View source for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (video game)

{{Short description|2003 video game}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
| image = CSI - Crime Scene Investigation Coverart.png
| caption = PC cover art
| developer = [[Radical Entertainment]] (Win, Xbox){{efn|Under the 369 Interactive label}}<br>EPCConnect (Mac)
| publisher = [[Ubi Soft]] (Win, Xbox)<br>[[Aspyr]] (Mac)
| designer = Jason Bone
| programmer = Wilkin Ng
| artist = Darren Woo
| composer = John M. Keane
| engine = 
| released = '''Windows'''<br>{{vgrelease|NA|March 25, 2003<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sulic |first=Ivan |date=2003-03-25 |title=CSI Ships |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/03/25/csi-ships |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>|PAL|May 15, 2003}}'''Macintosh'''<br>{{vgrelease|WW|December 6, 2004<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aspyr ships CSI game |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/173528/csi-3.html |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=Macworld |language=en}}</ref>}}'''Xbox'''<br>{{vgrelease|NA|December 14, 2004<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldstein |first=Hilary |date=2004-12-06 |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Hands-On |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/12/06/csi-crime-scene-investigation-hands-on |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>|PAL|February 4, 2005}}
| genre = [[Adventure game|Adventure]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
| platforms = [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Mac OS X]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
}}
'''''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''''' is a video game based on the ''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]'' television series. The game was developed by [[Radical Entertainment]] (under the 369 Interactive label), published by [[Ubi Soft]], and was released for the PC in 2003. It was also ported by EPCConnect,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.insidemacgames.com/news/story.php?ArticleID=9563 |publisher=[[Inside Mac Games]] |title=Aspyr Announces CSI: Crime Scene Investigation |date=May 10, 2004 |accessdate=May 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621095524/http://www.insidemacgames.com/news/story.php?ArticleID=9563 |archive-date=June 21, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> and published by [[Aspyr]] on the Macintosh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20041206005058/en/Aspyr-Media-Ships-CSI-Crime-Scene-Investigation |title=Aspyr Media ships CSI: Crime Scene Investigation for Macintosh |publisher=[[Business Wire]] |date=December 6, 2004 |accessdate=May 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075734/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20041206005058/en/Aspyr-Media-Ships-CSI-Crime-Scene-Investigation |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

This game, like ''[[CSI: Miami (video game)|CSI: Miami]]'' and ''[[CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder]]'' follows a distinct pattern of five cases, with the fifth case tying together the previous four. The [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] version of the game however, also contains the cases from its successor: ''[[CSI: Dark Motives]]''.

''CSI'' was a commercial success, with global sales above 500,000 units by early 2004. It received mixed reviews from critics.

==Plot==
The plot and gameplay of ''CSI'' is split into 5 distinct cases, each working alongside a member of the CSI team.

===Case 1: "Inn and Out"===
A showgirl is found tied, gagged, and strangled to death in a hotel room. Suspects in this case are the owners of a record of priors involving women, and a man who she not only had sex with, but passed along a STD. Players work with [[Gil Grissom]].

===Case 2: "Light my Fire"===
Investigate an arson at the home of an aviation designer. Only suspects in this case are the man's rival, and a local drug dealer. Players work with [[Sara Sidle]].

===Case 3: "Garvey's Beat"===
Players and [[Nick Stokes]] investigate the cop killing of an officer and the case is a match to an old cold case.

===Case 4: "More Fun than a Barrel of Corpses"===
A strange call to the lab leads to the discovery of a female body. The woman is the daughter of a casino owner. The only suspects were a doctor, who had an affair with the dead woman and a pharmacist, who is also a suspect, and the doctor's wife. Players work with [[Warrick Brown]].

===Case 5: "Leda's Swan Song"===
Grissom disappears after having been called out to a previous crime scene – from the previous case. And the last murderer you arrested in the previous case is beginning to sing her victory. Players work with [[Catherine Willows]] for discovering the link between the suspect, Grissom and another victim's death.

