It's okay. I'm a detective!

     Have you ever played cops and robbers? Of course you did! Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a detective and solve crimes? Well you don't have to wonder anymore. The developers over at Rockstar have created yet another excellent game. Their latest masterpiece is called L.A. Noire and it is something to behold. The story is set in Los Angeles during the 1940's. You start out as a rookie cop but soon work your way up to becoming a detective and solving the city's major crime cases.

     If you've ever played any of the Grand Theft Auto series or Red Dead Redemption this game will seem very familiar in a lot of ways. You still have a large open world that you can drive around and explore pretty extensively. I have to add that 1940's Los Angeles is beautifully recreated in detail. It's simply awesome. There is traffic, people walking around, historical landmarks, and more. Throughout the game you will work through many cases that will progress you through the game's story line. On top of the main cases there are tons of side missions. These range from stopping a robbery to trying to keep a man from jumping off a building. These side missions are fun and add that little extra spice to the game.

     The main missions is where the game is at (of course). To me, every case was great. I found myself really getting into the cases and the characters you meet. Part of that amount of depth belongs to the amazing facial technology Rockstar used for the game. You have to pay attention to the facial expressions and body language of each person you question. Whenever you pose a question, they will answer. You will then have to decide if they are lying, telling the truth, or you can doubt their answers. If you think they are lying you then have to select a piece of evidence you found to back it up. At the end of each case you are rated on how well you did as far as finding clues, using evidence, and answering questions correctly. You can replay cases, which is nice if you don't get that coveted five star rating.

     People have been so amazed at how detailed the game is that video game show X-Play even had an actual L.A. detective play the game to get his insight on how accurate the game was. He was stunned at how closely the developers went with details and said it was very accurate to what a detective does. He also mentioned how true it was to that specific time period too. I found that to be a testimate to how much work and effort was placed into this game.

     There's dlc for the game and the best way to get it all is in the form of the 'Rockstar Pass.' This $12.00 pass will grant you access to all of the pre-order bonus cases "A Slip of the Tongue", "Naked City", and the Badge Pursuit Challenge. You'll also get the Sharpshooter and Broderick outfits. Not only do you get that, but people who buy the pass will also get access to two new cases called "Nicholson Electroplating" and "Reefer Madness." The "Nicholson" dlc was released on June 21st, and the "Reefer" dlc will be released on July 12th. 

     L.A. Noire simply put is a great game. It's a game that I found doesn't need to be rushed through. You should take your time with it and savor all the detail. The developers should be proud of the fine game they created. If you haven't played L.A. Noire yet go do it now. It will finally give you the chance to live out your childhood fantasy of being a detective. Now go and polish up that badge. You've got some cases to solve!

Final Verdict: 10/10

Written by: Alter Ego 83