L.A. Noire Achievement Guide & Road Map

L.A. Noire
L.A. Noire Achievement Guide

Overview:
- Estimated achievement difficulty: 5/10
- Offline: 60 [1400

]
- Online: 0 [0

]
- Approximate time: 30 hours
- Minimum number of play-throughs needed: 1 [Case Select]
- Missable achievements: 0 [Case Select]
- Does difficulty affect Achievements?: No
- Unobtainable/glitched achievements?: No

Introduction:
Amid the post-war boom of Hollywood's Golden Age, Cole Phelps is an LAPD detective thrown headfirst into a city drowning in its own success. Corruption is rampant, the drug trade is exploding, and murder rates are at an all-time high.

In his fight to climb the ranks and do what’s right, Phelps must unravel the truth behind a string of arson attacks, racketeering conspiracies and brutal murders, battling the L.A. underworld and even members of his own department to uncover a secret that could shake the city to its rotten core.

Story:
To complete the game with the maximum completion percentage you're going to have to 5 star all cases from the Traffic part of the game onwards. This means you'll need to make sure you find the majority of the clues, branch all the interrogation questions correctly and have minimal vehicle/city damage and civilian injuries. In some cases you'll also need to make sure you pick the right suspect to charge. Sometimes it may seem that both are guilty, but charging the wrong one will only net you 4 stars, whereas charging the other will get you the 5 star rating you need. Failing these will hinder your final case rating. You can miss a few clues, get a question or two wrong and cause a little bit of damage (not all of these in one case) and still obtain a 5 star rating, so don't fret. Have your partner drive everywhere and search every little spot of a crime scene and/or suspect's house, so you have all the clues. You'll also be wanting to pick up the 13 newspapers from certain cases. If you do miss some, you can go back into the case and find them.

Misc:
There are a fair few miscellaneous achievements to gain and most of them are case-based. You'll be gaining most of these during your story run-through, so look out for them. If by any chance you miss some, don't worry. The game has a replay case and free roam feature, so you can go back into the game at any certain point to obtain them! Anything along the line of street crimes, I'd leave until last. A lot of these involve car chases and this is only going to rack up the chance of you causing city damage etc. Doing so will then bring your 5 star rating down for your current case.

Collectables:
L.A. Noire has multiple collectables you'll need to gather. Some you'll come across as you play through the cases but others are best to leave until the end - like the cars and film reels. When playing through the game, make sure you look out for the newspapers. Missing some of these may make you have to play through a case again right to the end just to pick it up. The same goes with the cars. As you play, look at the cars you drive by. If you notice one you haven't driven yet, block it off and take control of it. Doing this will help you in the long run.

DLC: A Slip of the Tongue:
This DLC Traffic Desk Case can be started from the Main Menu -> Case Selection. There is one story-related achievement that cannot be missed. It will be obtained once you have completed the entire case. In the beginning of the case, chase Cliff Harrison in your vehicle and stop his car by any means before before your backup forms a road block. This will unlock Nowhere In A Hurry. Later in the case, when you interrogate Jean Archer, you must choose all the correct responses for Femme Imbécile. During the Industrial Street raid, you can get Chop Shop by running to the building's back door and shooting the engine that is suspended from the rafters right away in order to kill an enemy. After the shootout, and after you interrogate Bigelow, check the desk behind him to inspect the Marquee-printed pink slips to unlock Racing for Pinks.

DLC: The Naked City:
This DLC Vice Case can be started from the Main Menu -> Case Selection. There is one story-related achievement that cannot be missed. It will be obtained once you have completed the entire case. In the beginning of the case, you can obtain Good-Looking Corpse when you're at the murder scene searching for clues. Just make sure to check for all four of the narcotics in the apartment. About halfway through the case you will have to tail a suspect named Henry Arnett without being noticed for Fakeloo. The first half of the tail will be in a car, while the second half is on foot. If you mess up just quit out and reload your checkpoint/last save. Toward the end of the case you will need to escort Mrs. Evestrom's daughter to Arnett's without damaging your vehicle. This will net you Chauffeur Service. Lastly, at the very end of this case, you will need to shoot out all the letters in the "Broadway" sign at the top of the hotel-case sequence. Make sure you do this BEFORE shooting the suspect to obtain Give My Regards.

DLC: Nicholson Electroplating:
This DLC Arson Case can be started from the Main Menu -> Case Selection. There is one story-related achievement that cannot be missed. It will be obtained once you have completed the entire case. In the beginning of the case, you will be asked to search for clues at the Explosion-Site. Look around for the officer who asks you to inspect the metal debris near him. Once you have inspected the clue and solved the puzzle, you will get The Nose Knows. Later on, you will need to investigate Tomoko Okamoto's apartment and search for clues. In his apartment, make sure you inspect all four clues to unlock Skeletons In The Icebox. Towards the end of this case, you will need to investigate the a house, which soon gets torched by a Molotov cocktail. Escape from the burning house and pursue Vernon Mapes to Hughes' Aircraft in order to get Out Of The Frying Pan. Once you are at Hughes' Aircraft, a gunfight will begin. In order to obtain Bulletproof Windshield, you will need to kill two different drivers before they pull up and get out of their vehicles. There are four different opportunities to do this. If you fail, let the enemies kill you and try again.

