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Fans of the TV crime series CSI know what to expect every time they watch the show. Most episodes stick to a long established format slavishly: a main case and a subplot, with six forensic investigators somehow managing to cover every major infraction of the law in the entirety of Las Vegas. Followers of the CSI games have found themselves in precisely the same situation, and will do so again as they play through the new instalment, Hard Evidence. Everything you’d expect is here, with no upsets, or, for that matter, pleasant surprises to speak of.
To wit: the player, as themselves, are cast as the newest investigator to join the CSI team, then dispatched to solve a series of five cases, the last of which has some links to one or more of the others. The gameplay consists almost entirely of scouring each crime scene for evidence, selecting the correct tool to detect or collect it, then “processing” it in the lab, which normally constitutes matching the evidence to another specimen or a sample from a database, plus interviewing suspects until one of them is demonstrably guilty. In this fashion, the game does an admirable job of mimicking the show.
Similarly, the game also looks and sounds like CSI, with much of the show’s music and trademark extreme close-ups of forensic procedures making the jump to interactive form literally intact; many clips are cannibalised from the show itself. Most of the television cast lend their voices here and partner up with the player for each case, replete with plenty of “criminal” puns about the current investigation, and their character models are some of the most detailed and well crafted elements of the game’s graphics.
In other respects, the game’s general appearance is perfectly acceptable, but hardly stunning. As in the previous installment, the game is in real-time 3D, but it doesn’t match up to the gloss of many current games. Perhaps to make sure it runs on as many systems as possible, the polygon counts are rather low; outside locations in particular suffer from the simplicity (especially the dated attempt at a water effect). The inherently simpler geometry of the interiors fare much better, letting the artists' craftsmanship come to the fore.
Its presentation feels authentic, then, but does the game play right? The short answer is, it plays simply. Although Telltale Games, at the helm of their second consecutive CSI title, have made a few minor additions to the formula, Hard Evidence feels very much like the first game in the series (released a surprisingly short four years ago). Even the jump to 3D, first introduced in 3 Dimensions of Murder, makes very little difference in gameplay terms, as the only real consequence is eliminating the irritating pixel hunting that plagued the first three games, thanks to the higher resolutions and controllable camera movement that provides a better view of obscured objects.
Each case is a strictly linear affair, and with little puzzle solving to speak of, you won’t get much of a feeling of accomplishment. Searching for evidence is a simple test of observation. The controls never allow you to freely explore each environment, and almost all evidence is in plain view, leaving an inescapable feeling that you’re looking at stage sets, not visiting locations, even moreso than simply watching the TV show. This feeling of disconnect is what permeates the game, and although the problem may at first appear a lack of difficulty (most players will sail through the majority of the five two-hour episodes) it’s more a lack of agency. With no real puzzles, choices, or even possibility of setbacks, it’s hard to feel like a crime scene investigator. It’s telling that the most significant new gameplay advance from the previous game is the bizarre side-task of collecting insects for entomologically-obsessed supervisor Gil Grissom.
There is really no sense of pressure in the investigation, either, as suspects will never work against you to hide evidence very effectively, although about once every case you’ll have to move something to reveal new items. Further simplifying matters, there is no risk of compromising evidence (thus making it harder to solve the case), or tipping your hand too early to a suspect. No, the key to this game is generally clicking on everything, with little thought or planning. Even selecting which of your arsenal of collection (tweezers, gloves, adhesive tape, etc.) and detection (camera, fingerprint powder, luminol...) tools you want to deploy is extremely streamlined; the hardest difficulty setting only provides half a dozen options to choose from, and there are no consequences for selecting incorrectly.
Continued on the next page...
| Territory | Date | Publisher |
 Europe |
October 4 2007 | Ubisoft |
 United States |
September 25 2007 | Ubisoft |
Well, this game is actually worse than it’s predecessors, but it may just be my opinion…
Well, it’s pretty hard to explain, especially since I don’t consider myself an expert in technical terms. It’s more like… a feeling. A bad one, for that matter. It made me think that the creators of the game just woke up one night and said “heck, let’s make another game”, in the sense that it wasn’t determined by wanting to go further and create something new, but a need to “fill in a hole” by making “more of the same thing”. This has, in fact, already been said in the review.
What I mean by saying that it’s actually worse is that the “improved looks” actually seemed uglier to me. The inventory looks worse too. At the same time, the whole bug collecting thing seems terribly out of place. The cases themselves lack substance and thrill, you can tell what the guilty party is from the very beginning with a little bit of analysis, in which case the rest of the case solving is pretty much boring.
While I do not contest the hard work put into the creation of any game, especially one whose graphics are meant to stand up to the current standards, I would have preferred waiting longer for a sequel with more thought and imagination put into it. I liked the previous games, as I started out as a “Police Quest” fan and “junkie”. That’s how I got hooked on adventure games in the first place and I am thrilled whenever a police/detective game comes out.
