2011 Game of the Year #06 - L.A. Noire

The praise L.A. Noire deserves is two-fold. First of all it should be recognised that L.A. Noire was a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable open-world adventure. But what should be regarded above all else, is that L.A. Noire revolutionised using innovative motion capture technology, the way real-life actors can now be portrayed in a digital world – an art that will no doubt have a massive impact on the future of gaming.

I am of course referring to L.A. Noire’s Global Illumination and MotionScan technology– the clever equipment used to record an actors’ facial movements to create life-like physical responses on the faces of characters in the game. This sophisticated system allowed Rockstar’s detective thriller to blossom into an engaging and exciting game that blew away many gamers, with myself included.

At first glance L.A. Noire looked like a typical Grand Theft Auto game in a classic setting – I could deal with that but the idea wasn’t exactly phenomenal. It was only when I investigated my first crime scene and interrogated my first suspect that I realised there’s a lot more to L.A. Noire than a simple GTA skin. I went on to unravel a string of heated investigations that weaved a thrilling story intertwined with brilliant narrative and character development.

Despite the controversy and eventual closing down of Team Bondi, I still have faith that Rockstar will eventually return to the franchise to bring out a sequel. One of the main criticisms of L.A. Noire was that the facial animation was so good that it made bodies in the game look horrible in comparison. Prior to liquidation, Team Bondi spoke of attempting to use their technology on the body as well, so there’s definitely room for experimentation to once again push boundaries in the video game industry – just think of all that untapped potential!

Ultimately, it’s L.A. Noire’s impact on the industry that warrants its position on my list of 2011’s best games – if you haven’t played it I suggest you go grab a copy and take part in what will no doubt be considered a crucial and important step forward for gaming.

Favourite things about L.A. Noire:

Completely innovative facial animation made any verbal interaction engaging, especially the interrogation scenes.

A beautiful soundtrack from the 1940’s played throughout your entire journey.

The ability to let your partner drive saved so much time and was a fantastic tool to get around quickly.

Most annoying things about L.A. Noire:

Set piece chases were quite anticlimactic and the pace just didn’t feel hectic enough.

The facial technology was not implemented on bodies making them appear quite stiff and lifeless in comparison.

Case management got a little frustrating near the end.

Thanks for reading and check the blog tomorrow as I award 5^th place to a sci-fi horror-shooter that played testament to one of my favourite movies, Event Horizon.

As always, check me out on Twitter @ss4Igor

Editor's note -- forgive the font issues, blogspot is having a nightmare right now.