LA Noir (by Rockstar Games) wow...

[Slumberland]

Go into options and turn the color off. Wow.

That is SO COOL.

I don't have the game yet... will probably wait for the first price drop on Amazon, but I'm definitely playing it in black and white.

We recently restored Laura and Kiss of Death here a my job. A couple excellent noirs.

[ScoopBrady]

My face while playing last night:

Only got to play for a little over an hour but it was pretty much everything I was hoping for. The game is by no means perfect but it does nail what it is looking to accomplish. There are parts at the beginning of the game that seem a little choppy but I don't really care about that stuff. The gameplay is awesome.

[dbdynsty25]

My face while playing last night:

Only got to play for a little over an hour but it was pretty much everything I was hoping for. The game is by no means perfect but it does nail what it is looking to accomplish. There are parts at the beginning of the game that seem a little choppy but I don't really care about that stuff. The gameplay is awesome.

I must be in the "choppy" segment because I'm not exactly thrilled at the moment but I can see where there is some promise. Hopefully it picks up...I'm really only about 30 min. in so I've done literally nothing. Outside of the facial animations and acting it's just "meh" so far. Hopefully I can play more tonight.

[sportdan30]

Gonna wait for a price drop, and pick up Red Dead Redemption pre-owned for $26.99.

L.A. Noir sounds like a great game, but something about looking for clue, interrogating, etc sounds a little repetitive imo. Not to mention the guy still gets arrested whether you effectively interrogated him or not?

[JRod]

Gonna wait for a price drop, and pick up Red Dead Redemption pre-owned for $26.99.

L.A. Noir sounds like a great game, but something about looking for clue, interrogating, etc sounds a little repetitive imo. Not to mention the guy still gets arrested whether you effectively interrogated him or not?

Waiting because of what you just said. Reminds me of King's Quest and I didn't really enjoys those games because of the repetition.

[GameSeven]

Gonna wait for a price drop, and pick up Red Dead Redemption pre-owned for $26.99.

L.A. Noir sounds like a great game, but something about looking for clue, interrogating, etc sounds a little repetitive imo. Not to mention the guy still gets arrested whether you effectively interrogated him or not?

Waiting because of what you just said. Reminds me of King's Quest and I didn't really enjoys those games because of the repetition.

Or more likely... Police Quest

[Zeppo]

Not to mention the guy still gets arrested whether you effectively interrogated him or not?

I'm not very far in (just past where you make detective), but it's not quite that you can mess up all you want and everything turns out ok, at least not any more than any other kind of game. It's just that where in other games you die when you mess up and then reload at the checkpoint and try again and keep trying until you get through the challenge, here you just sort of fail your interrogation and have to do it over again.

So yeah, there's trial and error, but that's just like most games. So far it seems that there aren't too many consequences for messing up other than having to do the interrogation again, but I'm only doing very simple cases so far, and can easily imagine (or at least hope) that as I progress up the ranks the cases will get longer, more involved, and more complicated.

[sportdan30]

I see what you are saying Zeppo. I just think it'd be more enjoyable if you perhaps failed to arrest somebody because lack of evidence or whatever, and they turned out to be guilty and committed another crime. Meaning, there would be repercussions (demotion, outcasted, revenge, etc). But because the story pushes you in a certain direction, it doesn't seem like that would be possible.

[Zeppo]

I see what you are saying Zeppo. I just think it'd be more enjoyable if you perhaps failed to arrest somebody because lack of evidence or whatever, and they turned out to be guilty and committed another crime. Meaning, there would be repercussions (demotion, outcasted, revenge, etc). But because the story pushes you in a certain direction, it doesn't seem like that would be possible.

Yes I suppose that kind of thing would be cool if this were a massive RPG or something, but that's not what this game is. The way this game is, your suggestion is more akin to saying that it would be cool in Uncharted if there were repercussions to getting killed, like the game is over, or to not saving Sully or whatever character in a certain scene, and then he's not part of the game anymore and you can't ever get that clue to where the secret door is near the end.

[Danimal]

Against my better judgement I picked this up and will give it a go tonight. Still sounds like a graphic version of a choose your own adventure book or the old Sierra adventure games but I'll try it and see for myself.

Has anyone gotten much further in, does the game expand at all?

[Zeppo]

What's up with saves in this game, anyone? I just finished talking to Mrs. Black and left her house, got in the car, and then quit out to check on some stuff at the top end. When I resumed, it put me outside her house before talking to her, so I had to go through all that again. Aaargggh! Didn't take too long, but still it's annoying. Anyone know how to tell when you are safe to quit without having to redo a bunch of stuff? Any way to manually save? I'm confused.

[dbdynsty25]

What's up with saves in this game, anyone? I just finished talking to Mrs. Black and left her house, got in the car, and then quit out to check on some stuff at the top end. When I resumed, it put me outside her house before talking to her, so I had to go through all that again. Aaargggh! Didn't take too long, but still it's annoying. Anyone know how to tell when you are safe to quit without having to redo a bunch of stuff? Any way to manually save? I'm confused.

It would be safe to assume that you are "safe" after the save icon in the bottom right corner goes away. You don't see it, you haven't saved. Obvious answer right?