DLC: Reefer Madness:
This DLC Vice Case can be started from the Main Menu -> Case Selection. There is one story-related achievement that cannot be missed. It will be obtained once you have completed the entire case. Throughout this case, you will find some US Morgan silver dollars. The first can be found on the body of Cruz, the second will be given to you at the Market, and the last two can be found after Parnell's Soup shootout. Once you have all four, you must solve a letter puzzle on them. Organize the coins so the letters appear as: MAS-ANG-KAY-MET-ALS. Once you cmplete this puzzle, you will unlock Spare A Dime. In the beginning of the case, go ahead and meet Freddie Calhoun. You will then have to drive to Juan Garcia Cruz's house. After some cut-scenes and a shootout at Cruz's house, you can obtain Forcible Rear Entry by running alongside the wooden fence near your cover and entering Cruz's house from the back door. Soup In The Pot and High Flyer can be obtained right after the shootout. First, go outside into the backyard. Head inside the wooden shed and inspect the shelves to find a lever-soup-can that opens up a secret room. In this room, use the can opener on the wall to open both soup cans for your achievement. After this, head back into the house and into Cruz's bedroom. Inspect the newspaper on the ground with an advertisement for 20th Century Market. Head straight to the Market for your achievement.

Conclusion:
Overall L.A. Noire isn't a tough 1k by any standards, it's just a little time consuming if you miss getting a 5 star rating on some cases and then there's the cars/film reel collectables to take into account.

[x360a would like to thank Nozza x360a for this roadmap]
[x360a would like to thank BiggD for the DLC additions]

Asphalt Jungle

15
Chase down and tackle a fleeing suspect on foot as an LAPD Detective.
(43)
Cases: The Golden Butterfly x2 [Homicide], The Studio Secretary Murder [Homicide], The Black Caesar [AD Vice] & The Gas Man [Arson].
Street Crimes: Few

There's plenty of opportunities to gain this achievement. In many cases or street crimes a suspect will make a run for it. Some chases will either end by you having to fire a warning shot, the suspect taking a hostage or a fight scene, but during all this you may get a chance to tackle them. To tackle a running suspect you'll first need to make sure you're holding to keep up with them.

After a while the suspect will slow down and as you get closer you'll be prompted to tap . When this happens, tap rapidly to get a sudden burst of speed and you'll then make a dive and tackle the suspect.
Traffic Stop

15
Disable a suspect vehicle with help from your partner.
(18)
Cases: A Marriage Made in Heaven [Traffic], The Fallen Idol [Traffic], The Red Lipstick Murder [Homicide], The Silk Stocking Murder [Homicide], The White Shoe Slaying [Homicide], The Studio Secretary Murder [Homicide], The Black Caesar [AD Vice] & The Gas Man [Arson].
Street Crimes: Thicker Than Water [Homicide], Fatal Plunge [AD Vice], Paper Sack Hold-up [Arson] & Hot Property [Arson].

Again, you'll have ample opportunities to gain this. In many cases and street crimes a suspect will get in their car and try to drive away from you, so take flight and drive after them.

To get your partner to fire shots at the fleeing suspect, you need to get up and close to them and make sure you're on the left side of their car. This is so he can hang out of the window and fire his weapon. Simply get in close and as your partner fires off the odd shot, one or two will hit the wheels of the car. Once that's happened, drive up to the side of them and ram them off the road. The suspects car will then come to a halt, so jump out your car and apprehended them for the achievement to unlock.
Not So Hasty

15
Stop a fleeing suspect with a warning shot as an LAPD Detective.
(53)
Cases: A Marriage Made In Heaven [Traffic] & The Gas Man [Arson].
Street Crimes: Masked Gunman [Traffic], Running Battle [Homicide], Misunderstanding [Homicide] & Daylight Robbery [AD Vice].

This achievement is a little more tricky than the others. Again you'll need a fleeing suspect but in most cases or street crimes, you won't have your gun out to fire off a warning shot.

Firing a warning shot can be done in a few cases or street crimes, so play through until your suspect makes a run for it and you have your gun in hand as you chase after them. To pull off a warning shot you need to make sure your suspect is on a straight running path as this makes it easier.

Once everything is lined up, hold and aim your reticle dot at your suspect. You'll then notice a circle will form and start to fill up. Make sure you don't move your reticle off the suspect otherwise the circle will reset. Once the circle has been filled, Cole will fire the warning shot automatically and your suspect will halt in his tracks!
Shamus To The Stars

80
Complete all story cases with a five star rating.
(138)
There's a total of 21 cases you need to 5 star to gain this achievement. You'll need to make sure you find the majority of the clues, branch all the interrogation questions correctly and have minimal vehicle/city damage and civilian injuries. In some cases you'll also need to make sure you pick the right suspect to charge. Sometimes it may seem that both are guilty, but charging the wrong one will only net you 4 stars, whereas charging the other will get you the 5 star rating you need!

Failing these will hinder your final case rating. You can miss a few clues, get a question or two wrong and cause a little bit of damage (not all of these in one case) and still obtain a 5 star rating, so don't fret. So have your partner drive everywhere and search every little spot of a crime scene so you know you have all the clues.

For a full case guide, please go HERE.
The Brass

30
Achieve maximum rank.
(35)
L.A. Noire has a total of 20 Ranks. Throughout the game you'll gain EXP for many things. These include:
- Completing Cases
- Branching Correct Questions: 5xp
- Completing Street Crimes: 15xp
- Finding Landmarks and Film Reels: 5xp
You should reach level 20 before the end of the story if you get most of the branching questions right, do the odd street crime when you have a chance and find a few landmarks.
The Plot Thickens

15
Find and solve an inspection puzzle.
(13)
Cases: The Drivers Seat [Traffic] or The Red Lipstick Murder [Homicide].
Street Crimes: None

You can gain this in two cases (shown above) and it has you inspect and solve a piece of evidence. The first is in the case 'The Drivers Seat'. When you finally get to Mrs. Blacks house, head around to the right side of the house and you'll see an InstaHeat water heater on the side of the wall with pipes around it on the floor. Simply inspect and solve it to unlock the achievement.

