Zero Punctuation: L.A. Noire

shogunblade

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Apr 13, 2009
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I can actually say that I agree with Yahtzee on this game for once. Don't get me wrong, I have been singing L.A. Noire's praises before it even came out, and I'm not finding myself eating my words, but I really agree with the acting/lying thing as well as the weird body motions, for if nothing else, making me laugh at the hilarious stilted arm animation movements. I laughed so damn hard.

Anyway, I agree in the end, although I haven't beat it, I feel a little bummed that the end of the entire game will really be a major shootout. It's a fun mechanic, but I actually like the case solving parts, really. Makes me long for the days I can wear a yellow hat and coat and speak "I'm On My Way" into my watch without any sense that people are staring at me like I escaped from a mental facility or something.
 

Cheery Lunatic

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Aug 18, 2009
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I actually found the review quite funny as he mentioned things that pissed me off as well (I also got yelled at for 123910238 hours because I chose the "wrong" guy), but I actually really, really liked Phelps. I'm surprised Yahtzee characterized him as a robot, because Phelps is a really interesting and unique character.

Point is, I loved the game, but the ZP of it was hilarious as well.
 

MowDownJoe

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Apr 8, 2009
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You know the hamsters powering the Escapist servers are having problems when Zero Punctuation is late.

But interesting to hear. And that REALLY better not be how it ends... sounds like it got a case of executive meddling there...
 

Undeadpool

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Aug 17, 2009
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I'm really glad I'm not the only one who made that exact mistake. The freaking glasses are repaired, she says he got a new pair, but you're incorrect for point ing that out. It's really, REALLY weird.
Still, aside from that I freaking LOVE this game and I hope it encourages other developers to realize that we don't need to have our most significant interactions with other characters be down the barrel of a gun.
 

scott91575

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Jun 8, 2009
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There could have been some simple fixes to the question issues. Simply add some text to lie. There were too many times he went way off from what the person was talking about, and go nuts accusing them of murder. Other times the person would make a vague statement that would in no way fit any clues I had, but if you choose lie it would go on a tangent and match up perfectly with one of my clues. Just do a Mass Effect like choice next to lie where you at least get the gist of the accusation about to be made. Instead you have to choose lie every time, then check evidence, and back out if it doesn't fit.

I too was frustrated with being forced to charge someone. Too many times I wanted to let everyone go, but I never got the chance. I know that is part of the deal, but you should be given the option to leave a case open with some consequences (like losing the ability to ask for help from a parter or some other problems within the police department).

Overall it's worth playing, but there are some huge holes in the game.

BTW...to the poor handling cars. I know it's mostly the Rockstar engine, but cars back then did handle like they had another car attached to them. So that is actually somewhat accurate.
 

SaintWaldo

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Jun 10, 2008
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YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T DO CAKE JOKES!!!

MY EYES! ZE CEILING KITTEHS ZEY DO NO FAP WATCHING!

But, it was a pretty cleverly hidden one. And now, of course, you'll deny it and I'll have to let everyone know I know your tell. Way to fuck up my poker game.

Well played, Mr. Crenshaw, well played indeed.
 

Casual Shinji

Should've gone before we left.
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Jul 18, 2009
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I would've been upset about the spoiler if I hadn't stopped caring about L.A. Noire the moment I got to Vice.

And I wouldn't say Cole Phelps is a robot; Afterall, robots are cool. I'd say he's more of a dead fish.
 

PleasantAsAHeadcrab

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Jan 22, 2011
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This was more positive than I expected. :/ Granted, I saw posters for L.A Noire on the train a couple weeks ago and promptly thought 'Oh god here we go again'. Though...I'm not sure why I thought that. I'm not familiar with nay other games like L.A Noire. But the principle of the thing is that I thought it looked /bad./

Yahtzee makes it sound like it might be worth checking out...? Maybe..?
 

GloatingSwine

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cefm said:
As I recall, Sierra did an detective investigation game based on Bladerunner in the early/mid 1990's that basically ran into all of these issues as well, but was a cool game nonetheless. I am disappointed that the guys at Rockstar were unable to do better than a 20 year old game.
Westwood, not Sierra.

The old Blade Runner game was actually quite awesome for it's day, since it randomised who was a replicant to some degree, and did have quite a lot of branching outcomes (not just covering for you when you sucked, the whole course of the game could change)

And, of course, it was actually Noir, which L.A. Noire really isn't. It should really be called something like L.A. Pastels. None of the characteristics of film noir cinematography or storytelling are present, all there is is the setting.
 

floppylobster

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Oct 22, 2008
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-Dragmire- said:
It is kind of hard to keep motivation in a case that will move on regardless of your decisions.
Please don't become a real detective then.

(Recaptcha was 'uzerep COPLAND'!)
 

Bluecho

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Dec 30, 2010
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What exactly is the point of a largly story-based game founded on interrogations if the final climactic sequence is a shootout? You wouldn't see Phoenix Wright ending with a quicktime event or something.

And that's not to say you couldn't have a final shooting sequence, but can that come alongside a very difficult interrogation? Possibly right before or right after?

That's the problem with mixing gameplay styles like this. There's no way to satisfy fans of both because they may require completely different pacing, and if one is to be perfect the other might be found wanting.
 

-Dragmire-

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Mar 29, 2011
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floppylobster said:
-Dragmire- said:
It is kind of hard to keep motivation in a case that will move on regardless of your decisions.
Please don't become a real detective then.

(Recaptcha was 'uzerep COPLAND'!)
Don't worry, the paperwork is too much of a turn off for me to consider it anyway... and I'm not a people person.
 

CardinalPiggles

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Jun 24, 2010
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got to say, the driving is supposed to feel like that, your not driving a ferrari, your driving a car from the mid 40's, plus you are walking and running in shoes and a suit, not trainers and a track suit.

other than that little gripe, good review, it even made me laugh a few times, which is rare.

cant wait for extra punctuation, no know where he says, it was a good game, but could have been better by doing this.
 

eightbitsprite

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Oct 4, 2010
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"No combs have to be combined with shoelaces to form makeshift grappling hooks.." Nice reference, right there, Yahtzee. :D
 

amitypants

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May 3, 2011
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Thanks for ruining the end yahtzee! :(
Okay, really though, funny as always. I had the exact some response with the glasses, ah, silly game :D
 

floppylobster

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Oct 22, 2008
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-Dragmire- said:
floppylobster said:
-Dragmire- said:
It is kind of hard to keep motivation in a case that will move on regardless of your decisions.
Please don't become a real detective then.

(Recaptcha was 'uzerep COPLAND'!)
Don't worry, the paperwork is too much of a turn off for me to consider it anyway... and I'm not a people person.
That, and every case you encounter moves on regardless of your decisions and it's very hard to keep motivated as cases pile up.