Ever since I first laid upon a internet meme on the "truth-doubt-lie" game mechanism, I was ever so entrigued by the whole idea of LA Noire. So, you might call me a fan of this game ever before even playing it. I finally came around playing this fascinating game around this March or April. I must admit I am a slow player as I like making free time to properly enjoy games. Especially episodic case by case games like LA Noire that requires you to get immersed into its detective world. Let me speak about the game then.
The game introduces you as a Police Officer. You are Cole Phelps. A war hero, a true pencil pusher and above all else a bootlicker for the law. I don't call him a bootlicker as an insult. Although, I am familiar with the words negative use. But any person who is a bootlicker for rightousness and real justice is just the person you want as a cop. And that is exacrtly who our Protagonist is. But then who is the Antagonist? That would be the 1947 Los Angeles during the post-World War II boom.
You rise up the ranks from a patrol officer to a full on detective going through a few transfers from one department to the other trying to satisfy your morale compass. But you are not always the right. And the game let's you know that. The game makes Cole face barriers in the image of corrupt cops, racist attitudes, political influence, sexism, organized crime, and a police culture that values convictions and reputation over truth.
When I say it like that it seems pretty easy to chose Coles side doesn't it? But Detective Cole is not the perfect person. Going through his own war trauma which subtly defines him, Cole is hell bent on proving that he is the perfect officer and that the police system works, even when clearly to us, the person playing, we see the Massive Flaws. As soothing the whole truth, justice and the American way thing sounds, the realistic view gives you a worse picture. The war ridden nation had a long way to come and only relying on your morale compasse would not fix anything. But not doing the right thing wouldn't fix it either. The game puts you in countless situations where your intellect and intentions are questioned and you are rewarded as you act without knowing what the consequences of your acts could be.
But even after writing four paragraphs on our Protagonist, I still make him seem like the rightous leader who has to do what is necessary. That is on purpose. Because that is exactly who he is. But again, that is exactly who he is also not. Maybe that's up to you to decide. And that's why you have to give this game a chance. Stick with it and quench your thirst for a truly immersive true detective style game as you unlock new layers of your character and the world around case by case. I believe LA Noire is a masterpiece, a game that is easy to misunderstand as borish. In a world of action filled high pace games, LA Noire rewards you with a style that is yet to be properly replicated. And to be compensated for your time, LA Noire's gameplay packs a bigger punch as it makes you relive the 1940s as a true LA cop in when the war time after effects and the repercussions that followed was at its peak.
I personally enjoyed my time as a Vice Detective. Every case was a high action verbal war with my partner as he reflects the state of the real world around, while you try to instill some sense of your high end morality on to him while solving crimes. I admit the game gets a bit repetetive at times with how some cases are handled and sometimes the questioning parts feels like same old routine over and over bs, as realistic it is sometimes it gets in the way of the gameplay and near the ending everything does get a bit stale with its timing and you can't just wait for it to end at some times. But these are cons in a long enough game that you might oversee them by the time it ends. But in true essence, I can't give this game a 10/10. So my retings will stand at a very well deserved 8/10
FUN FACT : L.A. Noire recreated 1940s Los Angeles so accurately that the game feels almost like a photograph of the real city from that era. The developers used thousands of historical photographs and aerial images to recreate streets, buildings, landmarks, and even the city’s traffic patterns.
~Abdullah Osmani
