Menu Close

Rockstar: L.A. Noire Story-Driven And Open-Ended

L.A. Noire appears to be one of the more ambitious and innovative games of the year but while Rockstar excels in the sandbox category ( Grand Theft Auto , Red Dead Redemption ), they want to make one thing clear: Team Bondi's crime thriller is not in the same category.

There is some freedom involved but as Rockstar boss Jeronimo Barrera told The Telegraph , L.A. Noire is story-driven, despite the open-ended nature of the world. Said Barrera:

"Well, this isn’t really a sandbox game. You’re not going to go out and create your own gameplay. This is story-driven. The world is open for the player to explore and there are activities which may allow you to deviate from the straight and narrow – for example, on the way to a crime-scene you may get a call that a bank heist is in progress and you may want to head over there and stop it. You can explore the city and find LA landmarks and such."

They want to create a pacing akin to a good TV crime drama, and players will have to perform investigations and interrogations. And to spice things up, they'll toss in some chase scenes that add flavor to the atmosphere; the goal is to "blur the lines," so-to-speak. Barrera said they want the game in question "to be the flashpoint where people start to think of games and film as being on the same entertainment level." He also adds that he believes they "already are."

So it's like a blend. Now our only question is, when's it coming out? So far, we only have the vague "Q2 2011" estimate…

Related Game(s): L.A. Noir

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
22 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
ffyfe7
ffyfe7
13 years ago

Can't wait for LA Noire. It's exactly the game I have been looking for. With Rockstar and Team Bondi working together I guess I have high hopes 🙂

swapnilgyani
swapnilgyani
13 years ago

While open world games are fun to play and explore (mostly), it's not really a necessity in every game. How many great examples do we have of it this generation itself?!

And while we're on the topic, does anybody else feel that the term 'sandbox' isn't quite right for this type of gameplay? It's…..it's open world!

A certain PS3 game from 2007 allowed you to create whatever you'd dare to imagine, and its successor releasing this week is set to blow the lid right off it! Now THAT'S what you'd call sandbox.

Oxvial
Oxvial
13 years ago

I hate all the hype about this game, effing ridiculous to not show some gameplay atm.

Alienange
Alienange
13 years ago

Actually Barrera was quoted as having said that the footage of LA Noire that we've seen is actually game play. If you watch it again you'll see the interrogations of which this article speaks.

Oxvial
Oxvial
13 years ago

after all this years of development that isn't enough for me, I want to watch a proper gameplay video.


Last edited by Oxvial on 1/10/2011 11:04:25 PM

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

I like the hype, I think it will live up to it for me at least.

Simcoe
Simcoe
13 years ago

I am very much looking forward to this game, seems like it's been in development for as long as GT5! Might be nice to get more info about the game, so long as it doesn't spoil the story.

Jalex
Jalex
13 years ago

Fine with me. I'd give up inconsequential tasks for story missions any day.
I just hope the game is long.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

This is fantastic news, the whole GTA style sandbox thing is mostly dead to me. I like this idea, keep it explorable, but stick to a well told story and focus on the player's skill at his job.

I think the pacing is going to be great. I want that release date too. Soon as this releases it gets all my attention. I might even be interested in any DLC that had to be cut when it went from Exclusive to multiplat.

Qubex
Qubex
13 years ago

I'm with you on that World… it does look very exciting this title… I may have to open the wallet further and go for L.A. Noire and Killzone 3 as day one purchases.

Facial animations are the best I have seen thus far. This may do for games what Avatar has done for movies recently… at least on the technology front…

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

Alienange
Alienange
13 years ago

The technology used in this game is certainly amazing and seeing and hearing about Rockstar's involvement with the game certainly gives me a lot of confidence. This just might be the one to watch in 2011 … along with like six others.

oONewcloudOo
oONewcloudOo
13 years ago

i like the sound of this the problem i had with GTA is that i kept getting side tracked by side missions and forgetting about the main plot… this game seems to give you an open world but is first and formost a story drivin game

Beamboom
Beamboom
13 years ago

Haha me too – when I'm back to the main missions after loooong breaks doing anything but storyline it's always, "what? Why's he saying that? And who is THAT guy?". 😀

Lawless SXE
Lawless SXE
13 years ago

So, it's a little like Mafia II? It's set in an open, explorable world, but the focus is firmly on the story. Great! But this won't be the first game to blend cinema with gaming… Heavy Rain already did that fabulously :D.

Honestly, this should be good, and if I've discovered anything, it's that you have to support the local market or we'll get Krome Studios all over again. COME ON! Let's keep the Aussie games industry alive!
Peace.

Alienange
Alienange
13 years ago

Loved Mafia II. No one does knee capping like that anymore.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

I want an option to play it in black and white.

Simcoe
Simcoe
13 years ago

Will this B&W setting include with film scratches and audio pops? 😉

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

Yes I want scratches and pops too.

qwerty__91
qwerty__91
13 years ago

This game looks so amazing! The detail with the faces is just stunning!

slugga_status
slugga_status
13 years ago

If only they gave a solid release date I'd pre-order this bad boy. Everything about this game tells me it's going to breath some fresh air into the "sandbox" style gameplay. The video looks good as well. 2011 is going to be even bigger then 2010 for gaming..

NoOneSpecial
NoOneSpecial
13 years ago

Can't wait. I do love a good mystery and the whole open-world makes it even more appealing.

Beamboom
Beamboom
13 years ago

If anyone can pull the gaming-vagon further and succeed in a *good* merge of linear and open-world, it has to be Rockstar…

22
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x