Murdered: Soul Suspect
Games Like L.A. Noire If You’re Looking for Something Similar
Murdered: Soul Suspect may not be the most complete experience, with an empty open world and repetitive sections, but some of the detective moments are great fun and are reminiscent of those in L.A. Noire. You play as Ronan O’Connor, a ghost detective that has been killed by the infamous ‘Bell Killer’, and you head out to explore a fictional version of Salem to work out how you died and to stop him from killing again.
It’s not a tough game, and it isn’t very long, but there are some great concepts in the gameplay that truly make the detecting interesting. Don’t expect as cinematic an experience as you had with L.A. Noire, but there are some moments and story beats that stand out even amongst the best cases in Rockstar’s game.
Heavy Rain
Games Like L.A. Noire If You’re Looking for Something Similar
Heavy Rain is probably the most similar to L.A. Noire in terms of its story beats and detective-based gameplay. It’s not as open, with you not being able to drive around the world interacting with whatever you like, but you’re able to search areas for clues that progress the excellent and cinematic story. There’s just one case that you’re a part of, that of the Origami Killer, but the tale that’s told is excellent. Much like in L.A. Noire, the choices you make are vital in Heavy Rain, not so much in how well you do in each scene, but in how the story progresses.
Ethan and Madison are interesting characters and you become invested in the relationships as you play. It may have originally released on PlayStation 3 but a remastered version came to PS4 a couple of years ago. You should also look out for Quantic Dream’s next game, Detroit: Become Human, which is out next month, as it shares similar gameplay and a focus on storytelling also.
Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment
Games Like L.A. Noire If You’re Looking for Something Similar
As you’d expect from a game with the Sherlock Holmes name, the majority of Crimes and Punishment revolves around exploring crime scenes and examining clues, much like in L.A. Noire. There’s no shootouts or car chases through the streets of late 19th century London, but you’ll find plenty to enjoy if you loved the detective moments of Rockstar’s game.
Split into six cases, the game sees you examine crime-scenes, linking pieces of information together with the use of a ‘deduction board.’ How each case plays out is determined by how you interpret the clues, with each one having a possible 3-5 conclusions. The cases are well designed and the process of deciphering the clues is fun, with the game certainly being a great choice if you’re after something that’ll scratch that L.A. Noire detective itch.
Mafia III
Games Like L.A. Noire If You’re Looking for Something Similar
With L.A. Noire set in the late 1940s and Mafia III set in the early ’60s, and both games having fully explorable open-worlds, there’re a lot of gameplay and visual similarities between the two games. Obviously, the times and exact locations are different, but Mafia III is a great choice if you’re looking for a chance to explore an old version of another US city. Mafia III’s story is also incredibly emotional, revolving around Lincoln Clay, a Vietnam veteran who sets out to build a new crime organization to confront the Italian Mob.
The similarities between the two games are immediately noticeable, as Mafia III sees you explore by car or on foot, engaging in third-person shoot-outs in a variety of locations. The only thing you’re missing is the detective side of Rockstar’s game.
Grand Theft Auto V
Games Like L.A. Noire If You’re Looking for Something Similar
This is the obvious choice. Clearly, GTA V is more over-the-top in tone and pace, but the open world masterpiece series clearly influenced L.A. Noire. There are no detective moments, with the story being based around those trying to break the law rather than those trying to protect it, but almost everything else, from the in-car conversations to the third-person combat, can be seen in Cole Phelps’ adventure.
Taking place in Los Santos, an exaggerated version of Los Angeles, GTA V sees you play around in its world that’s full of temptation. It’s not as focused as L.A. Noire, sending you on all kinds of crazy missions, but if you’re after a new world to explore in similar ways, you shouldn’t look any further. There’s even a deep and immensely popular online mode to jump into.
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