Summary
The brilliant world ofL.A. Noireshaped an entire generation of gamers all around the world. The graphics and design efforts that went into creating the facial movements of characters alone were revolutionary for its time. But as many years have gone by since its release, games have gotten more and more evolved throughout the years.
While nothing can bring back the feeling of playing with the good oldL.A. Noire, some games get considerably close to it. Games that involve making choices that revolve aroundcrimes and detective workare highly sought-after, and fans everywhere are trying to find the next best thing. Thankfully, there are manygames likeL.A. Noirefor those missing the murder, arson, scotch, and crime-filled fifties.
Updated on July 30, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat:L.A. Noire was one of the ground-breaking experiences by Rockstar Games that combined the open-world elements of its Grand Theft Auto series with semi-linear story missions revolving around homicide cases, as players take the role of a detective.
Not only was the premise of the game something new in the triple-A industry, but it also delivered a bunch of unique gameplay mechanics that were indeed revolutionary. Unfortunately, L.A. Noire never received a sequel, but there are still games that share some similarities with Team Bondi’s beloved detective adventure.
Twelve Minutesis a narrative-driven game about a couple that seems to have a happy life initially, but it doesn’t take long until their home turns into a chaotic scene. The players need to make decisions and find clues to help the story move forward before reaching any of those sad endings.
It is one of those games that the player might need to restart over and over again to finally find the hidden clues. Each playthrough will help the player pay attention to the details to finally manage to uncover the entire plot. The game will go back and forth in time, as the player finds more evidence about the couple’s past.
For those who like the anthology nature ofL.A. Noire, where each case is different from the previous one, thenChinatown Detective Agencycould be a perfect option to play. This pixelated 2D game is about a veteran police agent who now runs a personal detective agency.
Each mission revolves around a new client witha new case.Chinatown Detective Agencyis more about solving puzzles and finding clues than combat. The player may need to visit multiple places around the world to solve a case or may have to disguise as someone else and infiltrate private properties. It is all about finding a way to get what is needed to solve the cases.
Similar toL.A. Noire,Sleeping Dogsis also one of the beloved triple-A games thatnever received a sequel. The game follows the story of a police officer in Hong Kong who is tasked with infiltrating a crime family to reveal the identity of its bosses and apprehend them before it’s too late.
Sleeping Dogsis not an anthology, but it has the same open-world nature ofL.A. Noireas well as a whole bunch of action-packed missions. The game also offers a neat melee combat system, which was quite popular and satisfying at the time.
David Cage may be a problematic figure in the gaming community for many reasons, but there’s no denying that his games have something unique and alluring that makes them a blast to play through, even if the narratives don’t make a lot of sense. If nothing else, a playthrough of a Quantic Dream game is bound to be engaging in its own way, even if the reasons for the same aren’t what the developer intended.
A great example of this isIndigo Prophecy, also known asFahrenheit. The game features a compelling story that can venture into the nonsensical at times but doesn’t get too egregious. Players have to uncover a mystery while ensuring that their sanity remains intact, making it imperative for them to go through certain sequences as smoothly as possible to ensure that their acts are bearing fruit.
The announcement of theApollo Justicetrilogy was celebrated by many fans of the genre. The three games in this series are all pretty great in their own right, even if some people feel thatApollo Justicechanges a few things and introduces boring cases that can be harder to get through.
The best game in the series is undoubtedlySpirit of Justice, a game that develops Apollo’s character quite a bit and has some unique moments that fans of the series will absolutely adore. It combines the best ofAce Attorney’s past and future to make for a great time that fans can’t get enough of.
A spinoff of theYakuzaseries with a new protagonist at the helm,Judgmentplayers control a detective named Takayuki Yagami who’s hot on the heels of a serial killer. The investigation sections can be slightly rough at times but still do a great job of letting players solve cases and follow up on leads.
Of course, the best parts of this game arethe high-budget cutscenesand a combat system that’s as engaging and fast-paced as it gets.Judgmentis a perfect recommendation for fans ofL.A. Noirewho want to check out a game with better and more engaging hand-to-hand combat.
Danganronpais one of the weirdest andmost entertaining mystery gamesthat fans can check out if they love this genre. All three games focus on a bunch of high schoolers with ultimate talents who end up being trapped in a ruthless killing game that is about as twisted as most people would expect.
All three games in the series are pretty great in their own right, although the final title’s ending elicited a ton of mixed reception from fans. Regardless, there’s no denying thatDanganronpa’s cases are quite brilliant, with the Class Trials being some of the most engaging segments in these games.
A unique detective game that focuses on a futuristic depiction of Tokyo, the concept present inAI: The Somnium Filesis pretty intriguing indeed. This game boasts a wealth of interesting characters and features a unique mechanic where players enter the memories of certain PoIs to figure out themystery behind a serial killeron the loose.
The plot is one of this game’s strongest points.AI: The Somnium Filesmay not be a game for everyone, but it’s still worth checking out for fans of unique mystery games that will keep them hooked from start to end.
Pentimentis a unique mystery game that spans multiple generations and has multiple answers to its central mystery. While this approach was met witha divisive reception, there’s no denying that Obsidian’s attempt at such a unique title paid dividends in every way, with fans loving the central narrative and how it seamlessly connected several generations.
It helped thatPentiment’s visual design was striking and brilliantly conveyed how times were changing, with each generation feeling quite distinct and memorable. Fans of mystery games who want to experience something new and exciting can’t go wrong with this excellent title that more people should check out for themselves.
Given thatThe Wolf Among Usis a Telltale game, most people shouldn’t expect the investigation segments to be too challenging. Players are gently led through each sequence, and it’s pretty obvious what they will need to interact with to push the story forward. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing — whatThe Wolf Among Uslacks in detective work is more than made up for with its gritty aesthetic, engrossing narrative, and a great setting that brings characters from regular fairytales into the real world.
The story of Bigby ashe uncovers a chilling mysterythat threatens to rock Fabletown to its very core makes for a great time in every way. Many fans are thrilled that a sequel is finally coming out for this noir mystery, with the problems that Telltale faced making fans worry if the story would end on a tantalizing cliffhanger. Thankfully, this wasn’t the case, and finally, getting a satisfying conclusion to this story will make this wait pretty worthwhile.
