Criminal Intent shares the same basic premise as other games based on crime shows, like Law & Order and CSI. You investigate the crime scene and look for evidence, then analyze the evidence to find a suspect and a motive for the crime. When you have tied everything together into a case, you arrest the bad guys. However, Criminal Intent adds some new elements that really help to capture the unique style of Bobby Goren, played (and voiced) by Vincent D'Onofrio. Fans of the Criminal Intent TV show, myself included, will tell you that D'Onofrio's acting sets it apart from its Law & Order brethren, and it's essential that any game based on the show reflect that style.

The first new feature in Criminal Intent is the ability to choose from five different moods when interviewing witnesses and suspects. You can be confrontational, empathetic, straightforward, or deceptive. You can even resort to flattery if needed. During the interview, there are two gauges to tell you when you've made progress and when you've screwed up. You can't really lose the game if you take the wrong tactic, but you can make things more difficult. Considering how much of the show is usually spent in the interrogation room, this is a great addition.

The other new feature is a Profiler program that you can use to develop a profile of the suspect. You feed in your evidence and if there's some significance, it will improve the developing profile. The profile will then help you eliminate or confirm suspects. Once you have a viable suspect, you can compare him or her to your profile and get a warrant based on the match. This is far better than the painstaking accounting of every piece of evidence that sometimes bogs down these kinds of games.

While show fans might be disappointed that neither D'Onofrio's partner Katherine Erbe nor the recently added Chris Noth appear in the game, Law & Order:Criminal Intent has infused the now-common crime show game with some new life. If you like these kinds of games, you'll like the new features. If you're new to the genre, the new features may make you a believer.