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
<!-- Aggregators -->
| GR = 64.10% (Win)<ref name=GRPC>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/563573-csi-crime-scene-investigation/index.html |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation for PC |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |accessdate=May 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727093341/http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/563573-csi-crime-scene-investigation/index.html |archive-date=July 27, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />43.43% (Xbox)<ref name=GRXB>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/924667-csi-crime-scene-investigation/index.html |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation for Xbox |publisher=GameRankings |accessdate=May 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016141800/http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/924667-csi-crime-scene-investigation/index.html |archive-date=October 16, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| MC = 61/100 (Win)<ref name=MCPC>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/csi-crime-scene-investigation/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation for PC Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |accessdate=May 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727065049/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/csi-crime-scene-investigation |archive-date=July 27, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />45/100 (Xbox)<ref name=MCXB>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/csi-crime-scene-investigation/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation for Xbox Reviews |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=May 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918011400/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/csi-crime-scene-investigation |archive-date=September 18, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<!-- Reviewers -->
| AdvGamers = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="CSI-AdventGamer">{{cite web |url=https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/17605 |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation review |author=Evan Dickens |date=April 16, 2003 |publisher=[[Adventure Gamers]] |accessdate=September 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820161459/https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/17605 |archive-date=August 20, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GameZone = 8.3/10<ref name="CSI-GZone">{{cite web |url=http://pc.gamezone.com:80/gzreviews/r21599.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050310034540/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r21599.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 10, 2005 |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - GameZone |author=Michael Lafferty |date=February 4, 2003 |publisher=GameZone |accessdate=September 27, 2017 }}</ref>
| GSpot = 5.1/10<ref name="CSI-GSpot">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/crime-stories-review/1900-6147683/ |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - GameSpot |author=Ron Dulin |date=April 15, 2003 |publisher=[[GameSpot]] |accessdate=September 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011074221/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/crime-stories-review/1900-6147683/ |archive-date=October 11, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GSpy = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="CSI-GameSpy">{{cite web |url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/csi-crime-scene-investigation/5830p1.html |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - GameSpy |author=Avi Fryman |date=April 30, 2003 |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |accessdate=September 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802190457/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/csi-crime-scene-investigation/5830p1.html |archive-date=August 2, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| IGN = 8.2/10<ref name="CSI-IGN">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/11/csi-crime-scene-investigation-review |title=CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - IGN |author=David Krause |date=April 11, 2003 |publisher=[[IGN]] |accessdate=September 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204154627/http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/11/csi-crime-scene-investigation-review |archive-date=December 4, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| rev1 = ''[[EP Daily|The Electric Playground]]''
| rev1Score = 7/10<ref name=elecplay>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040131141534/http://elecplay.com/review.html?article=10920 |url=http://www.elecplay.com:80/review.html?article=10920 |title=''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' |date=April 3, 2003 |archivedate=January 31, 2004 |author=James, Bonnie |work=[[EP Daily|The Electric Playground]] |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref>
}}

The game was met with mixed reception. [[GameRankings]] and [[Metacritic]] gave it a score of 64.10% and 61 out of 100 for the PC version,<ref name=GRPC/><ref name=MCPC/> and 43.43% and 45 out of 100 for the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] version.<ref name=GRXB/><ref name=MCXB/>

{{Clear}}

===Sales===
In the United States, ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' debuted at #3 on the [[The NPD Group|NPD Group]]'s computer game sales rankings for the week ending April 5, 2003.<ref name=debut>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041120072747/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/commandconquergenerals/news_6025228.html |url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/pc/strategy/commandconquergenerals/news_6025228.html |title=Weekly PC game sales chart |date=April 16, 2003 |author=Colayco, Bob |work=[[GameSpot]] |archivedate=November 20, 2004 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref> The title remain in the weekly top 10 through April 26,<ref name=week2>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041128125525/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/commandconquergenerals/news_6025637.html |url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/pc/strategy/commandconquergenerals/news_6025637.html |title=Weekly PC game sales chart |author=Parker, Sam |date=April 24, 2003 |work=[[GameSpot]] |archivedate=November 28, 2004 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref><ref name=week3>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040803193144/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/deltaforceblackhawkdown/news_6026076.html |url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/pc/action/deltaforceblackhawkdown/news_6026076.html |title=Weekly PC game sales chart |date=May 1, 2003 |author=Colayco, Bob |archivedate=August 3, 2004 |work=[[GameSpot]] |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref><ref name=week4>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041126085455/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/commandconquergenerals/news_6026444.html |url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/pc/strategy/commandconquergenerals/news_6026444.html |title=Weekly PC game sales chart |author=Colayco, Bob |date=May 7, 2003 |archivedate=November 26, 2004 |work=[[GameSpot]] |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref> and became the country's seventh-best-selling computer game of April overall, with an average retail price of $30.<ref name=april2003 /> It exited NPD's charts after a seventh-place finish for the week ending May 10.<ref name=april2003>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040824011413/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/deltaforceblackhawkdown/news_6028850.html |url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/pc/action/deltaforceblackhawkdown/news_6028850.html |title=NPD PC sales chart |date=May 23, 2003 |author=Parker, Sam |work=[[GameSpot]] |archivedate=August 24, 2004 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref><ref name=lastweek>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040731202646/http://www.gamespot.com/news/2003/05/29/news_6029134.html |url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/news/2003/05/29/news_6029134.html |title=NPD weekly PC game sales chart |author=Calvert, Justin |date=May 29, 2003 |archivedate=July 31, 2004 |work=[[GameSpot]] |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref> The computer version of ''CSI'' sold 172,000 copies worldwide by the end of June 2003,<ref name=sales3>{{cite press release |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921054948/https://www.ubisoft.com/en-US/company/press/detail.aspx?id=32221 |url=https://www.ubisoft.com/en-US/company/press/detail.aspx?id=32221 |url-status=dead |title=Record First-Quarter Sales of €66.5 Million – Up 107% (142% at Constant Exchange Rates) |archivedate=September 21, 2017 |publisher=[[Ubisoft]] |date=July 30, 2003}}</ref> and 128,742 retail units in North America alone by year's end.<ref name=randysales6>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040411223950/http://www.justadventure.com/articles/State_of_Adventure_Gaming/March2004/Dec03ret_gam.shtm |url=http://www.justadventure.com:80/articles/State_of_Adventure_Gaming/March2004/Dec03ret_gam.shtm |title=Sales December 2003 - The State of Adventure Gaming |date=March 2004 |author=Sluganski, Randy |archivedate=April 11, 2004 |work=[[Just Adventure]] |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref> Another 13,782 retail units sold in North America during the first two months of 2004.<ref name=randysales7>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040411164609/http://justadventure.com/articles/State_of_Adventure_Gaming/Feb04/Sales_JanFeb2004.shtm |url=http://justadventure.com:80/articles/State_of_Adventure_Gaming/Feb04/Sales_JanFeb2004.shtm |title=Total Sales for Jan/Feb 2004 |author=Staff |work=[[Just Adventure]] |archivedate=April 11, 2004 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref> By April of that year, global sales of the computer version had reached 500,000 units. According to ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', one half of these buyers were female.<ref name=500k>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712181807/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/finding-comfort-in-our-joysticks/article1135103/ |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/finding-comfort-in-our-joysticks/article1135103/ |title=Finding comfort in our joysticks |date=April 10, 2004 |author=Gill, Alexandra |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |archivedate=July 12, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

