Whore of the Orient, a planned spiritual successor to the detective game LA Noire, was in development at Kennedy Miller-Mitchell and featured former staff from the original LA Noire development team, including writer and director Brendan McNamara. Former writer Daniel McMahon recently discussed the project, revealing new details about its ambitious design and eventual cancellation.
Set in 1930s Shanghai, Whore of the Orient was envisioned as a historical crime story, similar to LA Noire, but with a more focused approach. McMahon compared the game's design philosophy to the shift from Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag to Assassin's Creed Unity, where the scope narrowed from open seas to a dense urban environment. The game aimed for detail over overwhelming scale, presenting a different kind of crime-solving experience.
Players would have stepped into the shoes of a British detective navigating a non-English speaking city. Unlike LA Noire, where players investigated crimes after they occurred, Whore of the Orient's core gameplay loop involved preventing crimes before they happened and actively patrolling the city. This proactive approach presented unique challenges, including the development of a language system that would progress with player experience, allowing for more interaction with the diverse population.
An evolution of LA Noire's conversation system was also planned. Instead of single correct answers in interrogations, Whore of the Orient would have offered a more dynamic system. Players could choose to bully or gently coax information from suspects, allowing for roleplaying and varied outcomes. The success of these interrogations would depend on the player's approach, with different methods yielding different levels of truth or clues.
Combat was another area of focus. The development team drew inspiration from the rhythmic combat of the Batman: Arkham series for the game's hand-to-hand fighting mechanics, in addition to incorporating gunplay. Significant attention was being paid to refining the melee combat system.
Ultimately, Whore of the Orient was canceled due to funding and publisher issues. McMahon estimated that the game was only about 15% complete at the time of its cancellation. While many ideas were still conceptual, the project represented a potentially significant expansion of the detective genre in gaming.