S&S Review: Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment

Title: Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment
Format: PS4(reviewed), PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Release Date: September 29, 2014
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Developer: Frogwares
Price:  $59.99(PS4/XB1), $49.99(PS3/Xbox 360/PC)
ESRB Rating: M

Frogwares' Sherlock Holmes franchise has gone under the radar for the most part of this generation, and for those who have not played a single one just yet, Crimes and Punishment is a great entry point into the series.

Story and Presentation:

Crimes & Punishments lives up to its name with six separate investigations in which Holmes and Watson comb through an abundance of clues and evidence to bring criminals to justice.  A gang of terrorists called the Merry Men are sprinkled in through the entire game, although there are otherwise no linked elements, they bring an interesting new link into the Sherlock lore.  If you're a fan of the show or even the novels, then you'll come to appreciate how well the story is told through the traditional Sherlock fashion.  From the storytelling, characterizations, settings, and incidental references, the devs absolutely nailed down the atmosphere of the Sherlock Holmes world. Each of the cases lasts a solid few hours, so the episodic method never gets in the way of sinking your teeth into each story. I never felt rushed, and in fact, each case feels like a full standalone game, and I was always pleasantly surprised when I was quickly thrusted into a new case.  Crimes are pretty diverse as well, from a fairly straightforward murder with a whaling harpoon, to a vanishing train in the English countryside. Each case is in a engaging tale that you'll want to see through to the end.  Crimes and Punishments looks fantastic. Most outdoor environments are stunningly detailed, especially locations such as a cool archaeological dig site.  Sherlock himself is impressively detailed as well, as well his partner and nemeses.  Kerry Shale and Nick Brimble do a fine job in voicing Holmes and Watson respectively as they have done in previous games and the standard of voice acting for the more minor characters is solid as well.  In terms of the soundtrack, the music is solid, but its easily the weakest part of the presentation.

Core Gameplay:

Crimes and Punishments is an adventure game so there's plenty of looking for clues, conversing with potential suspects, and performing various scientific experiments. There aren't inventory-based puzzles that you'd traditionally think of with an adventure game, like Wolf Among Us and the Walking Dead, any items Holmes acquires will be available when needed for their specific use. There's nothing too tough in that sense, as most of the difficulty comes from various mini-games and challenges which range from mental to dexterity-based. With the former, you'll have Holmes picking locks or doing experiments on hair and metal samples. There's also various other miscellaneous mini-games like arm wrestling a sailor. This isn't much of a change from the previous Sherlock Holmes title but it highlights the focus on the newer elements of the game.  The big new feature here is that there isn't just one suspicious party in each case and you have the ability to accuse whichever individual you feel the clues point towards. Your conclusions are formed from interpreting clues you find in any given area. This feature makes the game feel a lot more freeing, even though the game will ultimately point you in the right direction, but never outright telling you who did it.  In each of the game's six cases, it's possible to point the finger of blame on incorrect parties, and like I said, you'll never be completely lost during a particular case. Whether they be murderers, bullies, wife-beaters, or worse, it's hard not to find sympathy for their possible killer.  If you're up for a good adventure game, then Crimes and Punishment offers up more than enough for you to sink your teeth in.

Final Thoughts:

Fans of previous Sherlock Holmes games will feel right at home with Crimes and Punishment.  The new elements introduced will keep things fresh for veterans, and the game still manages to leave the door open for new players of the series.

+Great Detective Work

+Solid, Crisp Visuals

+Authentic Voice Work

-Game Still Leads You on

S&S Rating: 8/10