With only one day left for the release of L.A. Noire in the US, the reviews are starting to flood in from many major gaming sites, including IGN, Joystiq and Gamespot. Most, if not all, reviews are extremely positive about the game, and mainly compliment the great story and motion caption technology.
Below is a list of some of the reviews.
IGN[]
Link
Grade: 8.5/10
- "L.A. Noire has issues, but it's also a bold and unique take on games as entertainment. The core gameplay mechanics work -- no issues with driving, chasing perps across town, taking cover, shooting people, figuring out what to do next, or understanding how to interrogate a suspect. The various elements never come together at the same time to create something spectacular, but there are a lot of good things going on. Some will love L.A. Noire for being different and others are going to find the slower pace a deal-breaker."
- ―IGN
Joystiq[]
Link
Grade: 5.5/6
- "This is a little glimpse of an explored territory in interactive media, a hint at an incredibly exciting future that I can only hope we're hurtling towards. L.A. Noire may not always be "fun" in the traditional sense, but it's also unsatisfied with being "merely fun," and the result of that aspiration is something that no one who cares about video games should miss."
- ―Joystiq
Gamespot[]
Link
Grade: 9.0/10
- "For all of its attention to detail, L.A. Noire hits the occasional false note. For instance, the way people you pass on the street constantly comment loudly to nobody in particular about having seen you in the papers or indicate that you could use a bath is awkward, and it sticks out like a sore thumb in a world that tries so hard to be believable. But this is a minor nitpick with a game that gets under your skin the way few games do. L.A. Noire's length can vary significantly, depending on how many street crimes you respond to and how much of your own driving you do, but in any case, the 21 story cases make for a complete and satisfying experience. You come into contact with the seamy side of the movie industry and with major players in the gambling racket; you meet working stiffs and powerful businessmen; you encounter low-ranking mob thugs and Mickey Cohen, one of the most powerful gangsters in Los Angeles at the time. L.A. Noire is a unique game with a terrific sense of period atmosphere, absorbing investigation mechanics, and a haunting tale with plenty of moments that would be right at home in a classic film noir. Those smoky nights spent listening to jazz at the Blue Room, and the price you paid for them, will stay with you long after you've retired your badge and gun."
- ―Gamespot
Gametrailers[]
Link
Grade: 9.1/10
1UP[]
Link
Grade: A
- "L.A. Noire has a lot of hype surrounding it, but I've no doubt that this isn't a game for all gamers. However, I think all gamers should at least give it a shot. This is vastly different from the countless first- and third-person shooters and all the "me too" open-world games sitting on store shelves. All the things I've only read about in Dashiell Hammett novels, or seen in film classics like Double Indemnity, have all come to interactive life in L.A. Noire. Team Bondi has gone to great lengths to wrap you up in the game's story, and from my experience they've succeeded. I investigated these crimes. I apprehended the suspects. I pieced together all the clues. L.A. Noire had me more involved in its first thirty minutes than some other games do in their entirety, and that makes this a game you may regret passing on. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon -- and for the rest of your gaming life."
- ―1UP