are always going to keep asking for a revival of Bully, it's L.A. Noire that might actually be more deserving of a proper second chance.

Rockstar Games technically didn't take the lead in development on L.A. Noire . Instead, it was Australian developer Team Bondi that mainly produced the game, though some Rockstar spinoff studios did assist in development later down the line when Team Bondi ran into some significant behind-the-scenes issues.

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L.A. Noire Deserves a Second Chance

L.A. Noire Wasn't Perfect But It Had Potential

A game that took seven years to develop, L.A. Noire is still an incredibly unique game 12 years later, though it definitely isn't a perfect one. The general premise of L.A. Noire sees players take control of a 1940s cop named Cole Phelps, who rises his way through the ranks of L.A.'s police force. Along the way, the player will solve various crimes ranging from petty theft to arson and murder, and that's where L.A. Noire's core gameplay loop comes in. L.A. Noire has players venturing out to a crime scene, collecting evidence, questioning witnesses, and drawing conclusions based on Phelps' notes. Occasionally, some cases result in a chase or shootout, which sees players engage in some barebones third-person shooting.

Every facet of L.A. Noire, from its lighting to its music and dialogue, tries to evoke the noir thriller movies of old, and it really achieves that vision. Of course, one of the biggest selling points of L.A. Noire upon its initial 2011 release was its realistic motion capture technology, which played a major role during the game's interrogation sequences. While it looked phenomenal, if not a tad uncanny at the time, in 2023 it doesn't hold up all that well, with some facial expressions being infamously over-the-top and just plain silly, breaking the game's immersion instantly, which is such a shame considering how hard the rest of the game is trying to maintain it.

Another issue with L.A. Noire that's only become more apparent with age is the game's smaller scope, but its attempt to pretend that it's a sprawling open-world adventure. While L.A. Noire does technically have an open world, there are practically no side activities for players to really engage in aside from a few collectibles and random crimes. Instead, the open world is mainly used as a backdrop for the game's driving sequences, breaking up the action set pieces and crime scene investigations with meandering car journeys that spew exposition.

But while L.A. Noire doesn't hold up too well under a modern light, it's still an incredibly unique game, and one that still has so much potential. While the behind-the-scenes drama has undoubtedly made Rockstar wary of revisiting L.A. Noire, it's a brand that certainly deserves a revival, especially if Rockstar was willing to put in the effort and go all-out with a sequel that was truly open-world.