The next one is when you're on the case 'The Red Lipstick Murder'. When you get to the crime scene head past the dead body and you'll see a piece of evidence on the floor next to the bench. Pick it up and inspect it further by pressing . You'll notice you can turn the three top sections of the globe to the right or left. Simply match all parts up to further unlock more evidence and the achievement.
Golden Boy

15
Clear a case finding every clue as an LAPD Detective or Investigator.
(7)
Cases: Any case from Traffic, Homicide, AD Vice or Arson.
Street Crimes: None

You can get this from the Traffic cases onwards. The earliest time you can unlock it is in the 'The Drivers Seat' case which has a total of 14 clues to pick.

Location: P.E. Freight Depot
- Clue 1/14: Abandoned Vehicle - You will get this automatically.
- Clue 2/14: Blood Splashes - Examine the inside of the car for the first clue and an achievement.
- Clue 3/14: Receipt for a Live Hog - Open the trunk and on the left is a piece of paper. Pick it up for the clue.
- Clue 4 & 5/14: Glasses & Wallet - You'll see a little yellow sign on the ground with the letter "A" on it. This is evidence. Go to it and look down. First, pick up the wallet on the left. Examine the license in the wallet on the left and the picture on the right. Now pick up the glasses and hold on the analogue until it shows writing on the left part of the frame.
- Clue 6/14: Bloody Pipe - Now more towards the fence you'll see the "B" sign. Go there and pick up the pipe. Read the brand name.
Location: Black Residence
- Clue 7/14: Train Ticket - Go into Adrian's Bedroom. This is the room with the basket on the bed. In the closet next to the suitcase is a ticket to Seattle.
- Clue 8/14: Glasses Case - In Adrian's Bedroom, look on the dresser. To the right of the picture frame is a glasses case. Investiage further to read inside.
- Clue 9/14: Concealed Message - Now investigate the picture frame. Investigate it further for the message on the back.
- Clue 10/14: Cavanagh's Matchbook - On the nightstand next to the bed is a little matchbook. Pick it up and investigate it further. After this go find the phone, which is marked on your mini map. Interact with it.
- Clue 11/14: InstaHeat Receipt - Head into the kitchen. Look on the table to find two pieces of paper there. Pick up the one on the right.
- Clue 12/14: InstaHeat Flyer - Still at the table, now pick up the other paper on your left. Be sure to examine it further.
- Clue 13/14: Water Heater - Go outside from either the front of the back door, and go to the side of the house that the kitchen was on. You'll see pipes on the ground. Assemble them. This is known as an Inspection Puzzle.
- Clue 14/14: Black Residue - You should have gotten this while driving to the apartment. When you get to the apartment building, look at the mailboxes on the left as you enter to confrim Frank Morgan's apartment number. When you meet him there will be a chase sequence following. Afterwards will be the end of the case.
The Straight Dope

15
Use evidence to prove a lie as an LAPD Detective or Investigator.
(4)
Cases: Any case from Traffic, Homicide, AD Vice or Arson.
Street Crimes: None

Again, there are loads of opportunities to gain this but the earliest is on the case 'The Drivers Seat'. When inside Mrs. Blacks house searching for evidence, make sure you go into Mr. Blacks room and inspect the photo of him on the dresser. When you have it in hand, press to inspect it further to reveal a hidden note from 'Nicole' written on the back.

Now when you start to interview Mrs. Black, ask the question "Photograph signed 'Nicole'". Once she's had a go at you, prove it as a lie () and produce the evidence 'Concealed Message'.
One For The File

15
Find and inspect a clue as an LAPD Detective or Investigator.
(4)
Cases: The Drivers Seat [Traffic].
Street Crimes: None

This can't be missed. When you get to the crime scene of the case 'The Drivers Seat', inspect any clue and the achievement will unlock.
The City Of The Angels

80
Reach 100% Game Complete.
(114)
There's a few things you need to do in L.A. Noire to get the full 100% and some will take a little while. Below is a list of what is needed to unlock this achievement:
- Solve all 21 L.A. Noire Cases
- Complete all 40 Street Crimes
- Read all 13 Newspapers
- Find all 30 Landmarks
- Find and enter all 95 different Cars
- Find all 50 Film Reels
The cases and street crimes are pretty straightforward. So these, along with the newspapers, should be the first things you complete. During this time you may (or should) be finding many different cars and entering them just to help that big counter along. After you've completed the game, move onto any remaining landmarks and then finally onto the remaining cars and the 50 film reels. The last three things should be done in any of the case free roams.
The Up And Up

30
Complete a story case with a five star rating.
(28)
Cases: Any case from Traffic, Homicide, AD Vice or Arson.
Street Crimes: None

Again, there are loads of opportunities to gain this but the earliest is on the case 'The Drivers Seat'. Please refer to "Shamus To The Stars" for more details on how to get 5 stars in a case.
The Long Arm Of The Law

30
Complete all street crime cases.
(58)
There's a total of 40 street crimes you'll need to complete to unlock this achievement and they'll be available from the Traffic promotion onwards. The only way to receive a street crime is if you're in a police vehicle. While driving around from location to location the KGPL will call in via your radio and notify you of a crime in process.

When his happens, press to take the crime and a little running man icon will now show up on your mini map. Simply head over to it and complete the street crime for it to count towards the 40. If you don't get them all while playing the story, don't worry. You can go back into free roam at any time and complete the ones you missed.

