The deer stalker wearing sleuth is back...
From the developers of Sherlock Holmes :Secret of the Silver Earring, the sleuthing series is back on the scene as Holmes and Watson take part in the 3D adventure, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened. The game leads the duo on an investigation to find out why immigrants from the poor districts of London have mysteriously disappeared. Frogwares have given their latest game a sci-fi theme that focuses on the investigation into a sect of the disciples of Cthulu, whilst shifting the series forward by introducing a first person perspective into the gameplay.
The story of Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is bolstered by a number of cut-scenes providing clues to the head scratching mystery that lies ahead and through gathering clues from NPCs, books, dialogue and discovered items, the aim is to unravel the enigma.
It will come as no surprise that this adventure is full of dialogue and slow paced in nature, but the control system and the option to warp to locations, that have already been visited, help speed up the process and stem the boredom of walking back and forth between locations.
Controlling both Holmes and Watson (you’ll switch characters at certain points in the game) can be executed using the keyboard controls or via the mouse. The mouse is by far the best option and by double clicking and holding down the left button you dash down the cobbled streets or move the mouse around to search for clues. The map system provides access to key locations in which you can warp to, by a simple click, and the inventory and comprehensive records archive allows you to browse through clues and often offers hints to your next objective.