Do Enough Gamers Have The Patience For L.A. Noire?
L.A. NoireIn just about every facet of entertainment, we see evidence of a depressing decline in attention spans and overall patience. It's one of the reasons we believe the Call of Duty phenomenon is both sustained and widespread.
But when it comes to a game like Team Bondi's L.A. Noire, which very clearly requires a player to step into the shoes of a detective - a position that demands the utmost in regards to patience and diligence - we're a little concerned: does the current "satisfy me now" gaming culture have room for such an intellectual title? We have more confidence than we had last year, when we asked if Heavy Rain was simply too smart for most gamers; as it turned out, the game went on to be a huge success. With over 1.5 million units sold, that greatly eclipsed the original expectation of only a few hundred thousand. So it proved there is an audience for such an interactive experience...at least so far as the PlayStation 3 is concerned.
Therefore, we'd hope to see L.A. Noire succeed in much the same way. In fact, we hope it's even bigger. Based on all the footage we've seen thus far, it appears to feature a combination of slower-paced sleuthing (i.e., exploring a crime scene, following up on clues, interrogating suspects, etc.) and action mechanics that remind us of Red Dead Redemption in terms of execution. This could very well be one of the best productions of 2011; there's no doubt it's already one of the most ambitious of the generation. But as CoD grows and the casual gamers become a bigger and bigger part of the gaming demographic, we still worry that certain intellectual pursuits will be ignored. We know a lot of you are looking forward to it, certainly, but then again, we have an older-than-average readership.
So we have our concerns but hopefully, later this year, we'll find that L.A. Noire was yet another rip-roaring success for Rockstar...well, provided the game turns out as well as we think it will. Review scores still push software, remember.
Related Game(s): L.A. Noire
Tags: l.a. noire, la noire, games industry, game culture
3/13/2011 9:27:46 PM Ben Dutka
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Comments (71 posts)
WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 9:56:49 PM
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Will it sell like CoD? no, but since so many people still think Rockstar is making it that name alone carries enough cache to bring it the kind of success it deserves. I hope it opens a few minds too, not only with gamers but with developers who don't necessarily have to doom themselves to making a bunch of FPS games.
7 up, 0 down
Qubex
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 10:46:33 PM
Needless to say, Heavy Rain has its quirks, I am sure L.A. Noire will have its quirks as well. Shouldn't detract from the overall game... but time will tell. From what I can see, read and heard is seems like it will be a quality title worth the $60 outlay.
I will await the review first though...
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:29:10 AM
4 up, 4 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 3:18:58 AM
3 up, 0 down
Qubex
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 4:04:07 AM
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
1 up, 0 down
Lord carlos
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 10:10:37 PM
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Well at least untill june when i change my profession to that of an electrifying superhero.
AHAHAHA
3 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 10:11:47 PM
1 up, 0 down
kraygen
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:08:08 PM
0 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 10:24:00 PM
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1 up, 0 down
THEVERDIN
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 10:47:25 PM
2 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 11:21:27 PM
1 up, 2 down
BikerSaint
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 3:16:43 PM
Actually, I've never been to Vegas, & no desire to do there either. I'm up on the East Coast, up in the Atlantic City casino area.
And the closest I'll ever get to Vegas is while playing Fallout:New Vegas(once I get it),LOL
Last edited by BikerSaint on 3/14/2011 3:17:39 PM
0 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 3:37:33 PM
Last edited by BikerSaint on 3/14/2011 3:37:57 PM
0 up, 0 down
SixSpeedKing
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 10:30:31 PM
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I loved Heavy Rain and this game sort of looks like the same type of deal, where you investigate and piece the story together as you go along. I definitely have patience for games like this, I just wish more people did as well.
0 up, 0 down
Beamboom
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 1:31:43 AM
The investigator-interface in Heavy Rain were pretty cool though.
Last edited by Beamboom on 3/14/2011 1:33:22 AM
1 up, 0 down
FxTales
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 10:43:17 PM
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5 up, 0 down
JSwayze
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 11:03:40 PM
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1 up, 1 down
Kiryu
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 9:17:46 AM
Japanese Voices Rock!
0 up, 0 down
Ricochet
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 11:08:26 PM
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LA Noire looks to be great and unique. I'd bet anything Quantic Dream wishes it has similar MO-CAP tech. So far, most of the games for me are basically for the thrills and storyline (DS2 for instance. This game may be something good as breathing space between awesome exclusives.
But I'm gonna get YAKUZA 4 first. HHAAHAHAHAHAHAH!
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 11:12:57 PM
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Ooops...I'm not supposed to talk about Call of Duty. The Sensitive Suzi's might be watching. =P
Anyway, I am thrilled to play this game. Like Red Dead Redemption, this one seems to be another breath of fresh air in a drowning sea of shooters and 5 hour campaigns.
