L.A. Noire
A 1947 detective game featuring realistic facial animation and interrogation gameplay.
L.A. Noire is an action-adventure game from 2011, created by Team Bondi and released by Rockstar Games. The story takes place in Los Angeles during 1947 and centers on detective Cole Phelps as he climbs the ranks of the LAPD, handling cases in several different bureaus. When he begins looking into a morphine smuggling ring that involves former squadmates from World War II, his personal and professional life starts to unravel. He eventually teams up with his old comrade Jack Kelso, from whom he had become estranged, to expose a conspiracy that reaches powerful figures in the city.
The game uses a third-person camera, and players can freely explore an interactive open world, mostly by car or on foot. As the story advances, the player moves through the Patrol, Traffic, Homicide, Vice, and Arson bureaus. The narrative is split into individual cases, where players search crime scenes for clues, follow leads, and question suspects and witnesses. How well they do in these activities affects how much of the case’s story is revealed and their final rating. The game also includes fast-paced action like chases, combat, and shootouts. Outside of the main cases, players can take on optional street crimes and look for collectibles scattered around the world.
Development started after Team Bondi was founded in 2004, with help from several Rockstar studios around the world. The game uses a proprietary motion-capture system called MotionScan, which records actors’ facial expressions from all angles to create realistic faces, a key feature for the interrogation scenes. To build the open world, the team did field research in Los Angeles. The score was inspired by 1940s films, and the soundtrack includes licensed songs from that era. The project was delayed many times over its seven-year development, which also saw a change in publisher and platforms. Staff members publicly complained about long working hours and the studio’s management style, and Team Bondi shut down not long after the game first came out.
L.A. Noire was the first video game to be chosen as an official selection at the Tribeca Film Festival. It launched on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in May 2011, then on Windows in November. An enhanced version came out for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in November 2017.
Quick Facts
- Title
- L.A. Noire
- Developer
- Team Bondi
- Publisher
- Rockstar Games
- Director
- Brendan McNamara
- Producer
- Naresh Hirani · Josh Needleman
- Designer
- Alex Carlyle
- Programmer
- Franta Fulin · David Heironymus
- Artist
- Chee Kin Chan · Ben Brudenell
- Composer
- Andrew Hale · Simon Hale
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3 · Xbox 360 · Windows · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4 · Xbox One
- Genre
- Action-adventure
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
L.A. Noire was developed by Team Bondi, founded in 2004, with assistance from multiple Rockstar studios worldwide. The game uses the proprietary MotionScan technology, which captures actors' facial expressions from every angle, essential for the game's interrogation sequences. The development team conducted field research in Los Angeles for the open world, and the game features an original score inspired by 1940s films along with licensed music from the era. The game was delayed numerous times over its seven-year development, which included a change of publisher and platforms. Working hours and managerial style at the studio led to public complaints from staff, and Team Bondi closed shortly after the game's initial release.
The game is played from a third-person perspective in an interactive open world. Players advance through police bureaus—Patrol, Traffic, Homicide, Vice, and Arson—solving cases by investigating crime scenes, following leads, and interrogating suspects. Success in these activities affects how much of each case's story is revealed and the player's overall rating. The game also includes fast-paced action sequences such as chases, combat, and gunfights, and optional street crimes and collectible items.
The story follows Cole Phelps, a decorated Marine veteran, as he rises through the LAPD. When tasked with investigating a morphine distribution ring involving former squadmates, Phelps faces turmoil in his personal and professional life and reluctantly joins forces with his estranged former comrade, Jack Kelso, to uncover a conspiracy involving prominent Los Angeles figures. For some cases in the final Arson desk, the player controls Kelso.
Reader's Guide
L.A. Noire is significant as the first video game selected for the Tribeca Film Festival, highlighting its cinematic ambitions. Its MotionScan facial animation technology was a notable technical achievement, allowing realistic facial expressions that were central to the interrogation gameplay. The game received positive reviews for its facial animation, narrative, characters, performances, music, world design, and interrogation mechanics, though responses to shooting and driving were mixed. It shipped four million units in its first month and 7.5 million by September 2017. The game's legacy includes an enhanced version released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in November 2017, and a virtual reality subset, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, in December 2017. The game's development was marked by delays, a change of publisher, and public complaints about working conditions at Team Bondi, which closed shortly after the game's release. The game remains a notable example of open-world detective gameplay and narrative-driven action-adventure.
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