L.A. Noire

Full disclosure: I really liked L.A. Noire, but I’m also someone who has a weakness for the style and atmosphere of the period, and for stories of hard-boiled detectives operating within the all-consuming corruption of the L.A.P.D. (L.A. Confidential is one of my favorite films of all time.) I recognize that there were things about this game that felt unsatisfying to many players, and that’s a big part of why I think the concept of a detective game set in 1940s L.A. deserves another chance. There’s still so much potential in it! I think there must be tons of people out there who would love to play a great noir crime saga that sees you investigating murders, chatting up dames in smoky jazz clubs, and finding yourself in way over your head as the trail of evidence leads you to run up against some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the city. Let’s give it another shot, with clearer, more refined interrogation mechanics and character models that don’t inhabit the uncanny valley quite so blatantly. — Carolyn Petit