5 up, 1 down
SayWord
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 11:41:01 PM
Ps. Jawknee can you add my new psn, sayword01 hah
0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 11:44:44 PM
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 11:53:58 PM
Indeed World. I liked Red Dead's campaign though it started to drag at the end. Castlevania just got better and better and I want more!
1 up, 0 down
Ricochet
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:01:42 AM
I think they should ditch the GPS map function that is prevalent in the GTA series. It takes away the "investigative" mechanic they're trying to promote here in this game. If they expect us to note the finer details on the suspect(s)/evidence(s) in the game yet they can't expect us to read from the map traditionally? I have no problem doing this with Silent Hill. It makes us discover the world within LA Noire making us recognize "landmarks" and such.
0 up, 1 down
Jawknee
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:21:39 AM
1 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:33:06 AM
2 up, 0 down
Lawless SXE
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:14:56 AM
Also, has it been confirmed that the minimap has GPS functionality?
Peace.
1 up, 0 down
Ricochet
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 6:31:20 AM
1 up, 1 down
kraygen
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:11:43 PM
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:28:45 PM
0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:10:16 PM
0 up, 0 down
DazeOfWar
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:12:45 AM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
Excelsior1
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 1:51:31 AM
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i don't buy the 360 is holding back the textures. the overall size and scope of the game maybe. textures really come down to video ram, and the 360 has just as much as the ps3.
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:08:41 AM
Blu Ray makes a difference. Only need to look at God of War III, Uncharted and Killzone. No game on the 360 seems to sport texture resolutions that high. If it just came down to video ram we wouldn't have games on the PS3 that look that good.
Last edited by Jawknee on 3/14/2011 2:13:46 AM
1 up, 1 down
Excelsior1
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 3:25:56 AM
btw, this is off topic, but does anybody know know if there is voice chat in re5?
2 up, 3 down
Jawknee
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:22:39 PM
0 up, 1 down
___________
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:17:28 AM
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ive said this a million times about this game, im just worried there going to punish people too much for making the wrong choices and thus put them off playing the game.
ive seen a few trailers of your character been promoted, and ive seen a few trailers of your character being threatened of being fired.
now im making a assumption here, but if those are linked to how well you read interrogations then thats really going to hurt the games sales.
if you got someone on your back because you keep misinterpreting a suspect, then its not really fun is it?
if your constantly missing out on a promo, or a new car, or weapons, or levels or whatever because you cant tell if a person is lying or telling the truth then thats going to get really frustrating real fast.
i just hope they dont doom the player that is not a lie detector too much.
obviously you cant reward people if they dont get the right answer, so they need to try balance it out properly to have a reward and non reward but not to make people feel cheated out of it.
R* bondi have done themselves a real disservice, because, well they have not made things easy because its not exactly simple to tell if someones lying or not.
if it was why does the FBI and co spend millions in R&C on polygraphs and such?
this games got the potential to be heavy rain of 2011, so unique, so ambitious, i just hope they dont destroy that by making the game frustrating as hell because you keep getting sh*t flung at you because you cant tell if someones telling porkies or not.
0 up, 3 down
Lawless SXE
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:30:03 AM
Besides, it's a linear experience. They've already said that your performance in catching the crims will have an effect, but you'll still be promoted, as long as you come to a conclusion. Remember, it is possible to put the wrong person behind bars.
Peace.
0 up, 0 down
___________
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 7:53:24 AM
a eagle eyed friend pointed out to me the ask the community option in the diary towards the end of the latest vid.
looks like will be able to ask others what they think, maybe they would have evidence we dont have.
i hope they just dont make the game too obscure.
everything you do can really stuff up the game, so i hope they dont make it too hard to stay on the straight and narrow.
thats what i liked about heavy rain, they could of made it that if you dont find certain bits of evidence you never catch the killer.
but they did not, if you dont find enough evidence they throw you several lifelines to compensate it.
i just hope LA Noire is like that.
as they say, shame on you if you fool me once, shame on me if you fool me twice.
i just hope the actions wont be too drastic.
0 up, 1 down
Gabriel013
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:18:47 AM
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0 up, 1 down
Lawless SXE
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:24:07 AM
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I read a few commenters on IGN saying that they're going to go GTA on the game as soon as they can and set about shooting people and driving like a maniac. As always, I can see the appeal of that, but why would you want to when this game is so, SO much more than that?
I'm definitely buying this because I legitimately think it is a GotY contender. Because it seems like a genuinely interesting, innovative and rewarding game. And because it's one way of supporting the local economy. Heavy Rain was one major step towards maturity and new concepts in gaming and this is right beside it, or perhaps leaping off from it.
Peace.
