Despite some minor flaws, the game stacks up well and is a faithful translation of the series that we know and love.
The game takes what was essentially a few of the cases that were critical to the first season of the series (among them the infamous Ice Truck Killer) and weaves them into an tautly written, heart-stopping action adventure game. What further intrigues me is the fact that the game still manages to capture the essence of the series without any actual display of violence - whether it's the deeply atmospheric original soundtrack, the slowly built-up of tension or the familiarity of voice acting from original actors of the show, including the excellent Michael C Hall - if you're a fan of Dexter, you know you're in a treat. Dexter: the game is a revelation - a sum total of everything that was great about Dexter. Unlike other crappy television based video game, Dexter: The Game is a truly genre defying masterpiece.
Through out the game, you'll be confronted by characters from the show (including the foul-mouthed Doakes and the even more foul-mouthed but equally adorable Debra Morgan) and leads up to a series of conversations. You'll be given three options and depending on how well you answer (sometimes this feels more like a test of your memory, because I seem to realize that choosing the correct dialog that was originally in the show seems to guarantee a much better rating) affects your "Dark Passenger" and "Mask" levels, and from what the game suggests, if your "Dark Passenger" overtakes your "Mask", it is inevitably Game Over.
You will frequently find yourself analyzing the evidence that you gathered from crime scenes by undertaking mini-games ranging from lock picking to DNA comparison, and of course, blood splatter analysis. A lot of them are puzzle based, and thus exercises and relaxes your brain between tough stealth sessions and investigations. The successful completion of these mini games repairs the "Mask" levels, and in turn make Dexter more acceptable to the people around him.
The controls of the game are slick and is a joy to operate, though people may find that the pair of virtual analog sticks, which are used to move and look around, can have a while to get used to. Personally, I found that it is easier when I slide my finger around on the screen to pan around, thus easily making Dexter run in the direction that I face. When Dexter encounters something he can interact with, contextual buttons appear, which streamlines the game process and takes a lot of headaches away from too much exploration.
However, every good game comes with its own share of flaws - the game tends to freeze for a bit when you open the GPS to move around, and at one point I was asked to go to Rita's house, and when I went to have a break and came back - the location disappeared entirely. It looks like I won't be seeing Rita for a while! Also, it's worth pointing out that the game might not be compatible with the 2.2.1 iPod Touch firmware, but fear not if you already have the 3.0+ operating system.
Bottom line is: Despite some minor flaws, the game stacks up well and is a faithful translation of the series that we know and love. Definitely recommended. If you have an iPhone/iTouch, look out for special promotions and get it while you can!