I have been looking forward to this game for sooo long! But, since it was not available for PlayStation when it came out in 2021 for quite a while, I kinda forgot about it. And then I stumbled across it by chance only recently, once I got a little tired of Red Dead Redemption II. I almost finished it, too, when my PS4 decided to retire for good… So. I finished it on my brand-new PS5. Yeah!

I have been a fan of Ukrainian studio Frogwares’ Sherlock Holmes games forever. I played Crimes and Punishment, I played The Devil’s Daughter. I played Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One twice. And I will be playing kickstarter-funded Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened (2023) starting this week.

So, why do I like these games so much? Simple. I love puzzles. And the puzzles are such that I need to consult the internet more often than I care for, to find the correct solution. It’s galling, in a way, but also awesome.

The Story

Sherlock Holmes returns to his childhood home of Cordona, a (fictional) beautiful island in the Mediterrean, inspired by Italy. His purpose? To pay tribute to his late mother’s grave.

He will be revisiting some powerful childhood memories there, as he tries to unravel what he had not been able to remember previously. Also, he will be solving a lot of crimes across the city.

The Characters

Sherlock Holmes is the main character, of course, calm, collected and observant even at a young age. But, he has a companion, Jon, who turns out to be his imaginary friend, a very obvious testimony to his childhood trauma. While Sherlock is a rational person, he is not without compassion. And in witnessing his memories we learn a bit of how he came to be the way he is. Apparently, his mother and older brother were a great influence on his development.

I admit, though, that the character of Sherlock Holmes is not exactly what draws me to these games. Shame on me. I love these games because I enjoy solving puzzles.

The Cases

The main story will have Sherlock try to uncover what really happened to him and his family on the island of Cordona, where his mother died. What were the circumstances? Who was responsible? Interacting with the family’s old home in Grand Saray triggers memories that slowly unravel a dark secret.

On the way he will have ample opportunity to put his exceptional mind and power of observation to the test. The main story’s cases range from the supernatural to elephant-wrangling to murders to art theft to orgies.
You will have to find and piece together the clues and visit your mind palace to link them in order to come to the correct conclusion. But, surprise! There often is no straight-forward answer. You get to choose which kind of punishment, or absolution, Sherlock will distribute. Which is great, because it will keep you guessing whether or not you made the “right” choice.

Apart form the main story you will also have ample opportunity to explore the city. In doing so, you will trigger the Cordona Stories, or side quests. Those can be just childhood memories relived, new cases, or legends from the city.

The most endearing story I found was a childhood memory where Sherlock et al staged a play in front of the back entrance of the Legacy theatre and then were invited by the theater’s manager, who previously had been averse to children inside his house.

Also, I actually had a lot of fun solving every crime on the police board starting into my second playthrough.

The Gameplay

So, traditionally. Sherlock Holmes games are low on action. But, I actually enjoyed this game’s combat system. It is QTE-based, but in an enjoyable way. I also love the Easter Egg that rewards you with the trophy “Daredevil”, if you complete all five Bandit Lairs without killing anyone, which means beating every one up.

Also, it took me quite a while to realize I did not need a reekshaw to travel from one Fast Travel Point to another. That realization was a real bonus.

The Verdict

This one, much like The Council, will test your brains and that is what I love about Frogwares’ games. The Sinking City is another of their titles that I have yet to play. But, first, on to Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened. I shall keep you posted on how that one goes.

Until then, keep on playing!
Cheers
Vanessa