0 up, 0 down
Jalex
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:37:06 AM
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The false notion that Rockstar is just one development team seems to continue leading people to believe that all the games they publish are going to be ''Grand Theft Auto' in the '????'' And I continue reading comments on the videos of the game, pondering when they're going to show more "real gameplay", i.e. more shooting. This expectation will likely frustrate many, who will either criticize the game's perceived lack of "real gameplay", or who will simply refuse to buy the title at all.
That's all guesswork, of course. The gaming world may surprise me, making this game a huge hit and showering it with accolades (which it appears to deserve).
1 up, 0 down
Snaaaake
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 4:25:29 AM
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Can't say which one is better but UC obviously has better texture.
0 up, 0 down
D1g1tal5torm
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 6:20:36 AM
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I see huge variety in levels on patience required in many forms of entertainment. A quick example, I enjoyed watching The Cove as much as inception, and that is what makes entertainment interesting and enjoyable – the variation.
The main point is that the form of entertainment actually needs to be good. If it is good enough, OR enjoyable enough, it will do well.
If a good or enjoyable game is out there – it'll get my money for sure. That's why my expectations for this game are high.
0 up, 2 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 10:19:52 AM
It's also well documented.
2 up, 0 down
kraygen
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:13:43 PM
Hey look a bunny!
;)
1 up, 0 down
Excelsior1
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:43:13 PM
me2 had a strong emphasis on story. and had a ton of dialogue. gamers had enough patience for that so there seems to be room in the market for thoughtful games. i really enjoyed the dialogue options in me2 a lot.
playing detective sounds like a lot of fun. it will be really interesting to see if they can pull it off.
2 up, 0 down
D1g1tal5torm
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 3:21:24 PM
0 up, 1 down
YashaZz
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 8:38:53 AM
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I will have lot's of fun with this before Ico/Shadow Collection and The Last Guardian drops by.
1 up, 0 down
slugga_status
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 9:21:13 AM
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I think this isn't only due to short attention spans..I also believe multiplayer has a lot to do with it as well. There are tons of people who bypass campaign/story mode and go straight to the multiplayer aspect of a game. A lot of people want to shoot at something now and if possible with their friends.
I think the true gamers will pick this up and enjoy as it was meant to be played. Too much complaining about minimal things that you really won't notice once you're "into" the game.
1 up, 0 down
dork02840
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 9:26:33 AM
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i think LA noire will scratch an itch gaming wise. much like how mobster movies never go out of style. hopefully itll be the gaming equivalent of the godfather and itll do well. i just see rockstars name on the marquis and its more of the same from where i sit. in fact, while writing about LA Noire and convincing myself that its something id D1P i realized that the over saturation of crime drama in tv and gaming as well as movies makes me hesitant to spend the money on it, time piece or not. it actually made me consider getting red dead redemption used for like 30 if i can find it.
0 up, 4 down
Jawknee
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:26:05 PM
1 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:16:52 PM
1 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 4:12:32 PM
I'll just leave it at that.
0 up, 1 down
Beamboom
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 5:47:35 PM
And you can't say the Rockstar games are buggy. There has been bugs, yes, but one have to realize that creating an open world environment like they do is a lot more complicated than creating a linear, pre-scripted small mapped game. The two can almost not be compared.
I've played GTA:Vice City and San Andreas for hours and hours continuously without one single hiccup, that's how *stable* Rockstar games are, now how buggy.
Last edited by Beamboom on 3/14/2011 5:49:45 PM
0 up, 0 down
kraygen
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 12:16:49 PM
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I'm just hoping with all hope that it is a very well done system, I can't get rid of this nagging feeling that it's going to be gimmicky and hold my hand. I want to have to think to solve these crimes and in the back of my mind a voice keeps screaming that it's going to be like most games where it tells you what to do next without any thinking being required.
Hey I hope that little voice is wrong, but I still can't get it to stop nagging at the back of my mind.
0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:13:22 PM
0 up, 0 down
kraygen
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 5:13:34 PM
I don't know why, it just keeps nagging at me, something keeps saying it's going to be more of a gimmick than a useful and fun game mechanic.
0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 6:23:34 PM
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 3/14/2011 6:23:49 PM
0 up, 0 down
kraygen
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 10:13:51 PM
0 up, 0 down
duomaxwell007
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:38:06 PM
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0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 6:26:26 PM
0 up, 0 down
Danny007
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 2:58:54 PM
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0 up, 0 down
Lairfan
Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 8:20:17 PM
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I mean, look at RDR. All these articles posted about how the game might not do well, and look what happened there. Word of mouth got around that the guys who made GTA also made RDR, and with the crapload of advertising and promotions they put out there, it was a shoe-in to get millions in sales (no matter if it was a Western or not). I have no doubt L.A. Noire will probably be the same way.
0 up, 0 down
AshT
Reply
Sunday, March 13, 2011 @ 9:50:19 PM