Hi Gamers, What are you playing? Here's my review on Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments. If there's one figure that is gaining widespread popularity during the recent times than in the past, I must say it's Sherlock Holmes. Thanks to BBC TV series "Sherlock Holmes" played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin freeman, not only can we enjoy the show but also play the game now. Developed by Frogwares and Published by Focus home interactive, Crimes and punishments is an ambitious attempt in the instalment of Sherlock Holmes series. Inspired by the TV series, developers borrow many elements to create realistic setup in creating a adequately entertaining game. Set in a 19th century background, game starts with an interesting case of "The fate of black peter". The game introduces the elements required for playing the game through this case, which is a perfect way to introduce the mechanics involved in the game. The campaign offers 6 cases, each very different from the other and interesting. Cases can vary in lengths depending on the player. While few are really short, most are long. In each case different methodology of solving is adopted and are set in a different background varying from dirty streets of the Half Moon street, places where great grand mystic practises Tai-chi(or meditation) to grand and lavish hotels and mansions. Characters seem realistic and delivery of voice acting is extremely good.
Finding clues
Apart from the usual process of finding clues through interrogation and forming an idea of the character, the game "provides" clues in the form of mini games. It is a welcome step as an distraction from sometimes rather long and boring interrogations. These "games" can be helpful to the player in forming a relationship with the character, to form to a different conclusion, or to just better understand the story or premise required for the case.
Lock Picking
Each clue obtain may help result in forming a certain conclusion. Combination of such logical conclusions results in forming idea of the murder or how the incident took place. Clues gathered appear on a palette where logical combination of clues can be combined to result in a conclusion which are presented in the form of a nerve synapses. After forming a conclusion the game asks to make final "moral choice". The game doesn't really tell whether the player is correct or not in making the moral choice. It's more like MY version of culprit rather than the game version's. So if you caught the wrong guy it doesn't really matter you will still be proceeding to the next case, which is oddly satisfying. The player only proceeds to the next case upon solving the present case.
Finding more clues
Are we alone? When I started playing the game, I felt Watson was just a character who merely follows Sherlock asking him "What do you intend on doing now, Sherlock?" or " I think we must visit Scotland Yard". But I felt his need at some places to solve the case. Toby, the dog, also is seen useful in providing assistance. The game features "Sherlock talent" and "imagination" concepts to help us find evidences and form a sequence of events that took place during the incident of murder.
Toby- The best nose in the British empire
Game play 6 Cases, several endings and different moral choices each having a solid evidence to backup your claim adds to the game's thrilling experience. Each case plays out like short story in a book which aren't necessarily related. Although the game doesn't really become any difficult the mini games like lock picking and other puzzles become more difficult to crack. The game features "Sherlock talent" and "imagination" concepts to help us find evidences and form a sequence of events that took place during the incident of murder.
Our Casebook
It is an open world game. Sherlock carries with him a casebook which really is like the planner or something which tells the player what to do next, what evidence to gather or which can be used for navigating the places pertinent to the case. Sherlock's apartment has an analysis table to perform little experiments-for identifying some elements, newspapers and archives-a useful tool for researching and gathering info, letters by the fireplace, wardrobe etc. Yes a wardrobe to choose an outfit for a particular case or really to have different Sherlock every time!
Who do you want to be now, Sherlock? Gosh! I sound like Watson
So is it worth playing ... Occasional glitches don't even come close to spoiling the game experience. Even though the campaign was like 20-22 hours I was somehow not content and satisfied with the game, as I felt the urge to solve more and more cases when really there are like only 6 of them. I felt there was like this pattern starting from the first, the difficulty of the case and length of the case oscillated alternatively between long or short and easy or tedious ( not difficult mind you) which can be repetitive and for some may spoil the game experience.
Nerve synapses system of deduction. Don't worry it's not the correct choice
Being an open world game, whenever I was stuck I felt the need to check the surroundings or double check the suspects to see if I have left any clue or interrogation. Although apparently there are these "invisible walls" which limit the search premises but that really doesn't mitigate the rather avoidable frustrating experience. I felt "mini games" featured in the game should have been more "do it and proceed" because there is an option for skipping these altogether, which actually takes out all the fun in deducing the conclusion the player arrives at.
Game looks gorgeous!
But as I said, the glitches or any other spoilers din't even come close to spoiling my experience in playing the game. Overall the game was really refreshing. The urge to solve more cases or to gather more clues to apprehend the culprit kept me going. It's like you want the case to be solved but don't want the game to be completed. Verdict: A must play if you are a fan of Sherlock. My rating is 8.5/10. Genre: Action and adventure
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