What's Missing in L.A. Noire

I'm only a couple of hours into L.A. Noire, and I honestly don't know what to think.

It's a Rockstar game, so it has an amazingly detailed, lovingly crafted environment. And the story is compelling. The verdict is still out on how much time I want to spend repeating the "collect evidence then interrogate suspects" gameplay mechanic.

But you know what I haven't had to do in this game? Bowling.

No lengthy "dates" full of darts or pool to appease my moody in-game friends (Grand Theft Auto IV). No tedious dice games with ugly cowboys to collect a scrap of a cool new outfit (Red Dead Redemption). And no fucking "five-finger fillet."

Whatever my ultimate verdict is, L.A. Noire has my undying gratitude for not forcing me to indulge in pointless mini-games in the middle of an otherwise immersive game.

Seriously, thank you.