C.S.I. - UbiSoft
Minimum Requirements:
Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
Pentium II - 300 Mhz
128 Mb Ram (256 recommended for XP)
4X CD-ROM


C.S.I. is based on the CBS TV show of the same name. All the cast members are there including Gil Grissom. The actors from the TV show provide the voices. This game draws some obvious comparisons with the recently released game based on another popular crime TV show, "Law & Order". Like that game, in CSI, you play the part of an unnamed new member of the team.
The characters are animated, and most look pretty close to the TV actors. (strangely enough, I thought the one who looked least like the TV counterpart was the lead character, Gil Grissom) I thought the graphics were very good, but not ground breaking.

The game is 1st person, and when examining a crime scene, you can pan around the room looking for evidence in most cases. (but some scenes are static). Your cursor turns green when you are over a 'hot spot', and often you can zoom in for a closer look. There is also a tool for magnification, when you need to get real close, to look for a hair on a sweater for example.

Like the 1st half of "Law & Order", you investigate crime scenes, interview witnesses and suspects, and collect and examine evidence.

Unlike "Law & Order", you have 5 cases to work on instead of just one, and there is no running clock, so you can take all the time you want. C.S.I. aslo has a lot more tools you can use to examine and gather evidence.

Having 5 cases instead of 1, lead me to belive this would be a longer game than "Law & Order", but actually most of the cases are pretty short. You get points for each case, up to a maximum of 100. I suppose this was put in to try and add to the replay factor, so the player would go back to try and get a perfect score. As an incentive, there are bonuses for getting a high score in each of the 5 cases, and a final bonus if you get a perfect score in every case. I don't want to reveal the bonus to those who haven't played, but I will say it's not an extra case to solve or anything that exciting.

Each case pairs you up with a different cast member, and the 1st case starts with a tutorial, getting you familiar with the different aspects of the game, like how to test evidence, interview witnesses, etc. Once you have some evidence gathered, you can go back to the lab and examine it, or depending on what you found, have Greg do it for you.

Each case is different, from Murder to Arson. Of course when you have a body, you can visit the morgue and get info on the autopsy from the coroner. At first the cases all seem unrelated, but there is a nice twist at the end that ties some of them together. I thought the story and writing were very well done.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this game , especially to fans of the TV show. The only real drawback to me is the game could have been longer. (but I only played each case once, and haven't gone back to try for a perfect score).

Louis

Great Review!! I just love this game, it makes you feel like a real detective.If I already didnt have this game I would buy it on just this review. Good going

Very good review. I have this game and really enjoyed it but for the fact that yes it is too short. But I am going back to try and get a perfect score on all of them.
kid

I really didnt think of the game as a puzzle game.It is pure investigation. It has a great story line and I loved the cut scenes in it.I watched CSI for the first time on Thursday night and actually I liked the game better.I dont think the game is easy, but I am trying for a 100% in every case.I trust gameboomers reviews alot more than outsiders reviews. I buy all adventure games anyway and people shouldnt buy only games that have great reviews cause they would be missing out on a lot of fun games,.

I agree with your review Louis. I also think you didn't gloss over any of the shortfalls of the game or anything. At it's most basic level - CSI was a good game.

I enjoyed the game and think if you are a fan of the show (which I am) you will really love it. My complaint was that it was too short. I also thought the last case was by far the best. My druthers are that they do another and have the cases more complex like that last one. If they had the same 5 case format and did that - I think the game length would be fine.

As for too easy - a few cases were rather fast going but I got stuck in several and certainly finished more than one with marginal scores the first time around.

Laura