The Hype: Easily one of the most anticipated games of the PS3-360 era, L.A. Noire promised a film noir thriller in video game form, complete with the most photo-realistic characters up to that time, and if that wasn't cool enough, it was to be published by Rockstar Games. What Happened?: L.A. Noire was a decent game, but it fell pretty short of the over-inflated reviews (89 on Metacritic) and was sadly more style than substance. Few can argue with the gorgeously-rendered city nor the terrific acting and jaw-dropping facial animations, but after a few hours, the various investigations you're tasked with undertaking end up feeling incredibly similar, making it hard to be interested in actually finishing the game. After the third or fourth dead hooker shows up and the various detective mini-games have repeated themselves ad nauseum, it becomes apparent there's just not very much to the game beyond its admittedly superb look. Also, for those who did persevere all the way to the end, the climax will be sure to prove divisive, even if it is easily the most daring thing in the entire game. From Game of the Year candidate to something many who bought it struggled to finish, L.A. Noire tripped over its own hype and is barely talked about these days (well, except in articles like this).
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
