10 Reasons L.A. Noire Is Rockstar's Most Underrated Game

5. The Entire Cast Is So Good

Spearheaded by Cole Phelps, the entirety of LA Noire's cast, from the suits in the police headquarters to the countless suspects you come across, are all superbly realised in the context of the game.

Brilliantly written, each character feels complex and rich in a way that Rockstar has failed to replicate since. In a detective title that wears its inspirations so heavily on its sleeve, it must have been difficult to stop the characters from feeling like one-note archetypes, but LA Noire manages to avoid falling into this pitfall entirely.

Not only is the entire cast well written though, but performances by acclaimed character actors constantly shine through despite their bit parts. The likes of Kurt Fuller and Patrick Fischler make the most of their small roles, often stealing every scene they're in.

Video games have come a long way in capturing the nuances of an actor's performances over the past couple of generations, but LA Noire still remains the benchmark for Hollywood-level acting and writing.