Choose a case, read the newspaper and casebook, travel to locations, interview witnesses, inspect clues, and decide which leads deserve more investigation. The full-motion-video scenes provide testimony and atmosphere, while the player must connect evidence and submit a solution.

Track each witness statement and its source, use the map to revisit a location after learning a new lead, and avoid following every red herring without recording why it matters. Save before submitting the final solution when supported, because an incorrect conclusion can end the case without revealing every clue.