Review by: Josh Horowitz
Published: November 25, 2004

While the mystery genre may be less popular than it’s been in the past, there’s no denying the appeal of the hard-hitting television crime drama, Law & Order. The show (now in its 15th season) is one of TV’s longest running drama series, with three successful spin-offs and a fourth on the way. Much of Law and Order‘s appeal comes from its tried and true formula of presenting an entire criminal case in one hour, from the detectives who arrest suspects, to the district attorneys who prosecute them. Recognizing the large television fan base and a dedicated brand of adventure and mystery gamers, Legacy Interactive decided two years ago to create a series of interactive titles based on the show. For this third release, the story focuses on a beautiful young tennis star’s murder in Law & Order: Justice is Served.

The story opens with Elana Kusorova, a budding Ukrainian tennis star about to compete in the US Open, found dead in the women’s locker room before the tournament. Called in to investigate are detectives Lennie Briscoe and Ed Green (voiced by their TV counterparts Jerry Orbach and Jesse L. Martin). Players portray a third detective looking for clues, requesting research and surveillance, and directing the line of witness questioning. The investigation turns up dozens of leads and witnesses, including Kusorova’s demanding mother, her trainer Patrick MacEnroe (brother of tennis star John MacEnroe), as well as her sports agent. After determining a suspect and making an arrest, gamers take the role of prosecuting attorney alongside the show’s Assistant District Attorney Serena Southerlyn, voiced by actress Elisabeth Rohm. It’s up to you to subpoena and cross-examine witnesses, as well as make appropriate objections during the defense’s cross examinations. The goal is to earn a conviction while getting the highest score possible.

Like the television show, Justice is Served is separated into two different experiences. The detective aspect fills about eight hours of gameplay, and exposes players to over a dozen characters and numerous bits of clues, paperwork, and evidence. The trial portion takes about four hours to complete, and includes questioning, cross-examination, subpoenaing, and investigation. Interspersed throughout these two aspects of Law and Order are several types of puzzles that, once solved, provide extra bits of evidence or unlock new locations that can help solve the case.