Certain street crimes can only be accessed when playing through certain desk cases and times in the game. For a full guide on all the street crimes, please go HERE.
A Cop On Every Corner

15
Complete a single street crime case.
(5)
Please refer to "The Long Arm Of The Law" for more details.
Johnny On The Spot

30
Respond to 20 street crime cases.
(11)
Please refer to "The Long Arm Of The Law" for more details.
Public Menace

30
Rack up $47,000 in penalties during a single story case.
(102)
This is best done by replaying a case after you've completed the game. Load up the Traffic cases and choose 'The Drivers Seat'. You'll need to smash up your car and others, run over people and smash through poles, benches, lights etc to gain those penalty points.

Once you think you've racked up enough damage points, complete the case anyway you want and the achievement will unlock.

For the best and fasted methods of getting this achievement, please go HERE.
The Moose

15
Follow Candy Edwards without using cover or incognito, except when starting or picking up the tail.
(97)
Case: The Set Up [AD Vice].

Part way through this case, you'll come to a point where you'll need to follow Candy to her destination on foot. The aim is to follow her without going incognito (so pressing at newspapers or shop windows - except for the start) or taking cover (pressing on walls or objects). You can still obviously take cover by just standing behind objects, just don't press .

Following Candy is pretty easy but keep your distance. If you get too close she'll simply just turn around and spot you, which will then disable the achievement. Wait for her to turn around corners then sprint to catch up! Hide behind cars, fences and even dustbins to conceal yourself. Use the 3rd person camera to your advantage. As long as you can still see Candy with the camera, the game won't tell you she is out of site. Though doing this and letting her walk miles away won't work, as she will then start to vanish in the distance!
Star Map

15
Discover all landmark locations around the city.
(28)
This can be done at any point in the game when you have a car. There's a total of 30 landmarks spread across the L.A Noire map. All you need to do is simply drive by them and it'll be added to your list. You can also press and hold to view them from a different perspective.
The Third Degree

30
Correctly branch every question in every interview in a single story case.
(16)
Cases: Any case from Traffic, Homicide, AD Vice or Arson.
Street Crimes: None

For this achievement, when produced whether you want to truth, doubt or lie you must answer correctly each time. Again the earliest you can obtain this is in the case 'The Drivers Seat'. Below is a list of all the questions and their correct answers:

Nate Wilkey: 4 Questions

Question 1: Purpose at Scene
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Question 2: Knowledge of Adrian Black
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Question 3: Contents of Wallet
Assessment: Doubt
Evidence: N/A

Question 4: Bloodstained Pipe Found
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Margaret Black: 6 Questions

Question 1: Slaughterhouse Receipt
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Question 2: Stenzel Glasses Case
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Question 3: Location of Adrian Black
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Question 4: Photograph signed 'Nicole'
Assessment: Lie
Evidence: Concealed Message

Question 5: Cavanagh's Bar Matchbook
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Question 6: Alibi for Mrs Black
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Frank Morgan: 2 Questions

Question 1: Link to Abandoned Vehicle
Assessment: Lie
Evidence: Receipt for Live Hog

Question 2: Location of Adrian Black
Assessment: Doubt
Evidence: N/A

If you miss this case, please go HERE for a guide on all the rest.
The Hunch

30
Use four intuition points in a single interview session, correctly branching each question.
(25)
Cases: Any case from Traffic, Homicide, AD Vice or Arson which have 4 interview questions.
Street Crimes: None

Intuition points can be gained by completing cases and levelling up. You can hold a total of 5 and each one, when used, can help you during an interview. The earliest you should be able to unlock this is when you interview Mrs. Black in 'The Drivers Seat' case. By this time you should have a total of 4 intuition points to use on the 4 questions you ask her.

When the interview starts, simply ask your question then wait for your decision icons to pop up. Below them you'll notice if you press it'll take you to the intuition page of your notebook. Here you can choose a few things to help you solve the answer. You can take a decision away, ask the community and so forth. Simply use a point on each question and then follow that through with answering each one correctly for the achievement to unlock.

Margaret Black: First 4 Questions

Question 1: Slaughterhouse Receipt
*Use Intuition*
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Question 2: Stenzel Glasses Case
*Use Intuition*
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Question 3: Location of Adrian Black
*Use Intuition*
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

Question 4: Photograph signed 'Nicole'
*Use Intuition*
Assessment: Lie
Evidence: Concealed Message

If you don't have 4 intuition points by the time you interview Mrs. Black your next opportunity will be in the case 'The Fallen Idol' when you interview June Ballard.

June Ballard: 4 Questions

Question 1: Doping Allegation
*Use Intuition*
Assessment: Doubt
Evidence: N/A

Question 2: Injured Female Passenger
*Use Intuition*
Assessment: Lie
Evidence: Underwear

Question 3: Suspect "Mark Bishop"
*Use Intuition*
Assessment: Doubt
Evidence: N/A

Question 4: Fake Shrunken Head
*Use Intuition*
Assessment: Doubt
Evidence: N/A
Auto Fanatic

30
Drive every vehicle in the city.
(300)
There's a total of 95 vehicles in L.A Noire:
- 2-Door: 25 Cars
- 4-Door: 19 Cars
- Sports: 8 Cars
- Service: 19 Cars
- Police: 9 Cars
- Special: 15 Cars
You'll have to search high and low for most of the cars but over 80% of them are on the streets driving about, so you'll most likely pass them on your journey. All you need to do is jump in and let Cole start the engine. Once that's done, a message letting you know it's a new car will pop up on the left side of the screen! If no message pops up, you've already unlocked it.

