Arts & Culture
LA Noire gets the next gen treatment

In a surprise announcement, Rockstar has revealed that its detective adventure LA Noire is coming to four new platforms — Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and VR. And I, personally, can’t wait to delve back into the rich underbelly of 50s LA. When it first came out seven years this game became an obsession for me as I marveled at its detail and its complicated and shocking storyline. Rockstar are the kings when it comes to sandbox games. They did it with Red Dead and GTA V is still one of the best games out there, regularly played to death by myself. According to Rockstar, the new PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game will “deliver the complete original game and all additional downloadable content with a range of technical enhancements for greater visual fidelity and authenticity,” including 4K support for the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro. On the Nintendo Switch, meanwhile, the game will introduce both motion and touch controls to the main game. Hopefully it’s a sign that other Rockstar titles like Grand Theft Auto V could eventually make their way to Nintendo’s portable console as well. All three versions will be available on November 14. Perhaps most exciting, though, is a VR spinoff that represents Rockstar’s debut in the realm of virtual reality. Called LA Noire: The VR Case Files, the new game will feature seven self-contained cases from the original game redesigned for VR. The spinoff will be available on the HTC Vive, though it’s not clear when the VR version will launch. The original LA Noire was first released in 2011 on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3, and was notable both for its distinct film noir aesthetic, and its impressive facial capture technology. It really is like you’ve stepped into a film. You half expect the cast of LA Confidential to step out of the shadows at any moment. And there’s nothing like following the clues, and ignoring the red herrings, to hunt the criminals down. It’s fantastic stuff. What’s most surprising though is that this is a remastered version of the older game and not a wholly new game itself. Hopefully enough time has passed that it doesn’t just feel like I’m repeating history. And there is a part of me that is disappointed that this is not a whole new experience. But hopefully if this does well on the new consoles Rockstar might revisit it for a sequel. But with such good characterisation and plot I’ve got to admit that I’ll be first in the queue to pick up my police badge and gun and hit those streets trying to catch me some perps.

  • LA Noire gets the next gen treatment