"CSI: first game... good game..."

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is the first videogame of a solid saga on PC, expanding since 2007 on other platforms. 2007 is also the year of the release of the 5th game (counting CSI Miami) in the series. But remember something: CSI is released in 2003 and is from 369 Interactive - developers are now TellTales Games.

CSI doesn't make a revolution in the adventure/reflexive games but it was an enjoyable game.... I use past tense because I've played Hard Evidence, the last game... But this doesn't mean that CSI is not worthy to play now. In fact, I will be positive about the game like I already was in 2004 (and my French review published on a opinion site). One point is sure. The story didn't change a bit since 2003: you're still a rookie doing his stage in the Las Vegas lab, teamed with Grissom and Co.

CSI is a point&click game. With the mouse, you can click on evidences or on interesting areas. All areas have an evidence. When you found a evidence, you can use collect or detection tools. You can play with Leuko, Luminol, finger prints powder, etc.. If you need an autopsy, Robbins is in his morgue, so, you can ask him everything proposed by the game. Don't forget to go back to him after processing an evidence or finding some interesting things in the lab.

Sanders isn't on the field, the story taking place before his promotion, so, give him traces, documents or objects in order to find some DNA or to compare two DNA, etc.. Yep, in the first CSI game, you haven't access to the DNA analysis computer or to the Chemical Traces analysis computer. You just have the Traces analysis computer (for prints, audio or special search) and the microscope. Fortunately, the sequels will rectify this.

If you need a warrant (questioning or searching or arrest), you must go to Brass. But you can also ask him to do some research for you, it's him that gives you victim background or locations to visit.

Places, tools, evidences are regrouped in a banner HUD at the bottom of the screen. Playing with it the first time isn't annoying but when you're obliged to start again a case for reaching the 100% (and being rewarded by a bonus), it will rapidly become an annoying thing. And if you want to play the series, you must know that only Hard Evidence doesn't have this annoying HUD. The problem is that you must scroll for reaching the evidence you want.

Another good point is the music. Perfect for a game like this. And the actors are giving their voices to the characters they're playing.

Graphic engine is correct (no full 3D though), you can easily recognize the CSI gang. But the game engine is still inferior to what was made in 2003. The good point of these graphics is that I can play on my laptop. I doubt that if CSI was a game released in 2008, I'll be playing it on a 5-years-old laptop.

Finally, cases are interesting, first one is not long but the others are a little longer. The great idea was to make in the last case references to previous ones. It will be a constant in the CSI videogames. That's probably why I turned into a fan of CSI videogames.

For the negative point, excepting the annoying HUD and the difficulty to reach the 100%, CSI the game isn't really a rich game. It will be considered by the hardcore gamers as an average or a bad game. You don't really have freedom: Greg is the king of the lab, you can only play with two tools. And you need solid evidences for asking a warrant. You always go back to the NPC, especially when you're interrogating them with Brass. As I've said, miss a question and you can restart the case. Another point is that you must like a little the TV show for playing the game. I wasn't a fan of CSI but I liked it somewhere. That's why I bought the game. And see where I am now: a huge fan of the CSI videogames.

GAMEPLAY: 7/10 - it's intuitive, it's the first game, if you come from later games, you'll be perhaps disappointed but it's still the basic moves: point and click.

STORY: 9/10 - I loved the last case with Leda and the lot of surprises when you're solving the case. And the third case was also a surprising one!

GRAPHICS: 6/10 - I'm influenced by Hard Evidence and by the change of the developers. But despite the severe note (even at that time, the game engine was inferior), it's a correct engine.

SOUNDTRACK: 8/10 - Actors's voices... Good ambient music... what can I add? Perhaps that I would prefer ongoing music? Or am I influenced by Hard Evidence?

LIFETIME: 6/10 - Well, CSI was a short game, with the shortest cases of the series. But with the difficulty to reach 100% in one try, the game could be extremely long. Sometimes, it's too long.

FINAL: 7/10 - I'm not generous, I'm just trying to judge the game despite years of playing new games. It was the first CSI game, so, you can forgive some youth errors like the nonexistent access to the DNA analysis computer or the tutorial during the game. It's also the game who puts the bases of the CSI series: 5 cases, challenges for bonuses, references to past cases, actors's voices. CSI is a worth a try, specially if you like CSI. Despite the five years gap between the release and the review, I can't only say something: try it. Perhaps you'll be receptive to the others CSI game before 3 Dimensions of Murder and Hard Evidence.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/28/08

Game Release: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (EU, 05/15/03)