L.A. Noire (PS3, 360)

[Benstamania]

RDR may have allowed you to go around and cause mayhem... but it was kind of pointless to do it. You're a former "Cowboy" trying to redeem yourself... causing mass hysteria made zero sense in regards to the story.

In GTA? Yeah... Ok, you're a scum bag.. regardless of how "honorable" the main character may be, he's still a scumbag, in RDR... well... It's called redemption for a reason.

In this it would make even less sense. A WWII vet/hero who wants to make his city a better place... no room for running over people.

 

[MadVillainy]

RDR may have allowed you to go around and cause mayhem... but it was kind of pointless to do it. You're a former "Cowboy" trying to redeem yourself... causing mass hysteria made zero sense in regards to the story.

In GTA? Yeah... Ok, you're a scum bag.. regardless of how "honorable" the main character may be, he's still a scumbag, in RDR... well... It's called redemption for a reason.

In this it would make even less sense. A WWII vet/hero who wants to make his city a better place... no room for running over people.

It's a video game man. It's meant just to be fun. IT's just meant to be a detour from the story to allow players to just mess around and forget about the story a bit.

 

[BlackLantern]

Running around like a lunatic randomly blowing away pedestrians isn't really what I'm looking for in this one and to be honest I don't think that's what Rockstar has been selling. It's great in GTA but they've been pretty specific about this being a police procedural-type game and if people are complaining about that then I think that's a little weird and they ought to do their homework before buying a game.

Agreed

 

[Master Chief]

Both RDR and GTA were about dudes who were looking to start fresh and were thrown into the s**t, reverting back to their old way of life to protect their families. It doesn't make sense in either of those to go on random civilian killing sprees, but it still allowed you the freedom; And taking away that freedom was a shoddy design choice IMO but at least it isn't one that will take away from the overall game.

 

[Wolvieboy17]

Thats all well and good, but that doesn't mean this game needs that feature as well. GTA IV and Red Death both perfectly cater to that, as do many other free roam games like Saints Row 2 or Just Cause 2 etc.

I'm glad they took away that freedom because it changes the focus on this game. In those game it's all about immersion, and to immerse myself in the world of policing in the 1940's, killing people randomly would break that completely. GTA and RDR both had police, bounty systems designed to deal with that, with this game it couldn't possibly work without breaking the story. Since the whole angle and focus from day one has been to make this LESS like the other open world games, it's not a flaw at all but a nice choice. If thats what you want in a game, then don't play this one. Simple.

 

[Benstamania]

Thats all well and good, but that doesn't mean this game needs that feature as well. GTA IV and Red Death both perfectly cater to that, as do many other free roam games like Saints Row 2 or Just Cause 2 etc.

I'm glad they took away that freedom because it changes the focus on this game. In those game it's all about immersion, and to immerse myself in the world of policing in the 1940's, killing people randomly would break that completely. GTA and RDR both had police, bounty systems designed to deal with that, with this game it couldn't possibly work without breaking the story. Since the whole angle and focus from day one has been to make this LESS like the other open world games, it's not a flaw at all but a nice choice. If thats what you want in a game, then don't play this one. Simple.

Well said.

 

[Master Chief]

The narrative problem is easily solved, have it be game over as soon as you died or were arrested.

I can't think of anything less immersive than wanting to do something in a game and not being able to do it lol but that's just me. I'm sure I'm gonna get lost in it when I pick it up in an hour but regardless I see it as a step back.

 

[Wolvieboy17]

Well if you want to be able to shoot civillians, don't play a game about rising through the ranks of the god damn police force.

Christ, some people are never pleased. There are dozens of games that cater to that need, and several more coming out this year alone, but when one game tries to do something different, it's flaw is that it isn't enough like other games. Why try anything new at all, right?

Edit: Yeah, a step back is taking a game genre in a different direction.

 

[Master Chief]

lmao you're acting like I think 1 step back and 2 steps forward is a bad thing. Yeah, I'd dig the option to go on killing sprees and outrun the cops in 40s LA but I'm not crying about it: I just think it's lame they didn't give you the option.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

See, that doesn't bother me. I just want to know if it's actually open world, allowing you to drive around the city and explore and stuff.

I heard from someone else that it just goes case-to-case, and there's no down time to just stop and explore the city.

From my experience, there is no "down time", you are always on a case, ie theres always an objective to head towards. Now that doesnt mean you HAVE to go there immediately, you can go where ever you want. I was hoping for a system where you can pick multiple cases from your desk and choose which one to go with, but it seems as tho as soon as one case ends, you are on to another.

The dude at the store said it is open world, and you can choose missions by listening to the radio for various APB's or whatever. I didn't get that into it.

Kind of. As you are driving around, an APB may come through your radio and you can choose to respond to the call or not. Those are part of the 40 non case missions.

Theres also like 25 secret cars to find.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

I think it's lame they didn't give you the option.

