L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files

60%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,353 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files Game Cover
Rockstar's detective game feels at home with room-scale VR.
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"L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files" brings select cases from the original game into virtual reality. Players investigate crime scenes, question suspects, and solve cases in a fully immersive 1940s Los Angeles. This VR experience requires a powerful gaming computer and a compatible VR headset for play.

  • PC
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​Station VR
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

60%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,353 reviews
story40 positive mentions
stability52 negative mentions
  • The game offers an immersive experience with great graphics and detailed facial animations, making interactions feel realistic.
  • Driving mechanics are fun and allow for a high level of interactivity, such as rolling down windows and using the siren.
  • The physical interactions with objects, such as picking up clues and engaging in fist fights, enhance the overall gameplay experience.
  • Many players experience issues with the Rockstar launcher, including activation key errors that prevent them from playing the game.
  • The locomotion options are clunky and can lead to motion sickness, with some players finding the arm-swinging movement awkward and unresponsive.
  • The game is relatively short, with only a few cases available, which some players feel does not justify the price.
  • story201 mentions

    The story in this VR adaptation of L.A. Noire is criticized for being fragmented and lacking coherence, as it only includes a limited selection of cases from the original game, resulting in a disjointed narrative experience. Many players noted that the absence of key missions diminishes the overall context and depth of the storyline, making it feel more like a collection of standalone cases rather than a cohesive plot. While some enjoy the gameplay and elements of storytelling present, the overall consensus is that the game fails to deliver the rich narrative experience that fans of the original might expect.

    • “It's also not all the cases, but you could still get like 8 hours of fun with this game, which is around average length for a story VR game, I think.”
    • “If you enjoy their storytelling, attention to detail, and refined gameplay, you'll have a blast with L.A. Noire!”
    • “But what we have here is a great glimpse into how fun and immersive a story-driven VR game can be.”
    • “Also, you don't get any story here, it's just 7 cases.”
    • “This lack of cases means that no coherent story is told as in the original.”
    • “I wish that the story was a little more coherent, though-- since the VR version only includes selected case files from the original game, you lose a lot of the context for the later cases and kind of have no idea what is going on.”
  • gameplay167 mentions

    The gameplay of "L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the immersive elements and core mechanics like shooting and driving, while others criticize the dated movement systems and clunky controls that hinder the overall experience. Many reviews highlight the novelty of VR adaptations, but note that the limited scope of case files and various technical issues detract from the game's potential, making it feel more like a demo than a fully realized title. Overall, while the game offers engaging moments, it struggles with optimization and depth compared to its original PC counterpart.

    • “The gameplay is extraordinary with the insane attention to detail in L.A.”
    • “Having my hands and arms modeled in the game world truly made it feel like I was in an actual fight, and the punching mechanics are incredibly solid.”
    • “Driving is a blast, characters look great, gameplay is smooth and the graphics look good.”
    • “If you're looking for a satisfying and immersive VR experience, I would recommend exploring other titles that offer more substantial gameplay and content.”
    • “Not only are the movement options absolutely horrendous, but the gameplay is badly ported, unintuitive, repetitive/tiring (constant getting up and sitting down) and badly optimized (low FPS and weird tracking issues) among other things.”
    • “The first real downers come under this same design umbrella though, with gameplay stunted by regular nannying attempts to head off potential nausea (from the ludicrous locomotion techniques of launch, to the almost unforgivable 'switch to third person' bookends to locations, even though the open world very clearly doesn't need them as load screens).”
  • graphics153 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the sharp visuals and immersive environments, particularly in VR, while others criticize the dated textures and occasional graphical flaws. Many users note that while the game runs smoothly and offers good object interaction, it still feels like it relies on older graphics technology, reminiscent of Xbox 360-era games. Overall, the visuals are considered decent to good for VR, but there are significant inconsistencies in quality and performance across different setups.

    • “The graphics are mind-blowing.”
    • “I find it unbelievable that you have some of the sharpest, clearest visuals in a VR game, laced into an open world environment that runs near flawlessly.”
    • “This game is fantastic so far - the gunplay feels great, driving feels surprisingly excellent, and the graphics are some of the best I've seen in VR yet, hands down.”
    • “The graphics are not great, especially the facial transitions.”
    • “As far as I can tell, the game still uses 2011 graphics and not the remastered version; plus, it has way too many load times.”
    • “Also, the game is pretty old by now, and on top of that, it feels like the graphics have been downgraded for VR.”
  • stability62 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting significant bugs, frequent crashes, and performance issues, particularly on AMD systems. While some players experience decent performance on high-end rigs, many encounter frustrating glitches, frame drops, and unresponsive controls that hinder gameplay. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," leading to a mixed reception regarding its stability.

