Unsolved Crimes
Score: 70% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Empire Interactive Developer: NOW Productions Media: Cartridge/1 Players: 1 Genre: Adventure
Graphics & Sound: Unsolved Crimes models itself after a 70's cop show, a trait best seen in its presentation. The look is most apparent during the location and introduction screens, which are somewhat reminiscent of shows like Hill Street Blues (or the show's introduction anyway). The processed blur is lost during the 3D crime scene environments; instead, the blur is a result of the DS's hardware limitations. Even though some areas aren't incredibly clear, they are playable and full of details to sift through as you look for evidence. Sound contributes to the 70's retro feel, though it isn't always apparent. There isn't much in the way of background music, but it fits perfectly when you hear it. Most of the time you'll hear ambient noises around the game's locations, which add a nice bit of atmosphere to the game.
Gameplay: Unsolved Crimes places you in the role of an unnamed detective working the homicide division. You are partnered with a young detective named Marcy and together, you'll work several cases and withstand the verbal assaults of Captain Abbot. Cases range from simple stabbings and shootings to a string of bloody axe murders - so you have your work cut out for you. Each case begins the same way: Abbot gives you a briefing on what is already known about the case and then sends you and Marcy to the scene. Once there, you are given addition information about the crime, such as witness statements and even a few alibis from suspects. From there, you can sift through the crime scene, collect evidence that may have been overlooked and start to piece together the facts. Each of the eight cases is tied together by an ongoing subplot involving a kidnapping. While there's a bit of a mystery to be unraveled, the subplot introduces a few side games to the mix. One area places you in a shootout where you tap enemies with the stylus to shoot and another puts you in a high-speed chase. These segments feel a bit out of place when taken alongside the core gameplay and add little to the overall experience.
Difficulty: Although the cases are compelling and there is a nice rewarding feeling as you slowly answer the questions about the crime, Unsolved Crimes doesn't make the most out of gameplay. Most of your investigation involves taking short multiple-choice tests. For instance, Marcy will ask about a particular detail that pops up about a piece of evidence. The idea is that this will cause you to pay better attention to all of the information you are given, though even if you don't, it isn't too hard to figure out the right answer based on the choices you are given. Cases are more challenging when you have to choose a particular piece of evidence or testimony to back up your case. Here the game becomes much more of a challenge because you can justify using multiple pieces of evidence. This system is much better at achieving the goal the multiple-choice questions attempt to accomplish. You really have to listen to everything and use a bit of logic to make sure you are picking the right piece of evidence.
Game Mechanics: The touch screen is primarily used to pick around crime scenes and for finding evidence, though you will use it for more than just poking around. During investigations, you'll need to piece together torn pieces of paper or write down information. One of the more interesting ways involves figuring out the trajectory of bullets. It's times like this when you see some of the really creative ideas come out, but they don't happen as often as they should. As tempting as it is to suggest Unsolved Crimes for any and all DS-owning adventure fans, the number of great adventure games already available for the system makes it hard to fully recommend. Unless you've already puzzled your way through the likes of Phoenix Wright and Hotel Dusk, it is best to let these cases go cold.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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