Another key factor in this is the use of the sophisticated graphics to aid the story. The user interface is practically unsullied by information, outside of a mini-map to make sure that you do not wander in frustration trying to find your next action.
Gone are ammo counters and health bars, gone is the extraneous mission information (a notebook can be accessed to refresh yourself of the salient points of the case) or the inventories.
Instead, the world, the people and the actions are used to fill in the blanks. For instance, the music score indicates proximity to clues rather than a glowing breadcrumb trail, with a two note flourish indicating key finds.
Interrogation is obviously a key mechanism in the game – and as well as reading the person's expression to indicate their attitude to the questions, you can also use the evidence you have gathered to push people into a corner, make them more forthcoming or, if you get things wrong, clam up.
"Each choice you make in an interrogation has the potential to shake loose a new clue," says RockStar, "a name, a location or a new piece of evidence.
"There are a few other things we can take into account when choosing how to proceed with any given interrogation.
"Look at a suspect's body language and facial expression: What are they unknowingly giving away? How about the inflection in their voice? Do they appear evasive or forthcoming? MotionScan and our ability to fully capture an actor's performance allow us to pick at these tiny details for analysis."