Out of the 95 cars, 15 of them are special unlocks that become available as you progress through the game and level up. To find these, locate the '?' on your map and drive to it's location. Once there, look for a garage with the 'City of Angels' logo on it and an entrance door. Simply walk in, and the garage will open and the car will be inside.

For a full guide on where to find each car, please go HERE.
Hollywoodland

30
Find and inspect all gold film reels.
(56)
There's a total of 50 film reels scattered throughout L.A Noire. Your best bet to finding these is to leave them until last. They're spread all over the city, so go into a free roam session and start looking.

Film Reels 1-25

Film Reels 26-50
Auto Collector

15
Drive 40 different vehicles.
(4)
Please refer to "Auto Fanatic" for more details.
Keep A Lid On

15
Complete a brawl without losing your hat as an LAPD Detective or Investigator.
(31)
Cases: The Fallen Idol [Traffic], The Red Lipstick Murder [Homicide], The Golden Butterfly [Homicide], The Silk Stocking Murder [Homicide], The White Shoe Slaying [Homicide], The Black Caesar [Ad Vice], The Set Up [AD Vice], The Gas Man [Arson], A Walk in Elysian Fields [Arson] & House of Sticks [Arson].
Street Crimes: Boxing Clever [Traffic], Canned Fish [Homicide], Daylight Robbery [AD Vice], Bad Date [AD Vice] & Accident Prone [Arson].

In many cases or street crimes you'll be made to fight your suspect/s. When this happens, you'll need to make sure you don't get hit (you can take one punch on some occasions), otherwise you will lose your hat, thus disabling the achievement.

The earliest you can gain this is on the case 'The Fallen Idol'. A little way into the case you'll be following June in your car. You'll then have to follow her into a café and go incognito. Once the scene is over, you'll be told to rush to a hotel to help another suspect. Once you arrive at the hotel and make it up to the room, you and your partner will be confronted by 2 guys and a brawl will start out.

Your best bet is to just hold to block until your opponent has thrown their punches. Once that's done, throw your 3 hit combo but tapping , then go back into a block. It's up to you if you want to try and dodge and counter his attacks but it's a little risky. Once both the guys are down the achievement will unlock.
Auto Enthusiast

15
Drive 5 different vehicles.
(3)
Please refer to "Auto Fanatic" for more details.
Lead Foot

15
Keep the needle above 80mph for more than ten seconds while driving.
(41)
Most cars you see in L.A. Noire will push it to 80mph with a good enough run, but the best ones to stick with are the police cars due to the sirens. The only issue is, there is nowhere on the HUD that tells you your current speed, but if you just hold down you'll reach it in no time. You can get this achievement at any point while you're driving around, so simply get in a car and give it a go.

You'll need to make sure you have a nice straight road (which there are plenty of - 2nd St for example) and a fast enough car. It'll take a short time to get to 80mph as the cars are from the 1940s, but once you think you've hit the peak, just keep driving straight and try not to crash or weave. Again, grab a police car and put on the siren as this will increase you chances of not crashing as the pedestrian cars will pull over out of your way.
Miles On The Clock

15
Drive more than 194.7 miles.
(33)
You should get this near the end of the game as long as you drive everywhere and not let your partner take the wheel. Every mile counts here, so as much as it may be tedious in some cases, you've got to drive. It may also take a few diversions via a street crime to add those extra miles.

I most cases, you destinations are quite close to each other, but when a street crime pops up, some of them are across the other side of the city from your current location. So a drive from there all the way over to it and back will add those much needed miles.
Magpie

80
Find and inspect 95% of all clues.
(89)
Cases: Every case from Traffic, Homicide, AD Vice or Arson.
Street Crimes: None

When you get to a crime scene and/or a suspect's house, make sure you listen out for the chime and your controller vibrating. Both of these things indicate when you're near a clue! Make sure you search the scene thoroughly to make sure you have got all necessary clues to the case. As soon as the music stops playing, that means you've found all valuable clues in that area!

When you've completed the case and the rating screen pops up, it'll show you how many clues you've found (out of a total). If this is short don't worry for now. Just carry on playing the game and make sure you try and collect the rest in the other cases. You do not have to get every single clue in every single case but you must get the majority of them so that your clue percentage does not drop below 95% (guess work). If this hasn't unlocked by the time you complete the last case ('A Different Type of War') then you'll have to go back to each case you didn't get some clues on and complete them again. So take note of these cases.

For a full case guide, please go HERE.
The Shadow

15
Tail a suspect without being spotted, in a single case.
(18)
Cases: The Fallen Idol [Traffic] & The Set Up x2 [AD Vice].
Street Crimes: None

The first time you tail a suspect is in the case 'The Fallen Idol'. You'll come to a point in the case where June Ballard will get into a vehicle and you'll need to follow her in your car. Make sure you stay at a safe distance, so about a half a block or a little more. If you go any further or you lose sight of the car the red car icon on your mini map will start to flash, which is indicating you've lost sight of your suspect! If this happens, simply catch up a little or turn the corner so you can get a view on the car again.

You'll want to make sure you don't get to close to the suspects vehicle activate your siren or drive like a mad man as the suspect will spot you and you'll fail your objective.
Roscoe And Friends

15
Kill at least one bad guy with every gun.
(116)
There's a total of 8 guns you can use in L.A Noire. Most of them you'll find early on, but some will not be available until the final lot of cases, so make sure you grab them! To pick up a gun, simply walk over it and press .

