L.A. Noire Looks Quite Nice In Its Official Black & White Mode

11 responses to “L.A. Noire Looks Quite Nice In Its Official Black & White Mode”

1. 

   Ben

   May 20, 2011 at 12:33 pm

   I will be when I get my hands on a copy of it. Looking forward to it too

   Reply
   1. 

      sarujin

      May 20, 2011 at 12:41 pm

      I had a quick play with it last night.

      But the game tells you doors with golden handles are able to be opened. With Black & White how can you tell?

      I’m hoping it changes the relevant hint to “doors with a specific grey shade of handle can be opened”

      Reply
      1. 

         FatShady

         May 20, 2011 at 12:46 pm

         I suspect that the gold ones are still brighter than the grey ones but it is a good point.

         Reply
2. 

   James Mac

   May 20, 2011 at 12:44 pm

   I knew it was an option, and started playing it that way.
   When I switched it over to colour, man was it vibrant.

   Reply
3. 

   YoWombat

   May 20, 2011 at 2:03 pm

   I tried it and it definitely captures the classic film noir look. Just a little touch, but I’m so glad they put it in! (as well as that fantastic easter egg referring to The Big Sleep, and hopefully more I’m yet to discover…)
   I’m going to play through in colour first, then go for a black & white run.

   Reply
   1. 

      bazuden

      May 20, 2011 at 4:27 pm

      Yeah, I plan to replay missions in black in white too.

      Its weird… I’m not a completist, and I generally lose interest in a game once I’ve completed the story line, and side stories, but after that first mission as a detective, I’m already very keen to go back and get ALL the questions and clues.

      Reply
4. 

   ndroste

   May 20, 2011 at 5:32 pm

   I tried black and white for a bit last night but I didn’t feel like it matched the sharpness of the picture. It’s a nice touch but it’d be cool if they added like a soft bloomy focus to it as well, maybe some film grain. I’m being fussy.

   Reply
   1. 

      AerintheGREAT

      May 21, 2011 at 2:07 am

      You may be fussy, but you’re also very much on the right track.

      Reply
5. 

   GooberMan

   May 20, 2011 at 6:42 pm

   Looks like they removed most/all of the post-processing and just went for luminance shaders to me. I am disappoint.

   Reply
6. 

   Steve0410

   May 21, 2011 at 12:33 am

   Looks washed out to be honest. An interesting gimmick, but a gimmick nonetheless. 40s/50s LA was was obviously coloured (the technicolor years).

   The black/white trope is just a vestige from period films that was purely due to the limitations of film-making.

   All the James Ellroy adaptations have come out in colour and it doesn’t cheapen the setting at all.

   Reply
7. 

   TK

   May 22, 2011 at 5:02 pm

   There’s something about playing it in black and white that gives it a very unique and original vibe, and very cinematic… I’m actually really enjoying it in this mode.

   Reply