L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition races onto PCs

Written by Jack Allin — November 10, 2011 at 11:54

So you're heard all about L.A. Noire and wished you could find out what all the fuss was about, but you don't own a console... what do you do? Why, you wait for the release of The Complete Edition, which finally brings Rockstar's gritty crime thriller to PC this week, bundled with all current downloadable content.

If you missed the buzz originally, L.A. Noire is set in post-WWII Los Angeles. Players control Detective Cole Phelps as he investigates a series of crimes based on real-world events. But as he "rises through the ranks of the LAPD, Phelps comes face-to-face with the corrupt heart of Los Angeles: from fallen starlets to double-dealing police officers and the vast reaches of the criminal underworld – and finally, the darkness of his own personal demons."

While far too many console games get shoddy ports to PC, the conversion of L.A. Noire has been developed by Rockstar Leeds and promises it will "run on a wide range of PCs and feature customization, including keyboard remapping and gamepad functionality to both optimize and customize the performance and user experience. Along with increased fidelity and improved graphical enhancements, the PC version will feature 3D support for an even greater sense of interaction and immersion within a painstakingly detailed 1940s Los Angeles."

In addition to the main adventure, The Complete Edition also includes the game's DLC expansions, including the "Nicholson Electroplating” Arson case, the “Reefer Madness” Vice case, “The Consul’s Car” Traffic case, “The Naked City” Vice case and “A Slip of the Tongue” Traffic case, along with extra weapons and outfits. This expanded retail edition is available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as well.

Note that L.A. Noire does include some car chases and gunfighting, so it is by no means a traditional adventure, though much of the action is skippable if you don't succeed at first. For the full scoop on the game, be sure to check out our rare 5-star review.