[LAking]

I see what you are saying Zeppo. I just think it'd be more enjoyable if you perhaps failed to arrest somebody because lack of evidence or whatever, and they turned out to be guilty and committed another crime. Meaning, there would be repercussions (demotion, outcasted, revenge, etc). But because the story pushes you in a certain direction, it doesn't seem like that would be possible.

Yes I suppose that kind of thing would be cool if this were a massive RPG or something, but that's not what this game is. The way this game is, your suggestion is more akin to saying that it would be cool in Uncharted if there were repercussions to getting killed, like the game is over, or to not saving Sully or whatever character in a certain scene, and then he's not part of the game anymore and you can't ever get that clue to where the secret door is near the end.

Agreed! Perfect example with Uncharted.

[RobVarak]

I don't see a material difference between the game ending and having to retry an interrogation. In both cases you just take a step back and start over.

My only complaint so far is the incongruity between the deliberate and relatively cerebral investigations and the madcap mayhem of the open world missions, with pedestrians diving out of the way of screaming cars and 3-4 wild gunfights per day.

[Teal]

Finally! Nailed a bastard to the wall and got a confession. That felt GREAT. Up until then, it was kind of a lukewarm win sort of thing, where I screwed up, and got my ass chewed for it, but this last guy, I got him. That's a feeling I've never gotten from a video game, where it legitimately felt like I did it, I pieced it together, I got close to losing him, and then I decided to check one last thing out, and bam...watched him squirm, then watched him lash out and admit it. Awesome.

[RobVarak]

OMG this game is so sneakily addictive. It's repetitive and slow, but almost hypnotic lol

I did notice on the social club stats that pretty much everyone seems to screw up the same cases, which is interesting.

I also just had the first bit of frustration, as I clearly see a lead in the "meta" case but I'm not able to follow it up.

Loving this though.

[Teal]

I know what you're talking about, Rob. Have to be kinda vague about it, for spoiler reasons, but I've wanted to chase that for awhile now, too. I'm leaving the sideline stuff alone for now, except for the occasional radio call in. I want something to do after all this is done. I've passed by a few landmarks, but have zero of the films found, and none of the badges (Gamestop preorder), so I'll have time later to 'see' the city properly. What I have seen, though, has been stunning. Just amazing environment, and the radio station...oh my gosh. Love it.

[TCrouch]

I just barely made it past the opening cases and made detective, but it didn't pull me in as much as I thought it would.

What frustrated me is not being able to go with a line of questioning that I would have liked. If I find a gun, why can't I go to a computer and trace the serial, question that owner, and THEN go talk to a potential suspect, for example? If I can, it's a bit too tough to find. There were a few situations where none of the evidence really refuted the suspect's statement, yet "Lie" was the "Correct" choice. If a witness lies to me once or twice, then gives a statement--I'm supposed to use this information as proof against the suspect? Even though it was coming from somebody who had a track record of lying already? Just a bit inconsistent to me.

This is a really interesting game, as the dynamics are there for something special. But as of yet, I still feel a bit limited in what I can follow up on and do. I'm hoping it's just because the cases I ran were all the "tutorial" cases at the beginning, where they go "here's how to investigate. Here's how to shoot. Here's how to run. Here's how to interrogate", and the training wheels come off and I'm free to do what I like as a detective now.

But I didn't have a huge urge to throw it back in the drive after the first hour or so last night--I played The Witcher 2 all night instead.

[greggsand]

What frustrated me is not being able to go with a line of questioning that I would have liked. If I find a gun, why can't I go to a computer and trace the serial, question that owner, and THEN go talk to a potential suspect, for example?

Well, you're going to have a real hard time finding a computer in the 1940's.

[TCrouch]

Sorry, that was funny though.

I meant any sort of tracking system for serials--like log books when somebody registers a firearm.

[Teal]

Wait...

[TCrouch]

What?

[Teal]

Sorry, I don't want to say too much, Terry. Depending on how far you're into the game, and given the desire you have to find out the registry of things...just...wait...

[TCrouch]

Oh, ok. So wait for whatever happens in the game? I didn't know if I was supposed to be waiting for this awesome post or something from you

I only have a Gamefly version, so no manual or anything--is there a better way to tell what you can inspect or not? I'm wandering around trying to get my flashlight to aim down at something and I don't seem to be able to. The "A" button icon didn't show until I was in absolutely PERFECT position in front of a dresser drawer, so I missed it 2 or 3 times running by.

And I'll be damned if I hear whatever this chime is or something near evidence. I kept walking up to something I knew I'd investigate and didn't hear squat but subtle music, which was on all the time.

I dunno, I think there's just so much going on that I feel a bit...overwhelmed? I want to investigate everything and question everything, but I seem to be very limited in the freedom that I have to go on about my investigation. Stand EXACTLY here, say exactly that, etc.

[ScoopBrady]

There were a few situations where none of the evidence really refuted the suspect's statement, yet "Lie" was the "Correct" choice. If a witness lies to me once or twice, then gives a statement--I'm supposed to use this information as proof against the suspect? Even though it was coming from somebody who had a track record of lying already? Just a bit inconsistent to me.

Out of curiosity, did you collect all of the clues before the conversation? It could be that you didn't have the evidence because you missed something.