Joy-Con Support With Motion Controls
This is probably the most Nintendo Switch specific reason to pick up the L.A Noire re-release and is something we’ve never seen from Rockstar’s game. As well as being able to play as you would on another console, there is a Joy-Con mode that brings with it gyroscopic, gesture-based controls, HD rumble, and new wide and over-the-shoulder camera angles, plus contextual touch screen controls for portable detective work. You will be able to feel, more than ever, like you’re the one conducting the interviews and interrogations with the Switch’s unique controls. Since this is something that wouldn’t be possible on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, it is a compelling reason to buy L.A. Noire on Switch instead.
All DLC Included
The original release of L.A. Noire was supplemented by the release of five new DLC cases for you to solve. These included a Vice case called Reefer Madness which saw you and your partner attempt to take down a local drug dealer, an Arson case that led you to solve the mystery of the explosions at the Nicholson Electroplating plant, and a Homicide case which tasked you with discovering why a fashion model with the world at her feet is found dead floating in her own bathtub. Some of these cases are among the best available in the whole L.A. Noire experience and they’re all included in the upcoming re-release.
Also, any additional weapons, outfits, and challenges that were included in the original season pass (which cost $11.99 when the game first released) will be included in the new Nintendo Switch version.
Might Persuade Rockstar to Bring Other Games to Switch
L.A. Noire will be the first Rockstar game to release on the Nintendo Switch and, while it is unrealistic to expect a game the size and scope of Red Dead Redemption 2 or the next Grand Theft Auto game to release on the console, success in terms of sales numbers for the upcoming re-release could prompt the publisher to port their other titles for Nintendo’s console. They could add to the incredible sales figures of GTA V if it was possible to get the game running on the Switch, or they could bring back the Max Payne games or the first Red Dead Redemption game. It could give Nintendo fans that haven’t played the games before the chance to get their hands on them and it would be a great way to play some of the best games from the last decade on the go.
Upgraded Visuals
As you would always expect from a Rockstar title, L.A. Noire was a beautiful game in 2011, and it still is today. On top of the impressive facial animations, the open world was vast and detailed, and character designs were always varied. However, the version coming to current generation consoles will be getting a graphical upgrade across the board. While it will play natively in 1080p on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, and stunning 4K for PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X, it will undoubtedly be one of the best looking games on the Switch.
When Rockstar’s game initially released, very few people expected to see it playable on a handheld console, especially not a Nintendo one, so it will be wonderful exploring an even better looking 1947 LA.
Attempt to Decipher Those Tricky Facial Expressions Again
The facial animation technology used to make L.A. Noire was a huge selling point for the game when it released in 2011. Not only did the characters’ faces look generally more realistic than we’d ever seen before, but the little facial cues that were now visible played into the gameplay. During your investigations, you’d look for small expressions on suspects’ faces that could help you work out whether they were lying or not. It meant that every question was important and focusing on even the smaller details was vital.
However, the facial cues weren’t always as subtle as they were probably intended. It seemed like many of the inhabitants of post World War II Los Angeles didn’t have the best poker faces around. For example, does it look like the man above is telling the truth? No, not at all. Even a cop of Paul Blart’s standards could work out that he’s hiding something, let alone a highly regarded detective. That being said, it was always fun trying to work out what a character’s face was really saying and it’ll be great to do so again with the Switch re-release.
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