Wednesday 29 June 2011

Damn you Rockstar!

Look, I've complained about Rockstar before. Yes, I admit, the stupid kind of complaint, and the complaint I'm not really allowed to make: "Why do you guys keep making games this good?" I've told you people before how Red Dead Redemption was so good it made me cry, because it made me get attached to the characters. It made me care about the main character's plight so much, when the ending came, I was so incredibly moved. I explained this HERE.

However, their newest installment, L.A. Noire is completely different. The main Character, Cole Phelps, seen below, is someone completely unlike Marston. Marston's seen the true face of danger, was a dangerous criminal, and decided to leave that life, to become a family man, have a ranch. He's forced to become a lawman of sorts to hunt his old gangmates.


Phelps, on the other hand. Is a man with incredible ambition. He came from the war, where he was awarded medals for bravery. His friends hated him, however. Why that is, is only slowly revealed, but it was obvious his ambition was more important to him than anything.
When the war ended, he became a policeman, determined to become the most successful case-man L.A. had ever seen, in time having to hunt his old friends from the war.

The difference between Cole and Marston is that Marston wanted to escape the violence, and life his life happily. Phelps... It's not clear what he wants. He's stone-cold, like Mason, but more because of principle than because of his past. It's shown he was wound too tight before the war as well.

Then why is this game just as good RDR? Because of its story. RDR was a character-driven story. It made me want to continue for my own sake, because I, John Marston, wanted my wife and child back.
L.A. Noire is story-driven, but in such a way that the story fuels the emotions. After having seen the mutilated victims of a serial killer, you start hating him. Not as Cole Phelps, but as the player. And you're going to be the one to catch him, even if it kills you. And that gets stronger and stronger throughout the game, as Cole's character gets more and more 3-dimensional, so does the story. It's in the details. A house burnt down, with 5 people in it, and while searching through the wreckage, you find a family photo. An old baseball with just the slightest hint of a signature on it. And you just can't help but getting angry at whoever did this.

Another great game by rockstar. And they're working on the next Max Payne. I'm wondering how that will work out.