Hands-on Exclusive: The Faces of L.A. Noire

L.A. Noire is the soon-to-be-released video game from Rockstar and Team Bondi. The open-ended mystery game is set in Los Angeles, circa 1947, and casts players as Cole Phelps, a detective working his way through the LAPD.

L.A. Noire utilizes a new facial motion capture technology called MotionScan to bring unparalleled realism to facial expressions. Players will be able to pick up contextual clues from the way suspects and witnesses react during questioning, allowing them to "see the lie."

Thanks to Rockstar games we were given a chance to explore a few of the plots, or "cases," in L.A. Noire and learn how the MotionScan technology influences the game play. Throughout the course of the game Cole Phelps is assigned to one of five desks which determine the cases available to you in the game. We had a chance to look at cases from the Vice, Homicide, and Traffic desks.

Vice Case - King Smoke

A bad brand of juju cigarettes - reefer - has been making people crazy in South LA. As a vice cop it is up to Cole Phelps to track down the source of the tainted marijuana and shut down their operation. The obvious suspect was Whitemore Cooper, a fast-talking con-man with a gift for gab, but no honest answers. On this case Cole was accompanied by his partner, Stefan Bekowsky, who added an interesting wrinkle to the interrogation.

PRESS to QUESTION flashed on screen.

We pressed

Cole Phelps

I'm looking for the boppy on some juju cigarettes that have been going through South LA. Crazy reefer. I hear you're the man to talk to.

Whitmore Cooper

(puffs on a cigarette)

Sorry man, ain't got no idea.

PRESS to BELIEVE WHITMORE COOPER or PRESS to DISBELIEVE WHITEMORE COOPER flashed on the screen

We pressed

Cole Phelps

I'm not buyin' it, Cooper. Word is you know the tip and tail on this one. Now I could hop downstairs and turn over every turtle top in your little clip joint, but I'm guessing that might upset you. Now let's hear the truth.

Whitmore Cooper

(puffs on a cigarette)

Sorry man, ain't got no idea.

PRESS to BELIEVE DAN MANSON or PRESS to DISBELIEVE DAN MANSON flashed on the screen

We pressed

Cole Phelps

I'm not buyin' it, Cooper. You're the answer man. Everyone knows Mr. Cooper. I'm looking for King Smoke. The man with the bad juju. I think it's time you talked.

Whitmore Cooper

(puffs on a cigarette)

Sorry man, ain't got no idea.

Stefan Bekowsky

(slams palms on table)

That's bullshit. One thing I can't stand is a lyin' black man. You blacks are bad and I don't trust blacks. I think we should take him out back and frodo him until he starts remembering. What do you think, Cole?

PRESS to AGREE or PRESS to DISAGREE flashed on the screen

We pressed

Cole Phelps

(grabs Stefan Bekowsky by his collar)

This is my investigation, Bekowsky. We're not going to get any answers if we treat blacks mean. We need to be nicer and respect them. Then we'll get answers.

We got answers, but not from Cooper, who was lying about everything. Ultimately we had to shoot it out with Cooper at his Juju Hideout, but the case served as a great example of L.A. Noire's complex conversational dynamics.