Mastering the Mean Streets: Your Guide to Punching, Shooting, and Surviving in L.A. Noire
Ever been in a smoky alley in 1940s Los Angeles, wanting justice in L.A. Noire, but fumbling like a rookie cop? Don’t fret. Even experienced detectives need reminders. This guide helps you navigate L.A. Noire, from perfect punches to warning shots without missing your target.
Getting Down and Dirty: The Art of Fist Fighting in L.A. Noire
Sometimes tough talk doesn’t cut it. When words fail, fists come next. How do you land a solid punch in L.A. Noire?
- How to Punch 101: The foundation for any detective. On PlayStation, press ✕. For Xbox, hit A. PC users click the left mouse button. It’s simple and effective when you connect with a deserving punk.
- Buttoning Up for a Brawl: Punching is just step one. Know your arsenal well. While the game simplifies it, remember action buttons are key under pressure.
- Tackling Trouble Head-On: Need to close the distance fast? While there’s no explicit ‘tackle’ button, sprinting into an NPC can disturb them or start a struggle. Experiment to see what gets results when time is short.
- Dodging a Beatdown: Avoiding punches is crucial. To dodge like a pro, enter lock-on mode. Once locked on, use the movement stick to dodge those punches. Practice until dodging feels second nature.
- Grappling Glory: Press Triangle, Y, or Q to initiate a grapple. If fast enough, swing your target to control the crowd or disorient them before landing a blow. Beware though; a not stunned foe can break free.
- Lock-On: Your Fighting Focus: Lock-on mode is essential to fight effectively. Hold the left trigger on consoles or the right mouse button on PC to lock onto a target. Letting go means fighting blind – no blocking or dodging.
Become a Dodgeball Champion: Evasion Tactics 101
Punching is great, but not getting punched is better. L.A. Noire allows for slick defensive movements.
- Bobbing and Weaving Like a Pro: This classic technique is about moving your target. Picture a boxer swaying their head and body to slip punches. That’s the art of bobbing and weaving.
- Rolling with the Punches (Literally): “Rolling” serves as dramatic dodging. Pivot your body with the punch’s momentum to reduce impact. This opens space for counter-attacks.
- The Tactical Retreat: Stepping Back: Sometimes stepping back works best. Create space to reset and reassess. It’s often effective if you need breathing room or to bait your opponent in.
Shooting Straight: Gunplay in the City of Angels
Fists work for brawls, but sometimes you need weapons in L.A. Noire. The shooting mechanics are user-friendly.
- Aiming and Firing: Getting accurate shots is important. The game offers some auto-aim help, especially on consoles. To aim, use R1 (PlayStation) or RB (Xbox). Adjust aim with the right stick. PC users click the right mouse button to aim and the left to fire.
- Warning Shots: A Shot Across the Bow: To stop a fleeing suspect, use warning shots. Aim at them and keep it there until the circle fills up on screen. Phelps will fire into the air, convincing the suspect to obey. Ensure they run straight when aiming.
- Taking Down Wheels: Stopping Cars the L.A. Noire Way: High-speed pursuits are common. To stop a suspect vehicle, drive alongside it and let your partner shoot out the tires. Teamwork ensures mission success without mishaps.
Beyond Brawling and Bullets: Mastering the Detective’s Toolkit
L.A. Noire is about more than fistfights and gunplay. It’s detective work too. Here’s a rundown of key mechanics.
- Interrogation 101: Truth, Lies, and Doubt: Interrogation is vital for detectives. When questioning a suspect, choose between Truth, Lie, or Doubt. Trust them? Pick Truth. Think they’re lying? Choose Lie. Suspect holding back? Doubt is key.
- Investigating Like a Pro: Leave No Stone Unturned: Investigate everything that stands out. Click on anything interesting. Be thorough and inquisitive; you may find vital clues.
- Street Crimes: Random Acts of Detective Work: Want extra detective practice? Street crimes can appear randomly during missions via radio messages. After finishing main cases for a desk, quit to the main menu and select ‘The Streets of LA’ to resume side cases.
- Cutscenes: To Skip or Not to Skip?: Value patience, but sometimes you want action fast. Use Backspace on PC to skip cutscenes, though some scenes are unskippable, like case introductions.
- Car Ownership: Drive it Like You Stole It (But You Can’t Keep It): Found a desirable vehicle? Too bad. L.A. Noire doesn’t offer a vehicle save feature. If you take a car without triggering autosave, it disappears when reloading.
Game Progression and Completion: The Long Arm of the Law
Diving into completion? Here’s essential information about achieving success in L.A. Noire.
- 100% Completion: The Detective’s Diploma: Want full mastery over L.A. Noire? Pursue a full 100% completion by finishing all 26 story cases and collecting 8 novels and 20 records.
- Replaying Cases: Second Chances and Perfect Scores: Completed but want to improve? Replay any case using the main menu for practice or reliving favorite detective moments.
- Failing Missions: It’s Not the End of the World: Mess up a mission? Don’t stress. Failure doesn’t derail the story in L.A. Noire. Expect different cutscenes yet continue progression easily.
- for a perfect run, roll with the punches for your first playthrough (pun intended).
- Post-Game Play: The Cases Never Close (But the Story Does): Once the main story ends, Cole Phelps’ arc is done. Continue with cases. Replay them repeatedly. Think of it as refining your detective skills.
- Maxing Out Your Detective Skills: Level 20 Legend: Care to be a top detective? Level 20 is max rank in L.A. Noire. Interrogate suspects and collect items. You can reach level 20 quickly, even mid-game. Max rank grants 5 intuition points per case. It eases tough interrogations. You also unlock cool outfits and hidden vehicles.
L.A. Noire: The Big Picture
Let’s step back and appreciate the game.
- L.A. Noire 101: How it All Works: This is a third-person, open-world detective game. Explore 1947 Los Angeles. Drive cars, walk the streets, and rise in the LAPD, from Patrol to Arson. It combines investigation, interrogation, and action, all in a stylish noir package.
- Setting the Scene: 1947 Los Angeles: The game recreates 1947 Los Angeles with detail. Follow Cole Phelps’ journey in the LAPD. Solve cases from petty theft to murder. Navigate post-war LA’s corruption along the way.
- Map Size: A Concrete Jungle: Is the L.A. Noire map huge? Not like GTA V, but it is big. It stretches diagonally from Olympic and the river to Hollywood Blvd and La Brea, about eight and a half miles of city to explore. Plenty of space for chases and crimes.
- Day and Night Cycle: Crime Never Sleeps (Literally): While there is no clock in free roam, L.A. Noire has a day/night cycle. Observe the light to gauge time. Street crimes often happen at specific times of day or night.
- Real Crimes, Reel Drama: Inspired by True Events: Are those cases fictional? No. Many are based on real crimes from 1940s Los Angeles, adding historical depth to gameplay. The “Driver’s Seat” case, for example, is inspired by Eugene White’s 1947 disappearance.
- L.A. Noire vs. GTA: Apples and Oranges (or Detectives and Car Thieves): Is L.A. Noire similar to GTA? In some ways it is; open world, cars, crime. But it is slower and more methodical. It’s about investigation and interrogation, not just action. A detective story comes first.
- No Sequel?: A Case of Unsolved Mysteries: Why is there no L.A. Noire 2? Team Bondi, the original developers, shut down. The game was a success, yet studio closure and sequel issues mean a follow-up seems unlikely. A true crime in gaming history.
So there you have it. From throwing punches to understanding 1940s Los Angeles crime, you’re ready to navigate L.A. Noire like a seasoned detective. Now get out there, solve some cases, and avoid getting your fedora shot off.