Here's a list of all the guns and their locations:
- Colt M1917l (Police Revolver)
  - Patrol Desk: Armed and Dangerous
  Phelps is equipped with this as a Patrol Officer, the only opportunity to use it is during the bank shoot out in Armed and Dangerous. You have to drop the shotgun () to equip the sidearm. The handguns dropped by two of the robbers are snub versions of the same gun. Walking over them will give you ammo.
- Star Model P (.45)
  Phelps' primary sidearm as detective
- Ithaca 37 (Pump Action Shotgun)
  - Patrol Desk: Armed and Dangerous (Phelps starts with it)
  - Traffic Street Crime: Hotel Bandits (after car chase to parking garage)
  - Traffic Street Crime: Gangfight
  - Homicide Street Crime: Bank Job
  - Homicide Street Crime: Bowling Alley Robbery
  - Vice Desk: The Black Caesar (Finkelstein shootout)
  - Arson Desk: A Polite Invitation (Hall of Records shootout)
  - Arson Desk: A Polite Invitation (Leland Monroe’s Mansion shootout)
  - Arson Desk: A Different Kind of War (sewers during finale)
- M1 Garand
  - Traffic Street Crime: Death From Above (single shooter on lower roof)
  - Arson Desk: A Different Kind of War (in the sewer during finale)
- M1A1 Thompson (Tommy Gun)
  - Traffic Street Crime: Death From Above (two on the high roof)=
  - Traffic Street Crime: Gangfight
  - Homicide Street Crime: Bank Job
  - Vice Desk: The Black Caesar (Finkelstein shootout)
  - Arson Desk: A Polite Invitation (Hall of Records shootout)
  - Arson Desk: A Polite Invitation (Leland Monroe’s Mansion shootout)
  - Arson Desk: A Different Kind of War (sewers during finale)
- M1 Thompson (Round Drum)
  - Vice Desk: Manifest Destiny (Hollywood Post Office shootout)
  - Vice Desk: Manifest Destiny (Meeting Place shootout)
- Colt .45 (Jack Kelso's primary sidearm)
  - Arson Desk: A Polite Invitation (Hall of Records shootout)
  - Arson Desk: A Polite Invitation (Leland Monroe’s Mansion shootout)
  - Arson Desk: A Different Kind of War (in sewers at finale)
- Browning Automatic Rifle M1918A1 (BAR)
  - Traffic Street Crime: Army Surplus (on ground to the left at start)
  - Arson Desk: A Different Kind of War (sewers during finale)
  You'll find the BAR for the first time in campaign after climbing the ladder out of the water, there will be a storeroom to your right guarded by some goons.
  - Arson Street Crime, Cafe Holdup (one of four goons has it, usually on left)
- M2 Flamethrower
  - Arson Desk: A Different Kind of War (in sewers, second weapon storage)
  The only location of this weapon in the game. The storeroom is at the end of a long corridor guarded by goons. You'll come to this after descending a set of stairs.
Wooden Overcoats

30
Bring down a total of 30 bad guys with head shots.
(9)
You should have no problem getting this. First of all, make sure you use a pistole or the M1 Grand etc. As these are easier to pull off single fire shots and are more accurate than something over a Thompson which kicks up and sprays bullets. Simply watch where your enemy comes out of cover and then aim in that spot. Once he pops out, pull off a shot to get that headshot and instant kill!
Dead Men Are Heavier

15
Shoot and kill a total of 100 bad guys.
(10)
You'll easily get this before the end of the game. There's plenty of criminals to kill as you progress and add in all the street crimes you'll kill well over 100.

Stab-Rite

15
At Ray's Cafe, find the bloodstained knife on your first sweep of the crime scene.
(33)
Case: A Marriage Made in Heaven [Traffic]

Pretty simple achievement. Once you arrive at the crime scene and all the formalities are complete, head into the alleyway in-between Rays Café and the other building to its left. You'll notice two dustbins and in the left one is the knife. Pick it up and investigate it further. Now when you can, head to the coroner and you'll mention the knife you found and the achievement will unlock.
No Rest For The Wicked

15
Complete all cases on the Vice desk.
(8)
This is story related and cannot be missed.

There's a total of 3 AD Vice cases you must complete:
- The Black Caesar
- The Set Up
- Manifest Destiny
Moth To A Flame

70
Complete all cases on the Arson desk.
(29)
This is story related and cannot be missed.

There's a total of 5 Arson cases you must complete:
- The Gas Man
- A Walk in Elysian Fields
- House of Sticks
- A Polite Invitation
- A Different Kind of War
The Simple Art of Murder

15
Complete all cases on the Homicide desk.
(3)
This is story related and cannot be missed.

There's a total of 6 Homicide cases you must complete:
- The Red Lipstick Murder
- The Golden Butterfly
- The Silk Stocking Murder
- The White Shoe Slaying
- The Studio Secretary Murder
- The Quarter Moon Murders
Police Academy

15
Complete all cases on the Patrol desk.
(5)
This is story related and cannot be missed.

There's a total of 4 Patrol cases you must complete:
- Upon Reflection
- Armed and Dangerous
- Warrants Outstanding
- Buyer Beware
Paved With Good Intentions

15
Complete all cases on the Traffic desk.
(2)
This is story related and cannot be missed.

There's a total of 3 Traffic cases you must complete:
- The Drivers Seat
- A Marriage Made in Heaven
- Fallen Idol
Huckster

15
At Elysian Fields, outwit Leland Monroe when discussing his developments or advertising campaign.
(8)
Case: A Walk In Elysian Fields [Arson]

During this case, you'll finally get to confront Leland Monroe and get a chance to interview him. Follow the interview guide below and the achievement will unlock.

