The VR remake of (selected cases) of LA Noire has been released for a couple of days, and after playing it for a couple of hours, I am surprise at how much they have changed. Its not simply just LA Noire in first person and motion control. They have also streamlined and changed some of the contents to fit it into VR too. So much so that I think this is a showcase title of how to approach remaking a game for VR.
In here I will illustrate some of the changes that they have made, the new additions and how VR remake can provide a new experience to a game that you have already played before.
Here's the first example. On the left, is the scene leading up to the fight. Besides being set in day time rather than night, the clothesline ambush has been removed in the VR version for obvious reason.
On the left is how you fist fight in the game in the remaster. On the right is how you fight in VR (sorry for the mouse cursor). Some of the stuffs only possible in VR is you can do here is leaning back to dodge the punch, slap him, and you can even choose to strike at where you want.
These 2 pictures are from the gunfight segment of Armed and Dangerous case. In VR you get to manually reload and pump your shotgun too. (in the VR gif I used the teleport-run locomotion instead of smooth movement to move to the car). You can couch to hide behind the car or peer over the pillar
The cutscenes are also made into first person view in VR. Rather than being presented in cinematic views with angle cuts, you see everything from Cole Phelps' view.
In another gameplay change, the long chase segment in the Buyer Beware case has been replaced with a fist fight. I haven't completed the game yet, but I wouldn't surprise if there are more of such changes.
It seems Rockstar Games has also been observing what other VR companies has been doing, and has been learning the lessons on making the experience more immersive in VR.
In this gif, you can see how I am able to remove my torchlight off my chest and shine it around or off/on it, something not in the normal version. There's smooth movement, and I can pick up item for a closer look. You can also point at certain object to have your character run to it automatically in 3rd person view, which is essentially the game's version of teleporting.
In LA Noire VR I can pick up many items which are light enough to take with one hand. You can also pick up phones to make phone call, or lean in closer to take a better look at the game environment or the characters.
LA Noire VR allows you to drive the vehicle in this open world with your partner sitting besides you. Lots of vehicle mechanics here: from turning the steering wheel, to winding down window, opening car door, pressing car horn, turning key for ignition, turning on siren etc. If these are too complicated you can simplify it or even skip the entire driving segment.
This VR remake also allows you to free draw to take notes on your notebook any time too.
The avatar representation is the full package too. No floating hands. You can see your entire body and the shadows, and if you have played Batman Arkham VR you will understand how awesome this is. You can check out how you look in every rooms with mirror.
The room in this last gif might be unfamiliar to you, because this is a brand new room exclusive to this VR remake. This Phelp's office serves as a hub where you can interact with bunch of stuffs and select the case which you want to play. There's a record player, typewriter, a cigar, empty gun, and you can change your outfits too etc
These are just those that I have observed, so I have no idea if there are any other examples that I will encounter in the future. For now I believe these are enough to show why I think this title has set the bar on VR remaking a traditional game to bring about new way of playing. There are a lot more other stuffs that developers should look out for when VR remake their game (such as having the scope of sniper rifle displaying zoomed-in view), but they don't apply to this game so I won't talk about them here.
In here I will illustrate some of the changes that they have made, the new additions and how VR remake can provide a new experience to a game that you have already played before.
Here's the first example. On the left, is the scene leading up to the fight. Besides being set in day time rather than night, the clothesline ambush has been removed in the VR version for obvious reason.
On the left is how you fist fight in the game in the remaster. On the right is how you fight in VR (sorry for the mouse cursor). Some of the stuffs only possible in VR is you can do here is leaning back to dodge the punch, slap him, and you can even choose to strike at where you want.
These 2 pictures are from the gunfight segment of Armed and Dangerous case. In VR you get to manually reload and pump your shotgun too. (in the VR gif I used the teleport-run locomotion instead of smooth movement to move to the car). You can couch to hide behind the car or peer over the pillar
The cutscenes are also made into first person view in VR. Rather than being presented in cinematic views with angle cuts, you see everything from Cole Phelps' view.
In another gameplay change, the long chase segment in the Buyer Beware case has been replaced with a fist fight. I haven't completed the game yet, but I wouldn't surprise if there are more of such changes.
It seems Rockstar Games has also been observing what other VR companies has been doing, and has been learning the lessons on making the experience more immersive in VR.
In this gif, you can see how I am able to remove my torchlight off my chest and shine it around or off/on it, something not in the normal version. There's smooth movement, and I can pick up item for a closer look. You can also point at certain object to have your character run to it automatically in 3rd person view, which is essentially the game's version of teleporting.
In LA Noire VR I can pick up many items which are light enough to take with one hand. You can also pick up phones to make phone call, or lean in closer to take a better look at the game environment or the characters.
LA Noire VR allows you to drive the vehicle in this open world with your partner sitting besides you. Lots of vehicle mechanics here: from turning the steering wheel, to winding down window, opening car door, pressing car horn, turning key for ignition, turning on siren etc. If these are too complicated you can simplify it or even skip the entire driving segment.
This VR remake also allows you to free draw to take notes on your notebook any time too.
The avatar representation is the full package too. No floating hands. You can see your entire body and the shadows, and if you have played Batman Arkham VR you will understand how awesome this is. You can check out how you look in every rooms with mirror.
The room in this last gif might be unfamiliar to you, because this is a brand new room exclusive to this VR remake. This Phelp's office serves as a hub where you can interact with bunch of stuffs and select the case which you want to play. There's a record player, typewriter, a cigar, empty gun, and you can change your outfits too etc
These are just those that I have observed, so I have no idea if there are any other examples that I will encounter in the future. For now I believe these are enough to show why I think this title has set the bar on VR remaking a traditional game to bring about new way of playing. There are a lot more other stuffs that developers should look out for when VR remake their game (such as having the scope of sniper rifle displaying zoomed-in view), but they don't apply to this game so I won't talk about them here.
Last edited:
