Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter

Critics and gamers seem to be pretty “meh” about Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter.

However, Frogwares have done a brilliant job of actually putting the gamer inside Holmes’ head. Some of the puzzles can be infuriating at times, there is the “skip” option for those that really don’t want to keep trying after the 15th time (it kicks in after the third try). One thing sure to surprise anyone is the ability to jump to incorrect conclusions by making the evidence fit your theory rather than your theory fit the evidence, meaning incorrect deductions can be made and the wrong person convicted of the crime. There is the option to validate all character profiles as well as all “moral decisions” for the perfectionists among us.

The immersion in to Holmes’ character by the player is complete; interactions with neighbours, colleagues, clients, and the like are all part of the gameplay. It’s not just all point, click, find the clues — there are other tasks in order to prevent any risk of complacency. The gamer can find themselves tailing a potential suspect one minute, then preparing a slide for viewing under a microscope the next. Depending on the complexity of the task, various button combinations or manipulating the analog sticks need to be accomplished. Think Heavy Rain from PS3. 

The load times are bemoaned for both the console and PC iterations of the game. PS4 load times aren’t great for the point in history the game has come into, but it's understandable considering the representation of each person is pretty bang-on — to the point there are times when Holmes' and other characters' eyes are glazed and bloodshot, or they have bags under their eyes. The level of detail there is amazing, and certainly worth the wait.

The voice acting is not too shabby either. We've come along way from the Silent Hill on PS1 days, but even for those that were well in to some of the titles on PS3, it’s still pretty solid. Sometimes it does get a little jarring, as the detail in the face looks almost like a live actor, but the sync for the mouth movement, or lack thereof, can at times ruin the illusion.

Overall, while it couldn’t be described as a flawless execution, there is plenty to love about Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter.