Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments

The world’s most famous fictitious detective is once again roaming the streets of London and its suburbs in the 19th century – hot on the trail of solving the mystery and catching the culprit responsible. The detective of course is none other than Sherlock Holmes, and together with his trusty side-kick and partner, Dr. Watson, no criminal is safe.

The upcoming Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments, is a continuation of the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series, which is being developed by Frogwares. The previous game, The Testament of Sherlock Holmes, wasn’t received very well, but they are hoping to change perceptions this time around.

Playing on the title of Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, it makes use of some elements incorporated by Dostoyevsky, such as making a moral choice by absolving or condemning the captured criminal.

What sets this Sherlock Holmes title apart from previous games is that this is the first one in the series that will be using Unreal Engine 3, and draws inspiration from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original stories, as well as the 1984 television series.

The original CSI detective will spend most of the game walking through crime scenes and examining clues. An element that will be familiar to returning players is the Deduction Board that Holmes uses to deduce theories and culprits. But the biggest addition to the new title is the introduction of Sherlock Vision. “Use your talents to unearth clues that would be invisible to the untrained eye, and be aware of the slightest sound.” One can’t help but wonder if they borrowed it from Batman Arkham City.

Verdict:
By using Unreal 3, it might just be a step up from previous titles

Developer: Frogwares
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Distributor: Apex Interactive
Platforms: PC, XBox 360, PS3, PS4