However, there are also times where the player character is asked to "match" fingerprints and even biological molecules and chemical substances with the database because it would take the other team members (you know, the experts) "too long" to analyze.
Deeper analysis of said evidence fingerprints, chemical substances, and DNA samples is usually done by the coroner, forensics or tech experts of the PD, who are naturally more qualified to do that sort of thing, and they don't go around conducting interviews of witnesses or suspects the way most CSI-related series would do. The player character investigates crime scenes, interviews witnesses and suspects, pieces evidence together, and collects fingerprints and DNA samples.
You earn free energy through a few different methods but most of the time, you’re going to be stuck waiting for it to naturally regenerate. That’s quite a lot in a game where you start out with only 100 meaning this is a slow burner of a game. Items that require analysis take a number of hours, while searching a Hidden Object scene uses up 20 energy. Content is trickle fed meaning you won’t be flying through this game. Instead, you’re limited through a series of timers and energy meters. It’s simple enough that if it wasn’t for the freemium system implemented here, you’d probably complete the game rather quickly. It’s all very simple, but it’s pretty satisfying. Then, you piece together matching clues to work out who must be guilty.
Talking to a suspect is automatic but you’ll learn important things through doing so. Examining items tends to invoke a simple mini-game such as a jigsaw puzzle or clearing a pile of trash on top of the key item. It’s a well designed system meaning there’s always something new to do. Such currency is then used to either talk to suspects, examine evidence, or accuse someone of the murder. That score is tallied up and goes towards you earning a star. Speed and accuracy is key here as you’re awarded a score based on how well you do. Eventually though, you’re just as likely to be seeking out a random watermelon or a pair of shorts. Relating to the murder at first, you might be looking for a bloody knife or the victim’s body.
A lot of the time, you’re seeking out objects on a cluttered screen full of things. Each case is divided up into a series of different challenges.