This week is a huge one for gamers, with two of the year’s most anticipated titles dropping within the next 5 days. First up we have the PC exclusive dark fantasy RPG, The Witcher 2, which hits local retail today. Secondly, we have Rockstar Games’ open-world action-adventure/thriller, L.A. Noire, which is out on Friday.
L.A Noire reviews are already in, and the general consensus is that the game is absolutely brilliant, seizing an early Metacritic score of 91 on PS3 and 92 on Xbox 360.
Here is what some of the world’s leading gaming publications have to say:
Giant Bomb 5/5
L.A. Noire is a bold release, because it defies the expectations not just for the type of game Rockstar usually releases, but also for the type of game that receives this degree of care and proficiency in its execution. The world already has enough open-world action games, but a game which marries that open world to such a methodical style of gameplay, with a budget this big, is a rare thing indeed. Read more
VideoGamer 10/10
There’s something entrancing about the way this game plunges you into the violence, the corruption, and the sadness of post-war Los Angeles. Each of the four major desks has a remarkably different tone, and while the slow reveal of Phelps himself is the major narrative thread, it’s equally true to say the dark heart of the city itself is an equally important protagonist. Read more
LA NOIRE
1UP A
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. Read more
GamePro 5/5
This stellar detective story from Team Bondi and Rockstar Games is a bold, cinematic step forward in the evolution of the HD-gen adventure game genre. Read more
GameSpot 9/10
L.A. Noire’s absorbing investigations and intoxicating sense of style make it an unforgettable journey through the seamy side of the City of Angels. Read more
Destructoid 9/10
Add that sense of uniqueness and intelligence to the fact that L.A. Noire is a terrific bloody videogame, and you have what is guaranteed to be a classic for years to come. True maturity and narrative depth in mainstream gaming begins right here. Read more
Joystiq 4.5/5
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. Read more
CVG 8.9/10
A disappointing level of freedom then, a choice of either hand-holding or hardcore clue hunting and a typical Rockstar lull in the middle is what holds L.A Noire back from being absolute genius. Thankfully the experience, the story and the characters do more than enough to entertain during the simpler gameplay points in a way that no game has previously. Read more
GameInformer 88/100
At times, L.A. Noire is one of the most vivid, gripping game experiences I’ve had. Other times, it can be plain boring. As in much noir fiction, the truth lies in the gray area between those two extremes. It’s an adventure I won’t soon forget, filled with characters as fascinating as they are flawed – a bit like the game itself. Read more
IGN 85/100
L.A. Noire may not reach the emotional heights of a game like Heavy Rain, but it’s something everyone must try out. It reaches high and almost succeeds as a brilliant new type of video game narrative. Read more
Eurogamer 8/10
L.A. Noire is slow but quietly engrossing; its mechanics are suspect, but you can’t fault the ambition, attention to detail and commitment that went into its making. It risks stumbling over its own earnestness at times, but it’s saved by its star – and I don’t mean Staton, who does his best with a dry character. That star is Los Angeles. Read more
L.A NOIRE is out locally this Friday, and is being released on Xbox 360 and PS3.
The MyGaming Shop is currently taking pre-orders
L.A Noire PS3 R509
L.A Noire Xbox 360 R509
LA Noire gameplay video
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