Posted By: Gamehound
Cold Case Files: The Game - 10/28/04 10:09 PM
Cold Case Files: The Game
Publisher: Activision Value Publishing
Developer: Activision Value
Year Released: 2004
Apparently, the A&E (Arts & Entertainment) cable television network has a show in their lineup called Cold Case Files. I did not become privy to this information until I had loaded this game. From the very start, one becomes aware that Cold Case Files: The Game is nothing more than an advertisement for the television show. The game begins, each time you load it, with a commercial for the television program. Ah, but this isn't the only means the game advertises for the television show. There are 6 cases in all, and a bonus case (47.4 mb, and only available as a download from A&E's website) you can play if you choose to do so. The developers placed the bonus case scenario in the game, by default, but forces the player to go to the A&E website to get it in order to play it. While at the A&E website, you get to learn all about the television show. There is only one tidbit regarding the game, and that is the download link to the bonus case. Ever hear of Virgin music? Their ads are all over this game as well. In all, this game is nothing more than one, big advertisement.
The premise of the game... The Cold Case team solves cases not previously solved with the new technology that is available to convict murderers, etc. Well, there are only murderers in this game at least. There are 7 cases in all (including the bonus case), and each takes place in a different U.S. state. The coroner, in the game, does not change from state to state. North Carolina, Maryland and Indiana. He is either really bad at his job, or the developers were lazy and wanted to rush the game out the door for the public to play.
Gameplay is EXTREMELY linear, and the entire game can be played within just a few hours. Monotony is the name of the game. Although knowing what to do next is fairly obvious, you spend your time going from locale to locale to find evidence to convict a suspect. There are times when you think you need to do more to get a conviction, but the case is over (supposedly solved, but would never hold up in a real court of law). These are other shortcuts the developers took.
Activision Value. This company should not be associated with Activision in any way, although Activision is their parent company. Activision Value releases games that are really bad (most often), and this game is no different. The only difference with this game, and their others, is the quality of graphics. The graphics in Cold Case Files: The Game far surpasses anything they have released in the past, but this is still Activision Value; the gameplay is awful. The cases are short, there is nothing really apparent for the mind to work through to complete the game and the various issues I already mentioned above.
I was surprised to see that Babbages/GameStop, nor Best Buy did not stock this game. The only place I could find it was Super Target. I concluded that the buyers, for the stores the game was not stocked in, have become wise in realizing that games developed by Activision Value do not sell well. We have all heard of the goose that laid the golden egg. Well, all we get with this game is just a great, big goose egg.
I'd say skip this one, and play a better game like CSI 1 or 2.
Gameplay: F+
Graphics: C
Audio: D (mediocre ambient music, and not so stellar voice acting)
Story: D- (no real story; just cases and suspects)
Overall: D-
Reviewed by: Gamehound
Publisher: Activision Value Publishing
Developer: Activision Value
Year Released: 2004
Apparently, the A&E (Arts & Entertainment) cable television network has a show in their lineup called Cold Case Files. I did not become privy to this information until I had loaded this game. From the very start, one becomes aware that Cold Case Files: The Game is nothing more than an advertisement for the television show. The game begins, each time you load it, with a commercial for the television program. Ah, but this isn't the only means the game advertises for the television show. There are 6 cases in all, and a bonus case (47.4 mb, and only available as a download from A&E's website) you can play if you choose to do so. The developers placed the bonus case scenario in the game, by default, but forces the player to go to the A&E website to get it in order to play it. While at the A&E website, you get to learn all about the television show. There is only one tidbit regarding the game, and that is the download link to the bonus case. Ever hear of Virgin music? Their ads are all over this game as well. In all, this game is nothing more than one, big advertisement.
The premise of the game... The Cold Case team solves cases not previously solved with the new technology that is available to convict murderers, etc. Well, there are only murderers in this game at least. There are 7 cases in all (including the bonus case), and each takes place in a different U.S. state. The coroner, in the game, does not change from state to state. North Carolina, Maryland and Indiana. He is either really bad at his job, or the developers were lazy and wanted to rush the game out the door for the public to play.
Gameplay is EXTREMELY linear, and the entire game can be played within just a few hours. Monotony is the name of the game. Although knowing what to do next is fairly obvious, you spend your time going from locale to locale to find evidence to convict a suspect. There are times when you think you need to do more to get a conviction, but the case is over (supposedly solved, but would never hold up in a real court of law). These are other shortcuts the developers took.
Activision Value. This company should not be associated with Activision in any way, although Activision is their parent company. Activision Value releases games that are really bad (most often), and this game is no different. The only difference with this game, and their others, is the quality of graphics. The graphics in Cold Case Files: The Game far surpasses anything they have released in the past, but this is still Activision Value; the gameplay is awful. The cases are short, there is nothing really apparent for the mind to work through to complete the game and the various issues I already mentioned above.
I was surprised to see that Babbages/GameStop, nor Best Buy did not stock this game. The only place I could find it was Super Target. I concluded that the buyers, for the stores the game was not stocked in, have become wise in realizing that games developed by Activision Value do not sell well. We have all heard of the goose that laid the golden egg. Well, all we get with this game is just a great, big goose egg.
I'd say skip this one, and play a better game like CSI 1 or 2.
Gameplay: F+
Graphics: C
Audio: D (mediocre ambient music, and not so stellar voice acting)
Story: D- (no real story; just cases and suspects)
Overall: D-
Reviewed by: Gamehound