Warning: Contains no nudity
It’s only been a matter of weeks and already I’m missing the smell of young women’s corpses and the clutter of syringe filled back alleys. It’s a strange feeling attempting to wean of crime and corruption, but L.A. Noire offered up a very addictive approach and solving mysteries and serving justice. Those who feel the streets aren’t clean enough just yet, however, can clock in once again with the titles’ first downloadable case; The Naked City.
The Naked City case takes place in the midst of Phelp’s career on the Vice desk of the LAPD, him and his partner Roy Earle are called to the scene of a young woman who’s overdosed on a plethora of drugs both on and off prescription. As always, however, a keen eye and a mild bit of sleuthing suggests that this is more than just a simple suicide and Cole is determined to get to the bottom of just how the young girl has met her tragic end.
Out of all the Vice cases, this has to be my personal favourite, playing out more like a mystery on the Homicide desk. The simple circumstances unfold into a complex web of lies and deviants which is sure to have you intrigued from beginning to end . The case lasts for around about an hour upon a first play through, and has just the right mix of gunfights,chases, interrogations and stealth segments throughout. It’s definitely a very strongly balanced case, and has a story that is worth the price tag.
The fact that this case was part of a pre-order incentive is pretty obvious within the writing, as it feels a lot more in place with the game as a whole should you be playing it through, rather than coming back to the DLC after completion. There’s nothing here which directly affects the predominant story arc, yet there are segments which do outline some character conflicts that feel like they’re bringing a lot more context and personal depth to the narrative. Personally, I can’t help but feel it’s more satisfying to play through this case along with the main game, and coming back to it offers slight glimpses of hindsight which, although interesting, looms over your shoulder as if you wanted to be in the moment when all the drama occurred.
L.A. Noire was universally acclaimed for its high production values, and standards remain high with this add-on pack. However, there are some slight concerns with the cut scenes this time around. There is a slight lack of polish in the direction, some characters start speaking before another can finish their sentence, and though not cutting out vital information, some simply cut out and end at awkward moments. It’s nothing major, but a tad awkward when you find an entire scenario closing right in the middle of someone’s grieving monologue.
The Naked City has a very good amount of content for the price being asked for, and even better value if you’re dedicated enough to buy a ‘Rockstar Pass’, enabling you to download all the future DLC cases at basically half the price. There are some minor scuffs with cut scene direction, but this is by far one of the most enjoyable cases in the game. Should you not be too bothered into digging into the corruption of L.A. and more in tune with the lives within it, this add-on pack is definitely worth a look into.
The Bad: Some mild directorial oddities in cut scenes, Feels more in place in the midst of the game rather than after it
Silver Y Award