Law & Order Interactive
Developer: Legacy Interactive
Publisher: Vivendi Universal Publishing
Projected Release Date: First Quarter 2002
Platform: CD/DVD (it may also be developed for the Xbox)
Genre: Roleplaying Adventure
In case you have been living in a very remote portion of the United States (with no electricity or TV), I want you to know that a wonderfully entertaining and critically acclaimed television show (60 million weekly fans) comes your way every Wednesday at 10 p.m. on NBC. It is called Law & Order, and in my opinion it is a winner. Judging from the number of awards that this game has received in its ten years on the network, I believe that many other viewers think that it is a winner too. The show is filmed in the streets, jails, and courts in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, and it has a gritty reality that helps to keep it fresh, vital, and believable. And believe it you should. Many of the show’s plots are based on the news headlines that shock you every day. In addition to the show’s first-run spot on Wednesday, it is syndicated on two cable channels, where it appears several times daily. And as if all that were not enough to showcase the program as the “keeper” that it is, it is the proud parent of two spin-off shows. The first is entitled Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. A second spin-off, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, will begin in the fall 2001 season.
By now I guess that you are wondering why I have written all of this TV hoopla. What’s the purpose? Where’s the beef? I mean where’s the game? The answer is that I am writing about the TV shows because I am pleased to tell you that a Law & Order game is in the development pipeline. If you exercise a little bit of patience, it won’t be long before you are playing and working beside Lennie Briscoe, lead detective and my personal favorite character (played by veteran actor Jerry Orbach). Your homicide boss will be Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson from the show). Does this sound exciting? It does to me. I watch very little network TV, but the Law & Order shows are favorites of mine, and I am thrilled that I will be able to investigate crimes, collect evidence, arrest the bad guy/girl, and finally take the case to criminal court along with the best that NBC primetime has to offer.
Overview
According to the Legacy development team for Law & Order Interactive, they are working closely with Dick Wolf, the executive producer of the TV series. The initial cases for the game have been written by two regular screenwriters of the show and contain the mystery, twists and turns, and legal, moral, and ethical conundrums that are such important elements for the TV show. The expectation is that the game will be a cutting-edge 3D animation production where you will experience high-resolution, full-screen graphics that will keep the excitement full throttle, the pressure on, with you in the middle of the action with maximum player control and multiple options at every turn.
Storyline and Gameplay
Your first day on the job will find you in a Manhattan police precinct. Business as usual–a murder has been committed and you and your new partner, Lennie Briscoe, depart your offices for the crime scene. Who might have done the dastardly deed? What was the motive? Who should you question? Are you conducting your investigation in accordance with the law? Can you help to build a case that will stand up in court? And keep an eye on your time. If you take too long, you will lose points from your final score. Back at the precinct, you will evaluate your evidence to determine what is relevant. Who does it all point to? As you play on in your police role, you will have the opportunity to question suspects, develop a prime suspect and arrest him or her, manage department resources, deploy personnel, and much, much more.
As your police case winds down, you will change identity and play as the junior prosecutor assigned to the case by the office of the Manhattan District Attorney. The DA will present you with all of the evidence that the police have collected. It is now up to you to put together a case that will meet the legal guidelines of the law and stand the test of a trial and a successful prosecution and verdict. Your days will be filled with bail hearings, plea discussions, writing your opening statement for court, preparation for cross-examination of witnesses, and preparing your closing statement. And once again you will need to keep your eye on the clock. Tarry or waste time, and you will lose precious game points. You can also lose points for doing too much, too little, and making mistakes. This is like the real world, and the safety of the city from the criminal element rests on your shoulders.
Guilty? Not guilty? Hung jury? Hold your breath in the final moments of trial to see how well you and the other minions of the State of New York have performed. Have you done such a stellar job that you will receive a commendation or a promotion? Can you make it in the law, or should you make a career change to something much less challenging?
Law & Order Interactive will consist of two separate episodes, both murders. My Legacy source has told me that one case will deal with a scientist who is conducting cloning experiments. The other will focus on a female investment banker who specializes in high-tech stocks. You will be able to save a case at any point and replay it at your pleasure, even after you have lost the case multiple times. Perhaps the career change that I mentioned above is not in the cards for you, but if fun and games at your computer terminal are in your master plan, this may be a game for your careful consideration.
