Is LA Noir Really That Impressive?

L.A Noir was hailed as one of 2011’s most innovative games, combining intuitive interrogating techniques to aid you in your pursuit for justice, as well as exhilarating chases through a 40’s style Los Angeles, but personally, despite it’s obvious inventive positive’s, it almost felt stifled by its own sense of grandeur. Your initial reaction to LA Noir, is one of wonder, “Wow! Look how realistic they look, he’s defiantly lying”, but after a handful of cases you begin to understand just how repetitive Noir is. You get a case, investigate, interrogate, chase down a reluctant perp, interrogate some more, and repeat, and although successfully cross-examining criminals that leads to a conviction is gratifying, it soon becomes tiresome. But my main gripe with Noir is with the facial responses of characters.

As I previously stated, it’s initially difficult not to be impressed by the technology involved, but it never felt truly organic. Where as in Uncharted 3, Drake’s Reactions to his vastly exaggerated scenarios, felt more akin to his character and a more natural experience, which helped you sympathise with Nate’s increasingly arduous plight, than those perceived in LA Noir. It truly does sully the overall immersive experience, when criminals faces appear to distort in all manner of unrealistic posses, or appear more suspicious than one particular political figure, attempting to persuade us that “He’s not a crook”.

LA Noir is a good game, with many intriguing cases and an affectionate, if not flawed lead, but one that suffers under its own “very” high standards. But can you really consider the technology that was involved to create the rather “mechanical” facial contortions, as impressive let alone the future?

 P.S I respect Rockstar for attempting something different, and I hope they continue to do so.

Were you impressed by LA Noir? Or were the facial animations too forced? Let me know what you think.