L.A. Noire Game Review

By: Nikhil Malankar
This is the review of the superfantabulouslyawesomelyaddictive game by Rockstar Games named ‘L.A. Noire’. Yeah! I know that was a very offbeat introduction but I just couldn’t help it!! 😀
Initially I didn’t feel that the game would be so awesome but then it slowly and steadily made a way into my life. I feel like the game actually made its way instead of me just going and getting it. This feeling itself was very special. So, this is a review, right? Let me not waste more of your time and give you a short review of what I feel about the game.

Alrighty, so in this game you play as Detective Cole Phelps. Now this guy is a perfect combination of a war hero and a crime fighter. The gameplay is such that you are compelled to travel in the past in those golden olden times of 1940s. Old roads with less traffic, those precious old Chevys, the typical dressing style of the people and rich environment, motion capture graphics (Oh this is my favorite feature). You actually get to live the 1940s as a crime fighter.

And now for the spec-savvy guys here are some tech specs for the game:

• Operating System: Windows 7 / Windows Vista Service Pack 1 / Windows XP Service Pack 3 / OnLive for PC or Mac
• Processor: Intel Dual Core 2.2GHz to Quad Core 3.2GHz / AMD Dual Core 2.4Ghz to Quad Core 3.2Ghz
• RAM: 2GB to 8GB
• Hard drive space: 16GB
• Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT 512MB to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 1536MB / Radeon HD 3000 512MB to Radeon HD 6850 1024MB
• Sound Card: 100% DirectX 9 Compatible
• DVD Drive

Some other requirements include:

• Initial game and DLC activation requires an internet connection.
• L.A. Noire PC requires the installation of software and components including including GameShield IronWrap & Patcher;
• DirectX, and Microsoft’s Windows .NET Framework, and Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86).

And beware of these unsupported hardwares for the game:

• Nvidia 8600 GT 512 MB AGP Pro
• ATI Radeon HD3870 512 MB AGP Pro
• GPU setups with less than 256MB per GPU

If the above tech specs made you feel dizzy then I apologize but it was necessary for the sake of the review. Okay well, now I’ll give you a little background of the game which will compel you to buy(or at least download 😉 ) and play this beautiful masterpiece by Rockstar Games.

The game starts to impress you from the very beginning. And by saying that I mean from the very beginning. The menu style is great and innovative. You will be really impressed by that. And then you can play in the story mode(I won’t reveal the story or else why would you play the game?? 😀 ) Just to give you an overview, you have to solve cases by finding evidence on crime locations and, believe me, this really makes you feel like a detective. And if you have watched The Godfather movie then you will be surprised to notice the resemblance between Cole Phelps and Tom Hagen.

The interrogation feature brings more life-like gameplay with motion graphics. You actually get to know if a character is lying by watching their facial expressions. (As mentioned before, my favorite part!!)

Rockstar Games has gone a step further and added a touch of its true ‘Rockstar sense’ which is the ‘Black and White’ gameplay mode. In times where Game developers are striving hard to churn out cutting edge graphics and merging 3d technology this surely was a bold step and it does add a plus point to the gameplay.

Warning for GTA fans:
Well, GTA fans might think that this is one more game from Rockstar wherein we are destined to kill every random person we see. But its quite the reverse. We have to find such maniacs and put them for interrogation and punish them. So, re-incarnations of Niko Bellic and his likes might not enjoy this game.

My verdict: Well, the ending was really disappointing but if you leave that all-in-all this is a near perfect attempt by Rockstar Games and Team Bondi.

Cheers!