Leland Monroe: 4 Questions

Question 1: Elysian Linked to Arsons
Assessment: Doubt
Evidence: N/A

Question 2: Promotional Travel Contest
Assessment: Lie
Evidence: Elysian Fields Flyers

Question 3: Local Land Acquisitions
Assessment: Doubt
Evidence: N/A

Question 4: Rancho Escondido Fire
Assessment: Lie
Evidence: Poor Cement Quality
Round Heels

15
At the Bamba Club, get Dick McColl to give up the license plate of Celine Henry's male companion.
(8)
Case: The Red Lipstick Murder [Homicide]

After the first crime scene you'll need to head over to the Bamba Club and interview Dick McColl. Follow the interview guide below and the achievement will unlock.

Dick McColl: 1 Question (4 in total but correctly answering the first unlocks the achievement)

Question 1: Suspect Seen with Victim
Assessment: Truth
Evidence: N/A

McColl hands over the numberplate.
The Fighting Sixth

15
At the Bus Shooting, talk Felix Alvarro into giving up the Marines involved in the Coolridge heist.
(13)
Case: Manifest Destiny [AD Vice]

During the 'Manifest Destiny' case and before you can interview Felix, you'll have to deal with a bus shooting. Deal with the shooter on the roof and make sure you check his jacket pocket for the sniper pocketbook evidence. Then go and interview your ex-Marine buddy Felix Alvarro back down at the bus. Follow the interview guide below and the achievement will unlock.

Felix Alvarro: 2 Question

Question 1: Informed of Coolridge Heist
Assessment: Doubt
Evidence: N/A

Question 2: Motive for Shooting
Assessment: Lie
Evidence: Sniper's Pocketbook

There are 5 achievements with a total of 100 points

The Printer's Devil

20
Complete 'A Slip of the Tongue'.
(47)
Story related and cannot be missed.

Simply complete the 'A Slip of the Tongue' DLC case.

Racing For Pinks

20
Find and inspect all of the Marquee-printed pink slips.
(7)
After the shootout at Industrial Street you'll interrogate Bigelow. Behind him on this desk you see the Marquee-printed pink slips.
Femme Imbécile

20
Correctly branch every question in the interview with Jean Archer.
(10)
Just complete the interrogation with the correct responses and you'll bag the achievement.

Here are the correct answers:
- Stolen Kaiser Frazer - Doubt
- Association with Belasco - Lie/Present Belasco's ownership papers
- Stolen auto courier - Doubt
Chop Shop

20
During the Industrial Street raid, kill a goon by shooting the hanging engine block.
(25)
When the shootout starts, run over to the back door with your partner and shoot the engine suspended from the rafters right away. There's a good chance there'll be a guy running right past the barrel when the engine falls on it, netting you the achievement.
Nowhere In A Hurry

20
Catch and arrest Cliff Harrison before he is stopped by uniformed backup.
(18)
In the beginning of the case you chase Cliff Harrison in your vehicle. You'll need to quickly pursue and destroy his vehicle to make him stop before backup forms a road block on Temple Street.

There are 5 achievements with a total of 100 points

Eight Million Stories

20
Complete 'The Naked City'.
(22)
Story related and cannot be missed.

Simply complete the 'The Naked City' DLC case.

A Good-Looking Corpse

20
Find and inspect all of the narcotics in Julia Randall's apartment.
(9)
At the beginning of the case you arrive at the murder scene and have to search for clues. Make sure to check for all of the narcotics in the apartment to unlock the achievement. Here are the ones you need:
- Morphine which you acquire automatically.
- Empty morphine surette. On the bottom floor of the apartment complex you find this in a trashcan.
- Sleeping pills in Julia Randall's bedroom at the foot of the bed.
- Benezedrine Prescription. On the right hand nightstand in Julia's bedroom there is a round pill container. Inspect it for more sleeping pills then push to inspect further and find the prescription.
Fakeloo

20
Tail Henry Arnett from Hollywood Station to the pawnbroker and travel agent without being spotted.
(70)
About halfway through the case you will have to tail the suspect Henry Arnett. First you follow him in a car. Stay a safe distance away in your car and be careful to not hit anything and alert him. Once he reaches the pawn shop you will have to follow him on foot. Stay back as far as you can and when possible press on objects to go incognito. Eventually Arnett will cross the street to the right side. Continue following him on the left side of the street to make it easier on yourself and only cross the street once he's gone down the alley. If you mess up just quit out and reload so you start back at the Arnett interrogation. Once you've completed it the achievement will unlock after the cut-scene with your partner when he's talking about the cigarette case.
Chauffeur Service

20
Escort Heather Swanson to Arnett's apartment without damaging your vehicle.
(28)
Toward the end of the case you will talk to Mrs. Evestrom. Eventually her daughter will come in and you will have to escort her over to Henry Arnett's apartment. It's pretty far away so make sure to drive safe and slow. Use your siren as cars are less likely to get in your way. Drive on the straightest path possible so you don't have to turn down a lot of streets and always be careful at intersections as other cars are fairly reckless. Once you reach Arnett's apartment and watch the short cut-scene the achievement will unlock.
Give My Regards

20
Shoot every letter down from the tower at the Broadway Hotel.
(24)
At the very end of the game you will chase the suspect onto the roof of the hotel. There's a large tower that he climbs with the word 'Broadway' in bright lights on it. Just shoot every letter until it explodes before you shoot the suspect on the platform and you will easily unlock this achievement.

There are 5 achievements with a total of 100 points

The Big Unfriendly

20
Complete 'Nicholson Electroplating'.
(14)
Story related and cannot be missed.

Simply complete the 'Nicholson Electroplating' DLC case.

