Miami has seen better days.
CSI: Miami plays out almost the same way as an episode of the TV series. We suppose that’s good, although you don’t have to pay any more attention to the game than you would the dull show. Important details get repeated many times, fancy gadgets quickly become mundane, and there’s no real sense of mystery. The story is instead spoon-fed to you at every twist, and the game adds little else.
The presentation and control are the strongest elements. In illustrations of crime scenes and suspects’ homes, you’ll click on clues by steering a touch-wheel-controlled pointer. But the biggest challenge is finding items that can be clicked. After that, you’re nearly always told what to do next. Mini-games frequently appear, for example, you’ll crack safes or extract DNA from evidence. But those are usually easy enough to bore, and there’s no significant penalty for failure.
Further problems bury CSI: Miami. While the few-hour length felt about right, we seemed to spend almost half that time waiting between loading screens. Worst of all, there’s no sense of choice throughout. For example, when questioning a suspect, you can change the order of questions asked, but there’s no penalty for asking the wrong thing. Just ask again.
Has characters from the TV show. You can replay mini-games without repeating the story.
Everything is linear. There’s no sense of discovery or crime solving. Mini-games are forgettable. Loading screens constantly appear. No potential risk means limited reward.