''CSI''{{'}}s computer edition totaled 250,000 sales and $6.6 million revenues in the United States by August 2006. At the time, this led ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' to rank it as the country's 80th-best-selling computer game released since January 2000.<ref name=edgesales /> In the United Kingdom, the [[Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association]] (ELSPA) gave the game's computer version a "Silver" award,<ref name=silverelspa>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221154943/http://www.elspa.com/?i=3942 |url=http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3942 |title=ELSPA Sales Awards: Silver |work=[[Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association]] |archivedate=February 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref> indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the region.<ref name=gamasutrasales>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918063107/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |title=ELSPA: ''Wii Fit'', ''Mario Kart'' Reach Diamond Status In UK |author=Caoili, Eric |date=November 26, 2008 |work=[[Gamasutra]] |archivedate=September 18, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It also received a "Gold" award from the [[:es:La Coalición de Creadores e Industrias de Contenidos|Asociación Española de Distribuidores y Editores de Software de Entretenimiento]] (aDeSe), for more than 40,000 sales in Spain during its first 12 months.<ref name=adese2004>{{cite report | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050302174112/http://www.adese.es/pdf/Dossier_de_prensa_Galardones_aDeSe-2004.pdf | url=http://www.adese.es/pdf/Dossier_de_prensa_Galardones_aDeSe-2004.pdf | title=Dossier de prensa Galardones aDeSe 2004 | date=March 2004 | publisher=[[:es:La Coalición de Creadores e Industrias de Contenidos|Asociación Española de Distribuidores y Editores de Software de Entretenimiento]] | language=Spanish | archivedate=March 2, 2005 | pages=5, 6 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Combined domestic sales of all computer games in the ''CSI'' franchise, including ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', reached 520,000 copies by August 2006.<ref name=edgesales>{{cite magazine |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017165955/http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/ |url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/ |title=The Top 100 PC Games of the 21st Century |author=''Edge'' Staff |date=August 25, 2006 |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |archivedate=October 17, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The game and its first two sequels—''[[CSI: Dark Motives]]'' and ''[[CSI: Miami]]''—had surpassed 1.6 million units in global sales across all platforms by March 2006.<ref name=16m>{{cite press release |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061102030748/http://www.justadventure.com/Press_Releases/CSI3DimPC_Mar22_06.shtm |url=http://www.justadventure.com/Press_Releases/CSI3DimPC_Mar22_06.shtm |title=''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (tm): 3 Dimensions of Murder'' Available Now for PC |date=March 21, 2006 |location=[[San Francisco]] |archivedate=November 2, 2006 |publisher=[[Just Adventure]] |url-status=dead}}</ref> The franchise rose to roughly 2.4 million worldwide sales by that December.<ref name=2mil>{{cite press release |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615162814/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ubisoft-and-cbs-consumer-products-announce-csi-crime-scene-investigation-hard-evidence |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ubisoft-and-cbs-consumer-products-announce-csi-crime-scene-investigation-hard-evidence |title=Ubisoft and CBS Consumer Products Announce ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation™: Hard Evidence'' |date=December 12, 2006 |location=[[San Francisco]] |publisher=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |archivedate=June 15, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
===Notes===
{{Notelist}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{moby game|id=/csi-crime-scene-investigation|name=''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''}}
*{{moby game|id=/xbox/csi-crime-scene-investigation-|name=''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' (Xbox)}}

{{CSI franchise}}
{{CSI: Crime Scene Investigation}}
{{Radical Entertainment}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Csi: Crime Scene Investigation (Video Game)}}
[[Category:2003 video games]]
[[Category:Adventure games]]
[[Category:Aspyr games]]
[[Category:CSI: Crime Scene Investigation video games]]
[[Category:Detective video games]]
[[Category:First-person adventure games]]
[[Category:MacOS games]]
[[Category:Radical Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Ubisoft games]]
[[Category:Video games about police officers]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Canada]]
[[Category:Video games set in the Las Vegas Valley]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Xbox games]]