Rockstar Games, maker of Red Dead Redemption, released a breath of fresh air with their game, L.A. Noire. While I haven't finished the game yet, I'm about half way through and can say that I absolutely love it.
If you prefer action games with constant fighting, shooting, and mayhem then this game probably isn't for you. If you enjoy story immersion and interaction seasoned with an occasional chase and shoot out, then I can not recommend this game highly enough.
Set in late 1940's L.A., you follow Detective Cole Phelps as he attempts to bring to justice those responsible for countless grisly murders. This is where the novelty enters. As you play the part of the main character, a straight as an arrow war vet, you not only follow clues to solve the cases, but you get to interact with the suspects and persons-of-interest via conversations and interrogations. In each interaction, you can either believe the perp, doubt him or flat out call him or her a liar. Your choices will affect whether you elicit more information from that person or if you effect a shut-down that leads to a dead end. Of course, if you mess up, you can always reload the game and get it right the next time!
Besides the allure of rich storytelling mired in cases tied in with the infamous Black Dahlia case of 1947, this game is wonderful because of the attention to detail in the surround of the game. Driving down the street, you'll listen to period-accurate music, see the trolley lines overhead, meander by historical architecture on each side of the street; it really makes you feel as if you are looking through a window into the past.
I know there is still a lot to discover in this fabulous game, but I wanted to take a moment to share my impressions so far, in case you are seeking an entertaining diversion that can keep you in the a/c when the dog-days of summer really hit!
And for those of you with a Kindle and maybe not the interest in playing through the story on a console, here is a link to where you can download the stories for free and take them with you to wherever summer fun may lead you.
