When is an officially licensed video game of a top-rated TV series actually a bad thing? Answer: NCIS.
In what seems to be a cheap and easy way to cash in on the TV show NCIS, Ubisoft creates this video game based on the CBS TV series. Other than the opening theme music and the acting talent involved, this game feels nothing like the TV show. And I know a little about the show, since my brother worked on it as an actor, multiple times.
Let me be clear: The only redeeming quality of this video game is the actual voice actors’ involvement. That and the easy achievements on the XBOX 360. The graphics are incredibly pathetic, looking as if they originated last generation. Even the CSI video games (another CBS-based TV franchise) looked better and their gameplay felt smoother, and that’s saying something. They’re not much better. Both games were developed by Ubisoft, but the CSI games were released first.
NCIS is a point and click game, something originating from the PC games and rarely translated for the console generation. The story is easy and all of the achievements are impossible to miss, since they’re all story related. This game is only recommended for the achievement hunter (also known as an achievement whore).
I realize Abby’s character is supposed to be a Goth Girl, or something relatively close, but her character model literally looks scary. As in, it frightens me to look at her. I don’t know what Ubisoft was drinking or smoking while making her video game character barely recognizable. Michael Weatherly’s Anthony DiNozzo gets main billing throughout the game, as his goofiness decently lightens the mood to a naval unit investigating murders, week in and week out.
The whole game is a promotional tool for the show, mostly for the season eight DVD release, which is also promoted on the game disk.
Strength: Original actors voicing their respective roles.
Weakness: Conversations that are not skippable. Lengthening the pain.
WTF Moment: Abby’s character model looks horrendous!
Notable Quotes:
– “Let’s go to the deduction board!”
Review: 2/5