'L.A. Noire': Expect To Play For At Least 25-30 Hours

It is very unlikely that any of you were expecting Rockstar to deliver a short game in "L.A. Noire," but nothing had previously been said about the final game's length. Until now. The New York City-based developer behind the hits "Grand Theft Auto 4" and "Red Dead Redemption" confirmed a number during a closed doors preview at PAX East this past weekend: 25 to 30 hours.

It was during the demo a Rockstar rep told PlayStation Lifestyle that the main story lasts roughly 25 to 30 hours. Note that this figure does not include any of the game's side activities, particularly "unassigned cases" which hit pause on the main story while time is taken to flesh out secondary characters.

Those who attended the PAX demo got to take a look at one of the game's homicide cases, "The Red Lipstick Murder." While "Noire" features an open-world, it stands apart from "GTA" and "Red Dead" for its focus on narrative over exploration. As Cole Phelps, players will work their way up through the various LAPD crime desks, graduating to higher and higher profile cases as they go.

While the game does feature action on foot and behind the wheel, much emphasis has been placed on the art of the investigation. Phelps must examine crime scenes, collect evidence, interview witnesses and use his powers of persuasion to tease out the truth wherever it may be hiding. As he successfully completes cases, Cole earns experience that players can use to improve his various crime-fighting capabilities.

While "L.A. Noire" bears many of the usual marks of a Rockstar release, there's quite a bit to set it apart as well. Needless to say, fans are excited to finally take a look at what Team Bondi put together when the game finally hits stores on May 17.

Source - "Multiplayer Blog - MTV,"