The cobblestone streets of Victorian London
Are as synonymous with Sherlock Holmes as his trusty sidekick Dr. Watson, particularly as they pertain to developer Frogwares’ long-running game series. The Ukrainian studio’s latest entry, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One, ditches both the dreary, smog-filled setting, and the good doctor, by presenting an origin story for the titular sleuth. It’s a bold move that unshackles Chapter One from many of the familiar conventions of Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels, allowing for some surprising and frankly absurd moments as you try to uncover the truth behind Sherlock’s troubled childhood.
The fictional Mediterranean island of Cordona provides the new sun-swept backdrop for Sherlock’s not-so-humble beginnings as a near-superpowered detective.
Chapter One is set in the late 1800s
the island has predictably been colonized by the British empire. There’s tension between the inhabitants as a result, and the stark contrast between different cultures and classes is woven into the island’s five distinct districts. The British live in affluent neighborhoods where the streets are lined with opulent mansions and adorned with the Union Jack, while the local population’s melting pot of residents are crammed into claustrophobic shacks, selling wares in busy markets and working for the Brits in dangerous mines and factories.
It’s disappointing that this aspect of Cordona isn’t touched on more often in the game’s actual story, but perhaps this is for the best as Chapter One regularly stumbles whenever it attempts to tackle more nuanced topics.
solving crimes
Like previous games in the series, Chapter One excels when you delve into the nitty-gritty . Sherlock’s deductive repertoire gives you a variety of ways to find the truth, and there’s very little hand-holding along the way. Surveying crime scenes is the simplest of the bunch as you gather and interact with different clues, from a blood-stained knife to an eye-opening letter. Sherlock’s Concentration ability is akin to “detective vision” seen in games like the Batman: Arkham series, allowing you to uncover details other people would miss, although this is most often used to tediously track footprints. You’re usually asked to recreate what transpired by positioning mannequins in Sherlock’s mind, much like how similar mysteries were solved in Return of the Obra Dinn.
Sherlock Holmes and the Devil’s Daughter
Jon will also write mean things about you if you kill anyone. Sherlock Holmes and the Devil’s Daughter, which featured a scattershot of mediocre action sequences, Chapter One only features the one, as you’re occasionally locked into a small area and forced to fight off waves of enemies. Sherlock is equipped with a single pistol, and each combat arena is filled with identical environmental hazards like steam pipes and lanterns. You can simply kill everyone or use the environment to stun and subdue enemies after a brief QTE knockdown.
Restraining enemies
You’re rewarded with a miniscule lump of extra cash if you arrest criminals rather than murder them–and Jon won’t admonish you in his diary–but this is hardly an incentive to engage in the formulaic act of restraining enemies. The only things you can purchase with the money you earn .
Chapter One’s web of mailintrigue
Despite these issues, its difficult not to get sucked into Chapter One’s web of intrigue. The central mystery is uneventful until its final moments, but the cases surrounding it are consistently excellent, the role you play in solving them is incredibly gratifying.
The open world is more of a backdrop than anything else, but it expands the game with dozens of side cases that are just as alluring as those found in the main story. Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One may stumble at times, but it scratches that investigative itch like few games even attempt to.
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