CSI: Miami

Rating:
Summary: Eh. That sums it up. Eh.
Review: Among other things! First off, let me tell you I'm a huge fan of CSI, and will buy anything that comes out with the CSI moniker on it. I've played both of the CSI Las Vegas games, and have had fun playing those.

CSI Miami is technically the same game as the previous CSI PC games. When there's a sequel to a game, you hope that the user interface hasn't changed much, but the gameplay has. This game plays exactly like the other ones to the point it's formulaic. You play 5 cases, 4 with CSIs and 1 with the Lead CSI. The last case always incorporates the previous 4 cases. I spent about 10 hours playing this game, and I've played it before. It wasn't that it was hard, just how should I put this gently, ridiculously nitpicky. What I mean by this is, you can pass up huge pieces of evidence and it not cost you any points, but the smallest task you don't do, will hold up the game for an infinite amount of time while you go back and re-check all your steps. This happened to me in the 2nd case and it was a stupid fingerprint that had been checked on earlier evidence, but not another piece of earlier evidence. It was maddening.

The voice acting was done by the original actors, but the only one who managed to speak with any sort of believability was Horatio Caine. Speedle was the worst offender, sounding at times like a Ben Stein stand in "Wow."

I did enjoy playing the game - the story lines were excellent and believable, and tied up well in the final case with Horatio. (After playing this game, I have learned never to join a country club). I found no bugs in the game which is a relief after the mess that CSI Dark Motives was when they put it out earlier this year. Upon further inspection, there's a patch on www.ubi.com, for bugs, but I played it through with no problem, but I suppose it would be better to install this and head off any problems before they occur.

So in the end, the game wasn't a bad way to spend a snowed in Sunday, but if I had my druthers, the game would be much better. If you're not a die hard fan of the show, don't bother with it and invest your money in the upcoming Season 2 DVDs releasing shortly. Die hards pick it up with the understanding that it isn't that great.

Rating:
Summary: About CSI Miami
Review: CSI: Miami, is a very good game; very challenging and hard. Ithink their are some glitches in the game. I am right now stuck on the first murder and I don't know what else to do.

Rating:
Summary: Keeps you wanting more
Review: I couldn't wait for this game to be made. I miss the character of Speedle played by Rory Cochrane. If you really like role-playing and solving whodunits than this is the game for you. Its like being on the show with the characters. I give it two thumbs up.

C.C.

Rating:
Summary: Too Quick & Too Easy
Review: I love the CSI games, they don't make enough of them! But this one was too plain jane for me. It was too predictable and I finished in in less than a week. I hated the colors, Like David Caruso isn't washed out looking enough on TV.... and the characters were annoying. If you like any of the other CSI games then I would get this to keep you from withdrawl.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully addictive
Review: I loved this game. I spent many hours trying to solve the cases. I think every fan of CSI: Miami would really enjoy this. If you love the TV show you'd really get into this game.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good
Review: This game is pretty fun, it made me think a little. I kind of cheated and got help from online, but it was still fun.

Rating:
Summary: Fun but too linear
Review: This is my first attempt at the CSI pc game genre. I am a huge fan of the CSI shows, although nothing beats the original (I find David Caruso's sunglass aerobics a little annoying).

So here in CSI Miami you are a trainee CSI assigned to assist one of the regular CSIs (Duquesne, Speedle, Delko, Yelina and the great man Horatio Caine) from the show to investigate and solve a murder or two. I will not post any spoilers so I won't elaborate on the cases.

You investigate the primary crime scene, interview witnesses and, through appropriate development of the cases via evidence, you can get warrants to interrogate suspects or examine other locations.

You investigate locations using a mouse pointer and, when you have found an item or location of interest, you can use specific CSI tools to examine for fingerprints, blood etc, and collect items or samples and haul them back to the lab. You then have access to three locations at CSI HQ: Alexx's morgue, where she will describe the cause of death and any other anomalies, and where you may have the opportunity to further examine the body; Vera's lab, where you can examine the evidence in further detail, via the computer, microscope or evidence table; or Yelina's desk, where you can ask for warrants or suspect information.

When interrogating or questioning you are given a set list of questions you can ask.

Depending on the level of difficulty you choose, finding evidence is quite easy and there are usually only 3-4 pieces of evidence at the most at each location.

It is pretty much necessary to find all the available evidence and ask all the possible questions to get to the end of each case.

All in all this is a fun experience, but there is very little freedom. There is no room for intuition or further depth because you can only really collect the evidence that is placed there for the express purpose of progressing the game. Hence the game is quite linear and there is absolutely no replay value whatsoever, as the cases play out exactly the same second time around. With only 5 cases to solve, the game ends up being rather brief. Experienced CSI/whodunnit gamers will probably take perhaps 10-20 hours to complete the game at a leisurely pace, if only because you need to do a lot of tripping back and forth between suspects and locations.

Nonetheless there is something intriguing and supremely satisfying about building a case based on scraps of evidence and an ear for the storyline.

The animation of the characters is okay, if a little robotic, and the lip synch is non-existent. They are pretty reasonable renditions of the actors (although Caruso's animated computer double arguably has a better emotional range but far less of his facial blemishes!). I thought the voice acting (by the show's actors) was very monotonous and uninspiring, almost like the actors had been forced to do it at gunpoint...

There were no apparent bugs and no crashes in the version I played.

It IS a fun game, and I DO recommend it, but I think it is probably not worth rushing out for - perhaps keep your eye out for a bargain.


Rating:
Summary: AWESOME game!!
Review: This was probably one of, if not, THE coolest games I've ever played. It is so well made. Graphics are good, stories are cool, just the right challenge level. It's just awesome.
Now I haven't played the first game although it's next on my list, so I can't verify or counter the other peoples' statements about it being too formulaic, like the first one. But I just had an awesome time with this game. I just couldn't keep away. I played it constantly and beat it in two days. I'm not saying it didn't have enough gameplay hours; they were probably sufficient. But I was just hooked and I played it all the time. The extras that you can unlock are pretty cool too.
And what an ending! The ending to the last case is awesome. I won't reveal any more, but what a surprise! Now, it's highly unlikely, but hey, this is drama. It's a cool story anyway.
If you are interested in crime, crime scene investigation, or forensics, this game is definitely for you!