
The game is "surprisingly mature" - and reminiscent of classic movies like Chinatown and L.A. Rockstar Games could have just "cranked out" a period-piece version of Grand Theft Auto, but they've gone above and beyond. Noire as a potential game of the year," says Brett Molina at USA Today. Yes, it's like a classic film: There's "enough evidence to label L.A. Noire a contender for "game of the year." Is it really 2011's best offering?


The characters are being commended for their incredibly realistic expressions, and are based on actual actors (including Aaron Staton, who plays Ken Cosgrove on Mad Men) rather than animations.

(See a trailer below.) Players try to solve a grisly murder case in 1947 Los Angeles, similar to the infamous Black Dahlia killing, by investigating crime scenes and interrogating witnesses. Noire, released Tuesday by Rockstar Games (the makers of the popular Grand Theft Auto series), is being hailed as revolutionary for its rich narrative and lifelike renderings.
