IbizaPocholo
NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
Hundreds of video games launch annually, each unique in their own right. Yet, so few stand out; fewer still prove groundbreaking enough to leave an indelible mark on the industry. In 2004, the Sydney, Australia-based Team Bondi embarked on a lengthy development journey to craft such an experience. Studio founder Brendan McNamara longed to create a game to rival the likes of Rockstar Games’s Grand Theft Auto franchise. From McNamara’s perspective, producing something so ambitious unfortunately necessitated unmitigated sacrifice.
Team Bondi’s 2011 detective thriller, L.A. Noire, made for an unprecedented piece of art. A Rockstar-published open-world adventure, the game boasted a near-perfect facsimile of 1947 Los Angeles. Thanks to Team Bondi’s sister company, Depth Analysis, the revolutionary technology known as MotionScan populated Los Angeles’s gorgeously recreated digital world with stunningly realistic characters. Players explore said world by assuming the role of Cole Phelps, a former Marine whose investigative prowess sees him quickly climb the LAPD ranks by solving crimes, practically all of which were inspired by period-specific LAPD case files.
The final product remains a seminal part of Rockstar’s catalogue, its critical acclaim and commercial success undoubtedly a result of the game’s meticulous attention to detail. However, even Cole Phelps would’ve struggled to unravel the mysteries behind L.A. Noire’s circuitous development, beset by oppressive working conditions and a litany of other issues that culminated in Team Bondi’s storied demise.
This is the history of L.A. Noire.