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So I bought this upon release despite having been able to get into RockStar's blockbuster GTA franchise because I loved Red Dead Redemption. Alas, I've only gotten a couple of hours to play it as of yet so bear that in mind.

So far, I have played through about three cases but I'm really digging this game. 'Game,' by the way, is used here in a very technical sense. L.A. Noire is much more an interactive movie, although not in the tedious JRPG sense. Whatever new technology they used to capture the actors' expressions was right on the money - the witness investigation scenes are enthralling, IMO. I'm sure the folks at Bethesda are cringing when they think back to the conversation-pie from Oblivion. "Yeah, I get it! (Derp.)" So far I haven't been thrilled with driving and shooting. These aspects are much more realistic. Shooting and running at the same time isn't easy. And driving really fast in heavy traffic without hitting other cars or pedestrians or lamp posts -- yeah, also not easy. But I suppose that's the atmosphere RockStar was going for in this release -- you are a cop, after all, rather than a cowboy or some kind of socio/psycho/pathic criminal. The investigation mode is not terribly rewarding so far. But in an otherwise strong game, these are mild faults.

If you liked Red Dead, this isn't a sure bet but it is a likely one. This is a good game but a different one. Not eveyone will enjoy the cop drama pace.

I have liked just about all of Rock Star's games, so I will give this one a chance for sure.

With the conversations, can you choose what to say among several choices? I haven't seen that in one of their games before.

I'm definately going to play this. It's a big risk for Rock Star because a lot of people are going to pick it up just expecting more GTA but they want to mature a bit.

Never have been a Rockstar fan, though that is one company that definately has the brass to make games (I've read several interviews of employees blatantly stating: Don't like our games? Don't buy them, that simple").

Would you recommend the game to me, even though I don't play any GTA/Rockstar games in general?

Depends on what kind of games you like. The main thing about this one is its the least GTA game they've ever made.

Remember that Rockstar only published this game. Another company, (I forget their name :/) are the ones who did all the work creating it and what not. So when you guys are saying Rockstar this and Rockstar that, bear in mind that it is not Rockstar at all, so you're crediting or discrediting the wrong company.

Lord Scythican wrote:With the conversations, can you choose what to say among several choices? I haven't seen that in one of their games before.

Sort of - you can decide whether you accept the witness's story, doubt them, or accuse them of lying - in which case you produce your choice of evidence to try and catch them in the lie. The conversation depends on these kinds of choices rather than simply picking a statement out of several. This own't a RPG in the sense that you get to create a character. You are Cole Phelps and your job is to be an effective cop.

Do you have the option to be an comically entertaining ineffective cop who still gets the job done?

No, you should replay Dragon Age II.

Here I was hoping for a Hot Fuzz character

As I understand it it's less about roleplaying and more about actually investigating.


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gman1401 wrote:Remember that Rockstar only published this game. Another company, (I forget their name :/) are the ones who did all the work creating it and what not. So when you guys are saying Rockstar this and Rockstar that, bear in mind that it is not Rockstar at all, so you're crediting or discrediting the wrong company.

It's made by Rock Star. The fact another developer helped with some elements is pretty normal.

Sounds like Batman: Arkham Asylum and Grand Theft Auto combined. Which will be awesome and its nice to see Rockstar coming out of its "Morally Evil" character set.

You could see it coming. John Marston was the most "good" character they'd ever had at the time. Supposedly you could play evil but not really.

Is this a game I should rent, beat, and then not look back like Assassin's Creed or Devil May Cry? Or is this a game I should buy for replay value, like most of Rockstar's other titles?


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KamikazeCanuck wrote:You could see it coming. John Marston was the most "good" character they'd ever had at the time. Supposedly you could play evil but not really.

Nico Belic?

I do not think this game will have much replay value. You might want it if you like to really take your time on GTA-style maps.

Are you kidding me? Nikki Bellic is a Serbian war criminal who goes on to do many despicable things in liberty city. I'll admiteven he's more morale than his predecessors. Each Rock Star is a little more good than the last.

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Are you kidding me? Nikki Bellicose is a Serbian war criminal how goes on to do many despicable things in liberty city. I'll admiteven he's more morale than his predecessors. Each Rock Star is a little more good than the last.

Niko wasn't a war criminal, or Serbian (he was generic Eastern European) if I recall correctly. He was a smuggler prior to the events of GTA 4, and a standard criminal protagonist during them. I don't even recall him killing anyone who was notably innocent. The people who were controlling him, on the other hand....


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Manchu wrote:I do not think this game will have much replay value. You might want it if you like to really take your time on GTA-style maps.

Gamefly it is then, cheers.

Nikki was definitely a war veteran. He was haunted by the things he had to do in the war. I'll admit I'm making a leap with the Serbian thing but it fit current events at the time. He definitely killed people who didn't deserve it including a lot of cops.

I'm liking it so far, even though I find the protagonist a bit of a stiff. I also like that you can play the game in black and white.

Well this weekend I had to house/animal sit, and I decided to rent this game, I got all the way up to homicide and I do have to say this game has gripped me more than 9/10s of rockstars predecessors-Red Dead Revolver holds a special place for me, even if its cheesier than the majority of Spaghetti Westerns-that being said the only thing I'm not a huge fan of is a lack of side quests, then again maybe I was being less then smart and was walking all around them

I've reached Vice this morning and it's still fun to play through, though it pays off to play it in bursts and not in one go.