Could have been better.
Its not surprising that games are released based on popular television shows. CSI: Hard Evidence is not the first game based on the series but the first one on the Xbox 360 platform. The entire cast of the Las Vegas Crime Unit is present and very much involved in this adventure game.
Game play: 7/10
You start off as being the new person on the team. The game is broken into five separate murders (missions) for you to solve. As the player you accompany one or more or more of the team members are you examine crime scenes, evidence and interview suspects and witnesses. You job is to find enough evidence to bring in suspects for questioning. You are given a chance to use all the tools that the show uses. From examining DNA to collecting gunpowder residue, you detective skills are tested. As you progress you will need enough evidence to justify arrest warrants and catch the criminals. Along the way you have some side quests to make your boss happy.
Graphics: 6/10
The graphics of the cast members are clear and resemble their lifelike counterparts. While there are plenty of locations you encounter in Las Vegas, they are bland and the options to view crime scenes areas are very limited. The details could have used a little better modeling and great detail.
Sound and Music: 6/10
While the voice acting recreates an episode. The conversations seem a little boring and not very exciting. While the music is basic and non intrusive, the music score is passable.
Difficulty: 2/10 (Degree of skill to enjoy the game)
This is not a hard game at all. The storyline prevents you from moving forward until you find the clues to move to the next scene.
Final Thoughts:
Without going into much details of each crime, I can assure you as a fan of the show, I can assure you the game remains true to the show. The problem I have with the game is the effort on the resulting game. There was plenty of potential with the CSI franchise but the developers seemed to have just released a passable product not a great one.