![]() A lot of this evidence is somewhat tenuous and circumstantial, too, and it frequently points fairly reasonably in different directions at once. That said, the screen works well at expanding on Holmes' deductions, allowing you to connect evidence together in numerous ways that lead to numerous conclusions. The new deduction screen looks rather space-age for this Victorian setting, as if it were dropped in from another game entirely. This sort of thing happens often, making you feel as though you are stuck even when you aren't. I had to spin the ring around slowly and allow Sherlock to read the inscription aloud and in full before I could move on to my next task. I rotated it around and read the complete inscription in seconds, but this wasn't good enough for the game. For example, at one point I had to examine the inner inscription on a gold ring. Investigations can be too rigorous, however, in that you always have to fully complete tasks before the game allows you to move on to new areas and new evidence. (Mud on his sleeves? Could he be a gardener?) And the revised deduction screen (once a bulletin board at 221b Baker Street) now features glowing brain neurons and synapses that show how linking evidence like "Feat of Strength" and "Possible Conspiracy" can spark together and lead to a conclusion like "Two Murderers."Ĭrimes range from a fairly straightforward murder with a whaling harpoon, to a vanishing train in the English countryside, to a ritualistic killing in Roman baths.Īll of these features take you into Holmes' head, which adds to the atmosphere and firms up the feeling that you're solving crimes purely through logic. Character interrogations now feature full profiles in which time stops while Sherlock runs his eyes over every aspect of a person's appearance and clothing. Imagination mode lets you visualize what may have happened during the crime in question. A Sherlock Talent camera serves as bullet time for detective work, slowing events down so you can take a closer look at evidence. New dimensions have been added to the basic mechanics, which still revolve around sleuthing your way through crime scenes, collecting evidence, and interrogating suspects and witnesses. None of the cases are paritcularly fanciful, though, which might be a disappointment if you're hoping for something supernatural, like the Cthulhu case in The Awakened, or something splashy, such as Sherlock Holmes Versus Jack the Ripper.Įach case also delves into Holmes' investigative methods and conclusions. Crimes range from a fairly straightforward murder with a whaling harpoon, to a vanishing train in the English countryside, to a ritualistic killing in Roman baths. There is a good range of subjects as well. The game certainly provides great value for your money. I never felt rushed, and in fact, each case feels like a full standalone game, to the point where I was continually surprised when I finished one and was immediately thrust into another. Sherlock looks pretty good for a cocaine addict who never sleeps.Įach of the cases lasts a good few hours, so the episodic format never gets in the way of digging your teeth into each story. As a fan of the original Doyle tales, I greatly appreciated this approach-especially given how the storytelling, characterizations, settings, and incidental references absolutely nailed down the atmosphere of the Sherlock Holmes world. Foreshadowing regarding a gang of terrorists called the Merry Men is sprinkled through the entire game, although there are otherwise no linked elements, aside from brief clips such as one in which Mycroft Holmes shows up to lecture his brother about this insidious gang. ![]() Crimes & Punishments lives up to its name with six separate investigations in which Holmes and Watson scrounge through clues to bring villains to justice. ![]() Story structure veers away from the single cases featured in previous games in the series. Rigorous detective work and an affinity for the unique Sherlockian atmosphere do everything but put a deerstalker on your head and a magnifying glass in your hand. Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments takes the series to a new level when it comes to game mechanics, storytelling, and visuals. John Watson have been steadily getting better for a decade now, continually building on top of the Mesozoic point-and-click mechanics and visuals of early releases. The games based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary sleuth and his sidekick Dr. Frogwares' Sherlock Holmes franchise has quietly become one of the best names in adventure gaming. ![]()
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