''Crime Scene'' (also known as ''Criminology'') is an

adventure game An adventure game is a video game genre in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and/or Puzzle video game, puzzle-solving. The Video game genres, genre's focus on story allows it to draw ...

for the

Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...

. It was released on February 16, 2010.

Plot

Newly appointed forensics detective Matt Simmons must solve his first case, which is the double murder of a co-worker and his wife.

Gameplay

Players will be able to use the touch screen to access certain features which can be used to solve crimes, including a messaging system which allows the player to be told clues from NPCs. The player can also interview NPCs that they encounter. The stylus can be used to scan the crime scene and the color of the cursor will change to indicate that the player has found an important object. Collecting evidence requires the player to pick up the piece of evidence and put it in a bucket of solution, and pressing a button when a meter appears to try to get the object to stay in the solution. The player will be able to dust for fingerprints by using a brush to leave powder over the prints and blowing into the microphone to remove excess dust. DNA can be analyzed by using a

pipette A pipette (sometimes spelled as pipett) is a laboratory tool commonly used in chemistry, biology and medicine to transport a measured volume of liquid, often as a media dispenser. Pipettes come in several designs for various purposes with diffe ...

to put the material onto a slide. The stylus can then be used to remove unwanted cells so that only the evidence is present. The player also has a credibility meter which will change depending on the players actions throughout the game.

Reception

Randy Nelson from ''

Nintendo Power ''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninten ...

'' said that while the game was able to replicate the feel of crime scene investigations, it falters with unimaginative case files, "poorly translated" writing and basic game mechanics, concluding that "Yes, it sounds like ''

Phoenix Wright Phoenix "Nick" Wright, known as in the original Japanese language versions, is the fictional titular defense attorney and the main protagonist in ''Ace Attorney'', a visual novel adventure video game series created by Japanese company Capcom. Ph ...

'' in that respect, but ''Crime Scene'' has none of the charm, character, or creativity of

Capcom is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...

's courtroom series."

References

{{Reflist 2010 video games Adventure games SouthPeak Games Nintendo DS games Nintendo DS-only games Single-player video games Crime investigation simulators Video games about police officers Video games developed in France White Birds Productions games Nobilis (company) games