Fingerprinting as alterna-whiz Abby couldn't be more ho-hum, sadly.

Ubisoft’s virtual forensics and investigation point-and-clickers have always found a nice, if budgety, niche in CSI-branded spinoffs like Hard Evidence and Fatal Conspiracy. Integriswabs and body-fluid sampling ensued, with silly but somewhat lo-fi results. Now, with the first Xbox step into the world of TV’s NCIS, Ubisoft swaps its CSI formula of DNA-matching and corpse-fondling for the CBS show’s more po-faced, military bent.

Throughout four episodes stretching across four-or-less hours of gameplay, you’ll find yourself repeating the same activities in what feels like an infinite loop, from crime scene to forensics lab to deskside computer-hacking. The mini-games designed to help root out fingerprints or trace a suspect’s movements never really change or provide anything approaching challenge. It’s as if they’ve been overly simplified to get out of the way of the stories, which fall short of the enjoyably campy, seedy highs of those in the CSI games. Instead, you’re left with awkward, stilted voice-acting, serviceable graphics, and rote button-pushing that feel less like a game experience and more like channel-surfing on your couch. Skip.

PUBLISHER: Ubisoft  •  DEVELOPER: Ubisoft Shanghai  •  ESRB: Teen  •  MULTIPLAYER: No  •  ACHIEVEMENTS: Auto-pilot  •  COST: $40

On Xbox 360

+ Hey, easy Achievements and Gamerscore aplenty!

– Barebones gameplay consists of little more than pressing buttons; low stakes, no-fail progression = no challenge.

– Wooden voice-acting does no favors to the silly dialogue.

? Can’t NCIS HR slap a cease-and-desist order on DiNozzo’s cheesy stream of innuendo?

3.0