To Live And Die In L.A. Noire [VIDEO GAMES]

March 19, 2011 Posted in Cool Stuff, Entertainment, homepage, Video, Video Games

This May, Rockstar Games is going to release a game unlike anything they’ve ever released before: A game where you solve crimes, instead of commit them. L.A. Noire is one of the most anticipated games of 2011, and with the recent release of the first ever gameplay trailer, that anticipation continues to build.

In L.A. Noire, you star as Cole Phelps, star detective and expert hat-wearer. Crisscrossing a meticulously re-created 1947 Los Angeles, you solve crimes, romance dames, catch killers and wear hats.

Based on the trailers, this game seems to follow in the Rockstar tradition of sophisticated stories and top-notch voice acting. But that’s nothing new.

What is new is that you apparently spend a lot time *not* shooting people . As this gameplay trailer shows, a majority of the game seems to involve you searching for clues and conducting interviews. You have to use the evidence you’ve collected to guide you as you question suspects. Much of the investigation is determined by knowing when to be the good cop, and when to be the bad.

This conversational nuance is possible because of MotionScan, a new image capture technology which uses 32 cameras to record facial expressions with a level of detail never before seen in a game.

Initial reports had some critics wary that the game was drifting into Uncanny Valley territory, but recent trailers, in my opinion, have revealed something unique. It’s managed to retain the core Rockstar “look” while also adding a layer of character expressiveness that seems completely, well, non-freaky.

There’s an estimated 20 hours of voice acting and a huge cast. Every trailer has a least one actor of the “hey, it’s that one guy from that one thing” level of fame – that is, while the cast isn’t filled with big movie stars, it is filled with people you’ll recognize and who can actually act. Which is a good thing, since facial expression and tone apparently plays a big part in how you question each person you encounter.

While the game has yet to be released, so far it’s looking good. Rockstar games have been consistently strong with story, dialogue and action – if this new technology delivers as promised, L.A. Noire could be the game of 2011.