CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - 3 Dimensions of Murder

aka: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Las 3 Dimensiones del Asesinato, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Mord in 3 Dimensionen , CSI: Homicídios em 3 Dimensões, CSI: Kryminalne Zagadki Las Vegas - 3 Wymiary Zbrodni, CSI: Omicidio in 3 Dimensioni, Les Experts: Las Vegas - Crimes en série
Moby ID: 21981
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Description official descriptions

You'll have 5 bloody cases to solve as you play a rookie investigator with the Las Vegas crime lab. The first four ultimately connect together towards solving the 5th. Your co-workers are characters from the CSI television series and voice acting is done by the real actors and actresses from the show.

Choose one of 3 levels of difficulty depending upon how familiar you are with the tv shows (and computer gaming in general). Those modes affect how much interactive help you receive inside the game - not from your co-workers, but by way of hotspots and evidence analysis. The game features a tutorial to help with the interface, which is point and click.

Asking your partner for "hints" detracts points. At the end of each case, Gil Grissom (the boss) will rate your performance as either a rookie, investigator or master. Your objective is to gather enough evidence and information to arrest the culprit(s) and achieve as close to a 100% rating as possible (master). This will unlock "special features" at the end of each case.

Unlike the previous games, the graphics are 3D allowing you a more full view of your environment. Like the earlier games, however, there is still limited exploration of the world around you. The 3D system does provide the ability to move evidence objects in different angles which helps to locate all available fingerprints and other possible evidence.

Spellings

  • CSI: Место преступления - 3 измерения убийства - Russian spelling
  • 犯罪现场调查:谋杀的三维 - Chinese spelling (simplified)

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Credits (Windows version)

200 People (160 developers, 40 thanks) · View all

Executive Producers
Lead Designer
Lead Programmer
Co-Lead Artists
Lead Animator
Production Manager
Creative Director
Additional Modelers
Additional Modelers - Alive Interactive Media, Ltd.
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Motion Capture
  • House of Moves
Cinematographer and Director of Motion Capture
Technical Art
Lead Writer
[ full credits ]

Reviews

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Average score: 67% (based on 31 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.5 out of 5 (based on 23 ratings with 1 reviews)

Fresh restart for the series?

The Good
CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder is the first CSI developed by Telltale Games. I don't know why Ubisoft didn't let 369 Interactive pursue it and I'm so lazy that I don't want to make some research.

But is this change be a turning point in the saga?

Well, yes and no.

First thing is the appearance of full 3D. Now, practically everything is in 3D: places, lab, characters, etc.. It was about time... Players needed some fresh changes and this one is really a great one. Graphics are correct, you can recognize the characters.

There are no more final questions asked by Grissom. There are no more crypted messages to decrypt as seen in Miami. No more in-depth analysis for a proof to be an expert at the end (well, no more comparison between two DNA for example even when you had identified the owner).

But what's really important, it's the feeling of freedom: you can analyse everything! Greg is on the field now, so you can do what you want in the lab. You can access to the usual traces analysis computer, DNA one and the microscope. Now, you can add the assembly table (introduced in Miami) and the chemical analysis computer. Yep, for me, it was frustrating to give evidences to a lab technician! I've played the three previous games (with Miami). 3 Dimensions of Murder was really enjoyed, you can't imagine it even if I didn't have the same emotion I had with the first case of Dark Motives.

And guess what? DNA is coloured. Now, it's easier to compare two DNA's. And it's a good thing. My eyes were hurting with the previous games because you needed to examine every column. Now, you take one part and you compare.

Another surprising thing is the green color. Goodbye blue HUD, hi green HUD! I don't know if it's a good thing but it's pleasant.

As you can see, CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder begins to look like a turning point. But...

The Bad
Storyline didn't change a bit: you're still a rookie, teamed with Grissom and Co for solving cases and reaching the Expert rank. You have 5 cases, as usual. They're long, as usual.

The annoying HUD banner is still there. And it's frustrating. As usual, you must scroll for reaching what you want. As usual, none of the evidence is pre-selected when you're using a computer. So, be prepared to do some errors because you don't know if this fiber can be analysed on the chemical computer or if it must be scrutinized under the microscope.

Graphics are correct but are inferior to what was done in 2006. They seem to be so void, so sterilized, well, something isn't right but I can't really express it in English.

Sound and music are the same as previously, sometimes, you have a blank...before music starting playing. Well, it's annoying because you felt like the music isn't synchronized with the action.

And the thoroughness areas without things to discover... Frustrating to hear every 10 sec your partner saying : "Area seems clean, but good to be thorough". I mean, it would have been a good idea to put them if they had a real interest.

Last but not least, there is no bonuses in the game. Why reach the ultimate rank if you're not rewarded? Why PS2 players have a sixth case in the game as a bonus, even if the game is released in 2007? I mean, for playing that famous 6th case, or you have a playstation 2 and you buy the game or you buy Hard Evidence, the new game (because 6th case is in it the second one). In the end, you must spend your money if you're a PC player for having the pleasure to play this 6th one.

And as usual, hardcore adventure gamers will avoid this game at all cost, for the same reason: too linear, too "lead-the-player", no real freedom at the end.

The Bottom Line
CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder stays an adventure point&click game, like its eldest and it's still a first-person perspective.

That game brings some new things without great revolution, is refreshing the series and staying in the same spirit. CSI fans will be happy but if you love being in total control, forget CSI (or play it with the maximal difficulty).

So, in this end, yes, 3 Dim. of Murder is worthy to be considered like a new start. But it's a shy one.

Windows · by vicrabb (7270) · 2008

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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Dark Motives
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Jeanne.

PlayStation 2 added by Sciere.

Additional contributors: Unicorn Lynx, chirinea, Sciere, Xoleras, Ghost Pirate, COBRA-COBRETTI, DreinIX.

Game added April 9, 2006. Last modified January 20, 2024.