    • “Runs great and looks good.”
    • “Runs great on my 980ti.”
    • “+ Runs great (though I have a reasonably high-end rig [6700k + 1080ti] - others have reported great performance with lesser GPUs/CPUs on Reddit).”
    • “The game also performs terribly with constant frame drops and sometimes freezes.”
    • “However, the game is a buggy mess.”
    • “A buggy piece of garbage that I have attempted to run for half an hour and only gotten in-game twice, only to crash immediately.”
  • optimization52 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance on high-end rigs, while others report significant issues, particularly on lower-end hardware. Many users noted improvements following recent patches, but complaints about bugs, stuttering, and poor VR optimization persist. Overall, performance seems to vary widely depending on the specific hardware configuration.

    • “I encountered no stuttering issues when I played, so that was a plus.”
    • “Just got the game and was worried about performance based on other reviews, but my game is running well even with resolution maxed on Vive Pro.”
    • “With the recent patch on 4/3, performance is now perfect so far!”
    • “Not optimized for VR at all, looks and runs poorly on 1080 Ti and Ryzen 3600.”
    • “Not only are the movement options absolutely horrendous, but the gameplay is badly ported, unintuitive, repetitive/tiring (constant getting up and sitting down) and badly optimized (low FPS and weird tracking issues) among other things.”
    • “The second-to-last case has a bug in it that corrupted my save twice when I tried to reload a checkpoint, and in the last case the performance plummets to the point that it's barely functional and regularly runs in slow motion, despite my computer being more than adequate (a 1080 Ti, i7-8700K @4.7 GHz, and 16 GB of RAM).”
  • humor26 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as both absurd and entertaining, with players finding joy in goofy mechanics like slapping, crashing cars, and engaging in silly gestures. Many reviews highlight the comedic potential of multiplayer interactions and the immersive, physical nature of VR, which enhances the hilarity of combat and other antics. Overall, while the game may have its flaws, the humor consistently stands out as a major highlight, making it a fun experience.

    • “I can't stop laughing as I crash into things and pull sick handbrake turns.”
    • “The game allows you to be a bit goofy if you're into that, and it can be hilarious.”
    • “What is fun though is to play this with friends or on a live stream, so you have an audience that laughs when you do stupid fun stuff like making people smell your finger and make funny gestures.”
  • music22 mentions

    The music in the game effectively captures the essence of the 1940s, enhancing the immersive experience as players navigate a vintage Los Angeles in an old cop car. Reviewers praise the film-noir style soundtrack and sound effects, noting that the haunting yet classy theme song adds to the nostalgic atmosphere. However, some users have reported technical issues with the music stopping during gameplay, impacting the overall experience.

    • “The music in this game is great, especially the sound effects and the radio in your car.”
    • “The oldies music and vistas of LA bring the 40s to life and will make you feel as if you have been transported back in time.”
    • “Its haunting yet classy theme song is enough for me to crank it up again just to walk the streets of 1940s LA.”
    • “Then all of a sudden, the music will stop and the screen on my Vive Pro will go black.”
    • “I can hear the music but there are no visuals in the headset whatsoever.”
    • “Anyways, very film-noir-esque music (I know it's cheesy) but it's true.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with players enjoying the immersive details and the noir aesthetic, such as cigar smoke and vibrant city views. The combination of crisp graphics and engaging facial animations enhances the overall experience, making it particularly captivating in VR. Users feel a strong connection to their characters, further enriching the game's ambiance.

    • “I have a great time pouring myself into my character and really soaking up the atmosphere.”
    • “The details of the world, the ability to drive cars, the atmosphere... wow, it's a blast!”
    • “Looking out over the city is just fantastic, and dripping with atmosphere (and somehow extremely crisp and clear graphics).”
  • emotional10 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game is somewhat diminished by moments of inappropriate humor and a lack of NPC reactions, which detracts from the overall resonance. However, the strong emotional acting of the NPCs and immersive VR elements still contribute positively to the experience, making it a game worth playing despite its flaws.

    • “Kills a little bit of the emotional resonance, but definitely a game worth playing nonetheless.”
    • “There's first body presence, VR locomotion options, good graphics, cool gun fights and car drives, and also some great NPCs' emotional acting capture.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    The game's replayability is notably low, with players expressing disappointment over the limited number of missions available and the lack of new content compared to the original game. Many reviewers feel that the world lacks visual appeal and exploration incentives, leading to a consensus that the game's replay value is almost nonexistent, making the price point seem unjustified.

    • “The replayability of this game is really low, and the cases are the same as from the original game.”
    • “Also, the world is not worth exploring due to the visuals (in my opinion), and there is very little replay value.”
    • “Considering the content and the lack of replayability, 30€ is too much to ask.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization of the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, leveraging the VR gimmick on an outdated title without offering substantial value. While some players find enjoyable moments, the overall sentiment suggests a lack of genuine effort and innovation, making it feel like a rushed attempt to capitalize on the VR market.

    • “It is a bottom of the barrel cash grab slapping the gimmick of VR onto an old title.”
    • “This game was a quick cash grab before any real 'AAA' VR games came out.”
    • “While this game does have its moments and is cool, it does somewhat feel like a cash grab.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that it often feels like a repetitive cycle of navigating menus and performing tedious administrative tasks rather than engaging gameplay.

    • “Not just a bunch of menus to click through and constant tedious administrative work you have to do.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

69% average critic score

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Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
8-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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