In one of my more excitable moments, I once said that L.A. Noire was one of the most important video games I had ever played.

I expected Cole Phelps’s 40s detective drama, with its blend of TV-styled narrative and sophisticated technology that captured every minutiae of an actor’s performance would hold sway over the industry, becoming a key part of the storytelling revolution that was happening at the time.

Five years later; older, more cynical and with the crystal clarity of hindsight, I don’t mind admitting how wide of the mark I was on that. Not that I have a choice, of course, I adore the game but L.A. Noire’s impact on the wider industry has been minimal and that MotionScan technology has never been used again. It’s a fair cop. Lesson learned.

But half a decade on, that lack of influence has had the effect of making L.A. Noire fascinating in a different way; a boutique oddity and flawed gem that stands as, if not important, then certainly unique. Its recent re-release on Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One is a terrific opportunity to dive back into 1947 Los Angeles, poring over crimes, investigating scenes and interviewing witnesses as you follow Phelps’ meteoric rise within the L.A.P.D..