They shouldn't of. Thats like complaining that you cant beat up the fans in NBA 2K11(even if you are playing as Ron Artest). There is no, no, no need to do that type of stuff in this game. Period.

 

[socool]

I haven't even started playing yet, I'm still watching the beginning cutscene, but I think it would have been hysterical to for John Marston (or a look-a-like) to be the cowboy in the movie.

 

[Wolvieboy17]

Maybe you'd prefer Mafia 2 then, since being a criminal clearly appeals more to you.

 

[terry78]

Now I'm curious if all the Rockstar games take place in the same universe or if some are just fictional stories within that universe. Ponder that one for a while.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Now I'm curious if all the Rockstar games take place in the same universe or if some are just fictional stories within that universe. Ponder that one for a while.

Haha, i never even thought of that. Id say no tho. I mean Liberty City seems too, i dont know, goofy to exist in the same world as this title or even Redemption.

 

[Wolvieboy17]

Well there is a Red Dead easter egg in LA Noire :P

 

[Jericho]

I'm sorry, but I'm confused by various reviews and comments...does this game have free-roam, or not?

Yes, it does have free roam. However, so far (and I've just joined the traffic division) it keeps you on a case. You can deviate and drive/go where you want to, but you are meant to stay on the case.

As a resident of Southern Cali (Hollywood for 7 years) I can say that street-wise, it is accurate for what is included. It runs from downtown LA heading north western to Hollywood stopping at the hills. You need to use the compass to tell you what street you are on, there are no street signs.

From what I have seen, it's alot like True Crime Streets of Los Angeles. There key parts that are accurate, but otherwise gets populated with relatively generic/not so accurate blocks. My old Hollywood neighborhood at Cahuenga and Franklin is nothing like the real deal (and yes, even in 1947 much of that neighborhood would still be the same.) So that part is a bit disappointing. Then the block with Pantages is dead on. Otherwise, driving around 1947 LA is a trip. You can see how it was once a more interesting CITY before they gutted things like the cable cars and let the neighborhoods go to ****. The freeways/reliance on cars ruined everything.

 

[Benstamania]

I think I'm going to go watch Band of Brothers followed by The Black Dahlia until the Mrs. comes home with this, lol.

 

[Master Chief]

They shouldn't of. Thats like complaining that you cant beat up the fans in NBA 2K11(even if you are playing as Ron Artest). There is no, no, no need to do that type of stuff in this game. Period.

lol since this wasn't developed just by Rockstar I'm not gonna argue it anymore.

Maybe you'd prefer Mafia 2 then, since being a criminal clearly appeals more to you.

Right on bro.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

I think I'm going to go watch Band of Brothers followed by The Black Dahlia until the Mrs. comes home with this, lol.

Good call.

Altho i think Phelps served in Japan, so maybe The Pacific would be the better choice?

 

[Raiden]

lmao you're acting like I think 1 step back and 2 steps forward is a bad thing. Yeah, I'd dig the option to go on killing sprees and outrun the cops in 40s LA but I'm not crying about it: I just think it's lame they didn't give you the option.

There are enough games out there like Saint's Row, Mafia 2, and GTA4 that cater to this freedom; I think games like LA Noire should try something different and I think it is great to actually play as a cop instead of being chased by one.

 

[Benstamania]

I'm actually glad it's not some super open sandbox game. I always grew tired of the GTA games (outside of 3) and ended up not finishing them. Red Dead was great but I just found hunting/skinning and the challenges SO addicting that I couldn't help get side tracked, plus the story was so great that it was easy to play through til the end.

 

[Benstamania]

Good call.

Altho i think Phelps served in Japan, so maybe The Pacific would be the better choice?

Hmm, perhaps. I like the Pacific and I have the bluray set... but something about it isn't as good as BoB. Every time I watch BoB I just feel like I'm part of their group.

They seriously did a fantastic job at getting you to know the guys of Easy and really care about them. I also wish the Pacific had interviews with the Survivors at the beginning much like BoB did.

Not that I didn't care about the guys in the Pacific. Sledge and Snafu are the most fleshed out.

 

[Matt]

Are we unable to download the exclusive PS3 content, since the store is down?

 

[Jericho]

I'm actually glad it's not some super open sandbox game. I always grew tired of the GTA games (outside of 3) and ended up not finishing them. Red Dead was great but I just found hunting/skinning and the challenges SO addicting that I couldn't help get side tracked, plus the story was so great that it was easy to play through til the end.

Exactly, the story as well as the world it was set in was awesome. That game got me pretty emotional towards the end in a way that only that immersion/narrative can achieve.

GTAIV's real problem isn't the size of the world so much as the poor save system and difficulty. I don't have all damn day to start all over if I fail a mission. The other problem is the needing to keep up your social contacts. Don't have time for them because you are on your way to a mission? They turn into cry babies and won't go out with you purely because you didn't drop everything for them.