L.A. Noire is a 2011 action-adventure game developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar Games. Set in Los Angeles in 1947, the game follows the rise of detective Cole Phelps through the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department as he solves a range of cases across various bureaus. When he is tasked with investigating a morphine distribution ring involving several of his former squadmates from World War II, Phelps finds both his personal and professional life falling into turmoil, and reluctantly joins forces with his estranged former comrade, Jack Kelso, to uncover a major conspiracy involving prominent Los Angeles figures.
The game is played from a third-person perspective. The player may freely roam its interactive open world, primarily in a vehicle or on foot. As the game progresses, the player advances through several police department bureaus—Patrol, Traffic, Homicide, Vice, and Arson. The story is divided into multiple "cases", during which players must investigate crime scenes for clues, follow up leads, and interrogate suspects and witnesses; the player's success at these activities impacts how much of each case's story is revealed and their overall rating. The game features fast-paced action sequences, including chases, combat, and gunfights. Outside of cases, the player can complete optional street crimes and collect items found around the game world.
The development of L.A. Noire began following Team Bondi's founding in 2004, and was assisted by multiple Rockstar studios worldwide. L.A. Noire uses the proprietary motion capture technology MotionScan, which captures actors' facial expressions from every angle, resulting in a realistic recreation of a human face essential for the game's interrogations. As part of their research for the open world, the development team conducted field research in Los Angeles. The game features an original score inspired by 1940s films, and contains licensed music of songs from the era. The game was delayed numerous times through its seven-year development, which included a change of publisher and platforms. The working hours and managerial style of the studio was met with public complaints from staff members, and Team Bondi closed shortly after the game's initial release.
L.A. Noire was the first video game honoured as an official selection at the Tribeca Film Festival. It was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles in May 2011, and for Windows in November; an enhanced version was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in November 2017. The game received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed at the facial animation, narrative, characters, performances, music, world design, and interrogation gameplay, though responses to the shooting and driving mechanics were mixed. It shipped four million units in its first month and 7.5 million by September 2017, and received multiple year-end nominations from gaming publications. L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, a subset of cases playable in virtual reality, was released in December 2017.
Gameplay L.A. Noire is an action-adventure game with neo-noir and crime genre elements. Played from a third-person perspective, the game is set in an open-world environment featuring Los Angeles in 1947. The player completes cases to progress through the story, fulfilling objectives in a generally linear order; as they roam the open world, the player can also complete optional street crimes—short, linear scenarios with set objectives—and collect items such as golden film reels, vehicles, novels, and golden records. The player can also discover multiple landmarks based on real monuments from Los Angeles in the 1940s. For most of the game, the player controls Cole Phelps, a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) patrolman who advances through the police department bureaus (desks) of Traffic, Homicide, Vice, and Arson; in some cases during the final desk, the player controls investigator Jack Kelso. The player has the option to play the game in black and white to imitate film noir.
While solving cases, the player discovers evidence, including information from non-player characters or physical clues found in or around crime scenes, locations of interest, or dead bodies; several pieces of physical evidence can be manipulated or further investigated to discover more information. When all key clues are discovered at a crime scene, the investigation music concludes. The player can also use telephones or gamewells to contact the police radio and access additional information. During cases, the player interrogates suspects and witnesses to discover information. When the interviewee responds, the player is given the option to either believe them, doubt them, or accuse them of lying. If the player accuses them of lying, they must submit evidence to prove it. The player's in-game notebook is used to list evidence, locations, and people involved in the case, as well as to select questions during interrogations.
When interrogating two suspects at the police station, the player may decide whom to charge with the crime; charging the wrong suspect affects the case's end rating—a five-star scale determined based on the player's performance in investigations, interrogations, and behaviour while driving. The player can use Intuition points during investigations to locate remaining clues, or during interrogation by removing an answer or discovering the most popular answer among players via the Rockstar Games Social Club. Progressing through the game will increase the player's Rank, which unlocks outfits and hidden vehicles, and earns an additional Intuition point; the maximum rank is 20. In some cases, while searching for clues, the player can discover newspapers, which provide access to a short cinematic covering a part of the game's overarching plot.