The bottom line is, I was disappointed. I believe a game like this can be allowed to explore more angles. And I personally believe that not even the big fans of CSI will enjoy “Hard Evidence”. Sorry to say that…
These games are in danger of becoming as bad as the cookie cutter movie license games.
In fact they may already be there.
Same rubbish again and again.
I’m sure that Telltale do everything in their power to make them decent games, but are hampered by a miniscule budget (see bland graphics) and orders/pressure from the publisher to just carbon copy the last game and change the plot slightly.
Telltale made the previous game bearable by an decent script that held the interest. Unfortunatly it looks that even the script this time is disappointing.
I think that the strength of the TV show is the character and the interplay between them. This is totally wasted in this franchise when the “stars” just stand about giving advice when asked. They don’t really get involved in the case which is a waste.
For me, I think Telltale has missed the opportunity to put some real innovation into this genre.
Good review. You nailed the faults that I always complain about when I play through these CSI games. I’m not sure why I keep buying them, there’s really no “game” it’s more like just clicking through a story, and not a very great one at that. I love the show, but they really need to overhaul the games and make them a real challenge for the brain
I’m more or less in the middle of the game now and still it is hard for me to decide whether I like it or not .
There isn’t any single “fresh” element when comparing to the other releases (unless you consider a bug collecting as something striking new), however, it can be entertaining especially when you are a big fan of the series.
For me it will be rather a “play-and-forget” game.
I certainly don’t disagree with the notion that the CSI games could be so much deeper and more engaging. But I think it’s pretty clear by now that Ubisoft isn’t targeting the “hardcore” gaming world, but rather the millions of fans of the show that are probably casual gamers at best. The very things we might see as major improvements might be the same things that drive away the current market, so it’s a tough call for a publisher. There’s also the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy. So long as they sell, there’s little motivation to change. The Nancy Drew series is 17 games strong, and basically hasn’t changed a thing. The Law & Order series, meanwhile, got a major overhaul and it almost killed Legacy Interactive. Again, I’m not saying this as a justification to maintain status quo. I think the games can still be improved without risking its core casual market. I’m just not expecting to see a “CSI for gamers!” iteration any time soon.
Well if i ‘m not wrong after CSI Miami the developer company of the game was not the same. First it was 369 interactive and after CSI Miami, Telltale Games. Along with this change the gameplay and the trill of the games was also changed. My excitement stopped at Miami. The other two sequel games are for me completely different games. I played the previous one (3 dimentions of murder) with a taste of disappointment and i didn’t change my opinion with the last one…
I hate this newer gaming interface..Why didn’t they stick with the same interface as Dark Motives..It’s the best one..Most CSI gaming fans agree with that..Even CSI Miami was good…Both of which I still play again..from time to time..I guess that had to do with 369 interactive..What a shame..We may never see that again..
The graphics..everything..the puzzles..I loved the cryptographic puzzles in the previous versions..The puzzles were just better all around.
The new pan and scan is just horrible..It’s ok on the evidence items-in close up..but in each scene..each and every frame..It gets dizzying..Especially if the location tag isn’t enabled..You think there’s something left there..so u pan and scan..ugh..ick..I could do without that.
Also this flash of transition between each frame…is downright blinding after awhile…and isn’t really all that innovative.
To add a flashing transition for each and every frame..Right down to the items…scenes..each and every close up..of tools..Come on now
The only time you saw that in the previous versions was..going to a crime scene..[When u saw the lights of Las Vegas]—Flashh—done.
They might want to put a warning on the box..Might cause epileptic seizures..or vertigo—PLAY AT YOUR OWN RISK.
I don’t like being led by the hand either…I liked not knowing which tool to u..and trying each one…
I liked hearing..[even tho it was annoying..]..There’s nothing there..Nothing there of interest…That’s not the right tool for that..
Comparing fingerprints…was soo much better in those versions..Then this ..drag and drop…pieces of fingerprints…U end up clicking..Confirm Match…ur not sure if it landed right..?
I have had this game on my pc for close to 2 years..and i just finished the last case today…That’s how..unimpressed I was with it..
I guess when they made Dark Motives…they set a bar..in which..I doubt they will ever surpass.
..I just wanted to add…I’m a huge fan of the CSI games..Not the show..So if UBIsoft..was under the impression that they had to continually make a game for those that are fans of the show..They would be wrong..I for one, only play the games. ..I’m an adventure gamer…So i myself would much prefer an authentic..challenging..puzzler..As opposed to just..throwing us games..to keep us ‘csi’ers’ happy ..that the team is still working…and we get to follow along..>?
and I assume there are billions of others like me…
Love ND series as well—...and I love interface..everything..It doesn’t change either….Only the puzzles do..
never watched the show..either..