Bulletproof Windshield

20
Kill the drivers of two of the MP vehicles in the Hughes Aircraft gun battle before they pull up.
(121)
During the final part of this case, you will be caught in a gun battle outside of Hughes' Aircraft. In order to unlock this achievement you will need to kill two different drivers before they pull up and get out of their vehicles. You will have the following four different opportunities to do this:
- The first vehicle will pull from left to right of your original position you start at.
- The second vehicle will come from the street behind you after taking out the first vehicle.
- The third and fourth vehicles will pull up a little bit further behind where the first car pulls up.
It is recommended to take out the driver's of the first two vehicles because those seem to be the easiest, and if you fail then simply run up to the remaining enemies, die and try again. Listen for the horn to make sure you've taken out the driver. Watch the following video from the guys at Achievement Hunter for some help.
Out Of The Frying Pan

20
Pursue Vernon Mapes from the burning house to Hughes Aircraft on your first attempt.
(13)
Towards the end of the case, you will need to investigate the house on 3941 West Second Street from the photographs you inspect at Tech Services in the police department. After searching around the house for clues, a Molotov cocktail will be thrown into the house. Escape from the burning house to see Vernon Mapes jump into his car and book it for Hughes' Aircraft. Simply follow Mapes to Hughes' Aircraft. Do not let Mapes get too far away from your vehicle and do not focus on trying to shoot out his tyres or running his goons off the road. Once Mapes pulls up at Hughes' Aircraft the achievement will unlock and a gunfight will ensue.
Skeletons In The Icebox

20
Find and inspect all clues inside Okamoto's ransacked apartment.
(3)
During the case you will need to investigate Tomoko Okamoto's apartment (the Deciphered Address) and search for clues. When you arrive at the destination check the mailboxes on the right to discover Okamoto's apartment is room #1. Make sure to check for all of the following clues to unlock the achievement:
- Refrigerator to the left as you enter the apartment.
- Inspect the victim's right and left hand for a wristwatch and ring.
- Golden LAPD retirement tie pin. On the floor to the left of the fireplace.
- Golden microfilm piece.* On the shelf to the right of the sink in the bedroom.
* The achievement will not unlock unless you grabbed the other half of the golden microfilm piece from Okamoto's suitcase at the Explosion Site.
The Nose Knows

20
Find and inspect the prop spinner at the Nicholson blast site.
(3)
At the beginning of the case, after taking care of the looters, you will be asked to search for clues at the Explosion Site. To the left of the coroner there will be a path that forks. Follow down the path right to the end until you see an officer who tells you to inspect the metal pieces to his left. Complete the clue by lining up the bottom and top pieces of the prop spinner till it reads "P&W WASP MAJOR R-4360." Once you've lined up the pieces of metal the achievement will unlock.

There are 5 achievements with a total of 100 points

Every Herb Bearing Seed

20
Complete 'Reefer Madness'.
(34)
Story related and cannot be missed.

Simply complete the 'Reefer Madness' DLC case.

High Flyer

20
Find the flyer at Juan Garcia Cruz's house and proceed straight to the 20th Century Market.
(14)
After the gunfight at Juan Garcia Cruz's house you'll have a chance to investigate his home. Investigate as usual until you go into a bedroom. Then head towards the boxes next to the bunk bed and find a newspaper in which you'll find an advertisement for 20th Century Market. Either continue to investigate the house, or head straight for your car and drive over to 20th Century Market. Do not drive anywhere else or you'll miss out on this achievement. As soon as you reach the market a brief cut-scene will play. As soon as it's finished, the achievement will unlock.
Forcible Rear Entry

20
Enter the Las Palmas stash house via the back door and kill Juan Garcia Cruz.
(14)
As soon as the case starts you'll be instructed to meet Freddie Calhoun. Do so and a short cut-scene will play. After the cut-scene drive over to Juan Garcia Cruz's house. After another short cut-scene, two people wielding Tommy Guns will begin to shoot at you. Stay in cover and proceed down the left side until you reach a wooden fence. Break cover and run alongside the wooden fence until you reach the backyard of Cruz's house. Climb over the fence. If you want to you can also retrieve a weapon from your squad car for greater firepower.

As soon as you reach the back of the house kick down the door and walk up the small porch. As soon as you defeat both enemies the achievement will unlock.
Soup In The Pot

20
Open both soup cans in Juan Garcia Cruz's stash room.
(19)
After the shootout at Juan Garcia Cruz's house you'll have a chance to investigate his home. Proceed outside to the backyard and you will spot a small wooden shed. Open the door and you'll notice various soup cans stacked on shelves. Check out the middle shelf and grab the second can from the left. Once the small hidden compartment opens, head inside the room.

As you enter the room you will notice a can-opener and two soup cans that you can investigate. Open up both soup cans using the opener on the wall. As soon as you open up the second can the achievement will unlock.
Spare A Dime

20
Complete the puzzle of the US Morgan silver dollars at Parnell's Soup.
(8)
Throughout Reefer Madness you'll have to find a series of US Morgan silver dollars. The first one can be found in the left pocket of Juan Garcia Cruz's jacket. The second coin will be given to you during a cut-scene after you catch the store-clerk at 20th Century Market. The third and fourth coins will be found after the Parnell's Soup shootout. As soon as you find all the silver dollars Ray Pinker will ask you to solve a puzzle. Look at the silver dollars carefully and you will note that they each have specific letters printed on them. Organize the coins so the letters appear as follows:

MAS - ANG - KAY - MET - ALS.

As soon as you finish the puzzle, the achievement should unlock.