Cold Case Files: The Game

Publisher: Activision Value Publishing
Developer: Activision Value
Year Released: 2004


Apparently, the A&E (Arts & Entertainment) cable television network has a show in their lineup called Cold Case Files. I did not become privy to this information until I had loaded this game. From the very start, one becomes aware that Cold Case Files: The Game is nothing more than an advertisement for the television show. The game begins, each time you load it, with a commercial for the television program. Ah, but this isn't the only means the game advertises for the television show. There are 6 cases in all, and a bonus case (47.4 mb, and only available as a download from A&E's website) you can play if you choose to do so. The developers placed the bonus case scenario in the game, by default, but forces the player to go to the A&E website to get it in order to play it. While at the A&E website, you get to learn all about the television show. There is only one tidbit regarding the game, and that is the download link to the bonus case. Ever hear of Virgin music? Their ads are all over this game as well. In all, this game is nothing more than one, big advertisement.

The premise of the game... The Cold Case team solves cases not previously solved with the new technology that is available to convict murderers, etc. Well, there are only murderers in this game at least. There are 7 cases in all (including the bonus case), and each takes place in a different U.S. state. The coroner, in the game, does not change from state to state. North Carolina, Maryland and Indiana. He is either really bad at his job, or the developers were lazy and wanted to rush the game out the door for the public to play.

Gameplay is EXTREMELY linear, and the entire game can be played within just a few hours. Monotony is the name of the game. Although knowing what to do next is fairly obvious, you spend your time going from locale to locale to find evidence to convict a suspect. There are times when you think you need to do more to get a conviction, but the case is over (supposedly solved, but would never hold up in a real court of law). These are other shortcuts the developers took.

Activision Value. This company should not be associated with Activision in any way, although Activision is their parent company. Activision Value releases games that are really bad (most often), and this game is no different. The only difference with this game, and their others, is the quality of graphics. The graphics in Cold Case Files: The Game far surpasses anything they have released in the past, but this is still Activision Value; the gameplay is awful. The cases are short, there is nothing really apparent for the mind to work through to complete the game and the various issues I already mentioned above.

I was surprised to see that Babbages/GameStop, nor Best Buy did not stock this game. The only place I could find it was Super Target. I concluded that the buyers, for the stores the game was not stocked in, have become wise in realizing that games developed by Activision Value do not sell well. We have all heard of the goose that laid the golden egg. Well, all we get with this game is just a great, big goose egg.

I'd say skip this one, and play a better game like CSI 1 or 2.


Gameplay: F+
Graphics: C
Audio: D (mediocre ambient music, and not so stellar voice acting)
Story: D- (no real story; just cases and suspects)
Overall: D-


Reviewed by: Gamehound

Wow, they can make a game THIS bad?

What was the + for in the gameplay category???

Thanks for letting us know, Gamehound.

The +, because I have played worse games, sadly.

I'm writing a walkthrough for it. If MaG wants to post it, you can see how extrememly short the cases are. It's barely a game; mostly adware.


Gamehound

Adware? How so?

Rusty

Not adware in the sense of spyware and what not. The game is one, big advertisement for the Cold Case Files television show, and for Virgin music. It is barely a game.


Gamehound

I tried to save you the 20 dollars Gamehound with my pre-warning HERE .

I can't even bring myself to put it on the Trading Post because I can't justify anyone paying for it!

Ana

Ah, I didn't see that post before. Oh well, $19.99 isn't all that harsh on the wallet.

Yeah, the game is fairly worthless. I am going to give my copy to someone I know in town. I am tempted to boycott any A&E television shows because of this.


Gamehound

i need a walkthrough for cases three and six lol if you can send me one gamehound just for those cases feel free to email me

I bought the game at Target, as well. I was never able to download the bonus game, for some reason. I actually really like the Cold Case Files television show, but disliked this game. I feel this game was A & E's attempt to jump in on the forensic games market, with games like the CSI games and Law and Order games, but they failed miserably.

We were given areas to "search," but since the only view of the area was one fixed screen shot, we could only magnify one or two areas, pick up the evidence (without any forensic tools such as those in the CSI games) and then go to the lab and stick it under a microscope or hand it to a tech. We could use the computer, but we didn't enter anything or use any intelligence; we just clicked on various possibilities, such as cross-reference, and the computer popped up with the answer (the computer apparently has our case file). There are boxes of inventory for each case in the inventory room and you must look at the box and click on the evidence but can't really examine it or anything. It just adds the evidence to the all-important "cold" case file. The only interesting part is interviewing the suspects, but that is so controlled and linear that no skill is required. Yuck.

This game is really bad. I only felt compelled to finish it because I've paid for it. Gimme CSI anytime

All I can say is that I'm very, very glad that, in spite of my love for the show, I chose to heed the warnings posted on this forum. How sad that the time wasn't taken to make a quality game with this license. Done right, it could have been a really engrossing experience.

I was also a sucker who actually bought this game. Considering I love the television show it is based on and have played every single CSI game to date; I figured it would be like those games. It isn't anything near. The cases are to straight forward and you couldn't mess up if you tried. I have the game still and it collects dust, for I will never play it again.

Hi Donna,

I think we all have at least one of those games. It's all part of the BAAGS syndrome virus which seems to run rampant on this sight.


BAAGS by the way, is Buy All Adventure Games Syndrome--- While it is a danger to your wallet, it is not a danger to your computer!