Why the complaints about L.A. Noire?

[Netrigan]

It all comes down to if you like the investigation/interrogation aspect of the game. The driving and shooting mechanics are just serviceable. If walking around waiting for your controller to vibrate, then trying to figure out game logic during interviews doesn't float your boat; this is going to be a pretty boring game.

And the whole investigation/interrogation aspect of the game is fairly flawed. I would expect this to be seriously expanded and maybe re-tooled for the sequel.

Other than that, it's an interactive movie that will constantly remind you of L.A. Confidential... which will constantly remind you of Chinatown.

"She's my sister." "She's my daughter."

1) The investigative elements are typical adventure fare, somewhat retooled--provided someone accepts the game for what it is, rather than what they think it should be, I don't see a problem.

2) By "flawed" do you mean "ambiguously constructed"? Because a lot of fans seem to be complaining that it's difficult to predict the responses of interviewees or the exact nature of the assertions being put forth--aspects of the game which I felt kept it surprising, since I was acing all of the action portions and clue hunts by latter half of the game but still found interrogations a more human, less statistical process.

3) The game is kitsch, sure. But the narratives of games have to reach parity with films before they can eclipse them--and for the most part, I found myself started by the quality of L.A. Noire's voice acting, facial animations, and muted, not-always-in-your-face story. I mean, in what other game is there random in-dialogue references to Clement Attlee's rivalry with Winston Churchill?

1. Well, if you think you're getting a shooter and you get an adventure game, that's going to color your reaction. The marketing of L.A. Noire emphasized the more action oriented stuff, so there's going to be a fair number of people who see those trailers and "Rockstar Present" and figure they're in for a game like GTA or Red Dead Redemption. If they like adventure games, then they'll probably go along with it... but what if they don't like adventure games? They're going to feel ripped off.

2. I'm re-playing a few missions right now. Very minor spoiler. Just as I started typing this, I'm asking a liquor store owner if he knows such and such a person. He says "not personally". This is 100% true. He's never met the man before, but the correct answer is "doubt", which shakes loose a bit more information. The game is littered with such responses. What they say is absolutely true, but I have to select "doubt" or "lie" to get the right response. And they keep score... which is absolutely silly when you're faced with two thin cases and have to send the "right" innocent man to jail.

The whole true, doubt, lie system is filled with tons of illogical aspects. It also doesn't allow for a more natural flow of interrogations. It works well enough for most people, but some people find the entire system repetitive, boring, and frustrating. Even most of the glowing reviews point out the frustrating aspect of interrogations. And I've seen more than a few people who initially enjoyed the game, but got bored by the time they hit Vice and the game started stringing together the core mechanics in longer and longer strings.