The game's world is primarily traversed on foot or in a vehicle. The player can climb over fences and up pipes and ladders to access different areas. While driving, the player can turn on the vehicle's siren, allowing them clearer passage through streets. The game also allows the player to skip travel sequences: as Phelps, they can nominate their partner as the driver and select the destination; as Kelso, who lacks a partner, they select the destination and arrive after a loading screen. As Phelps, the player can also ask their partner for directions. The game features fast-paced action sequences, including chases, combat, and gunfights. The player uses melee attacks and firearms to fight enemies; weapons can be swapped by opening the boot of the player's police vehicle. In combat, auto-aim and a cover system can be used as assistance against enemies. Should the player take damage, the screen colour will begin to fade to black and white; when free from damage, the character's health will gradually regenerate. Weapons can only be used in appropriate circumstances, such as during firefights; in some chase sequences, the player has the option to fire a warning shot against fleeing suspects. The player's partner will sometimes shoot at suspect vehicles during driving chase sequences. The player is presented with the option to skip action sequences and continue through the narrative upon failing three times.
Synopsis Characters
For most of the game, the player takes on the role of Cole Phelps (Aaron Staton), a decorated United States Marine Corps veteran from the Sixth Marines. The game begins with Phelps as an LAPD patrol officer alongside his partner Ralph Dunn (Rodney Scott), another new recruit. When Phelps is promoted to the Traffic desk, led by Captain Gordon Leary (Ned Vaughn), he is partnered with Stefan Bekowsky (Sean McGowan), a Polish American whom Phelps eventually befriends. Upon his promotion to Homicide, led by Captain James Donnelly (Andrew Connolly), Phelps is partnered with Rusty Galloway (Michael McGrady), a weary and cynical detective who often challenges Phelps's theories and opinions. In the Vice bureau, led by Lieutenant Archie Colmyer (Steve Rankin), Phelps becomes partners with Roy Earle (Adam J. Harrington), a sardonic and corrupt detective with whom Phelps repeatedly clashes over morality, behaviour, and technique. During his time in Vice, Phelps begins an extramarital affair with Elsa Lichtmann (Erika Heynatz), a German jazz singer. As a detective, Phelps frequently works with coroner Dr. Malcolm Carruthers (Andy Umberger) and technical crime scene investigator Ray Pinker (JD Cullum).
Following his demotion to the Arson desk, led by Captain Lachlan McKelty (Randy Oglesby), Phelps is partnered with Herschel Biggs (Keith Szarabajka), a former Marine and proficient detective who is reclusive and opposed to partners but eventually grows to respect Phelps. For some Arson cases, the player controls Jack Kelso (Gil McKinney), a former Marine with whom Phelps developed an intense rivalry. Kelso, initially a claims investigator at California Fire and Life and later a District Attorney Investigator, helps Phelps and Elsa discover the truth behind the Suburban Redevelopment Fund (SRF)—a program founded under the pretense of providing affordable housing for returning veterans. Members of the SRF include real estate magnate Leland Monroe (John Noble), California Fire and Life vice-president Curtis Benson (Jim Abele), and psychiatrist Harlan Fontaine (Peter Blomquist). Fontaine's mentee is medical student Courtney Sheldon (Chad Todhunter)—a former Marine stationed with Phelps and Kelso—who becomes involved in the city's drug trade through a partnership with gangster Mickey Cohen (Patrick Fischler). One of Fontaine's patients is Ira Hogeboom (J. Marvin Campbell), a former flamethrower operator from the Sixth Marines who became severely traumatised after unintentionally burning out a cave of civilians on Phelps's orders.
Plot In 1947, after successfully solving a major murder case as a patrol officer, Phelps is promoted to detective. His tenure at the Traffic desk results in solving multiple cases of murder and fraud. Six months later, after a stint on the Burglary desk, Phelps is promoted to the Homicide desk. He and Galloway investigate various cases containing similarities to the Black Dahlia murder, arresting numerous suspects. However, Phelps is doubtful they are apprehending the actual murderers; his theories are ultimately proven correct. They eventually track down and kill the real murderer but are unable to publicly disclose his identity due to his relation to a powerful government official. The wrongfully arrested suspects are due to be released via mistrial.
Upon being promoted to the Vice division, Phelps investigates the distribution of military surplus morphine, stolen from the ship that had brought home his former Marine unit from the war. He learns that several members had stolen and distributed the morphine, only to be assassinated on the orders of Cohen. During this time, Phelps begins his affair with Elsa. Earle helps several prominent figures in the city draw attention away from a major prostitution scandal by exposing Phelps's adultery before he is able to draw a confession from Sheldon over his involvement with the stolen morphine. In exchange, Earle is given a place in the SRF. Phelps's marriage ends, he becomes disgraced in the LAPD, and he is demoted to the Arson desk, where he is tasked with investigating several suspicious house fires. Despite noting a solid connection between them and a housing development the SRF operates, Phelps is warned off by Earle from pursuing the syndicate and its founder Monroe. Seeking help, Phelps prompts Kelso to look into the matter.