Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles
- April 23, 2012
- Waterlily Games
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles" is a horror-themed hidden object and puzzle game, based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel. Explore over 35 locations on the fog-shrouded moorland, uncover clues and solve puzzles to unravel the truth about the supernatural hound. Customize your gameplay experience with adjustable difficulty levels for hints, hint recharge, puzzles, and hidden objects.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging puzzles that vary in difficulty, providing a mix of easy and challenging tasks.
- Beautiful graphics and atmospheric music that enhance the overall experience.
- Interesting story with supernatural elements that, while diverging from the original, adds a unique twist to the Sherlock Holmes narrative.
- The story strays significantly from the original 'Hound of the Baskervilles,' which may disappoint purists.
- Some puzzles can be frustratingly difficult, leading to potential gameplay frustration.
- Technical issues such as crashes and save problems have been reported, affecting the overall experience.
- story199 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is a loose adaptation of "The Hound of the Baskervilles," incorporating supernatural elements that diverge significantly from the original narrative, leading to mixed reviews. While some players appreciate the engaging and well-crafted plot, others criticize it for lacking coherence and straying too far from the classic Sherlock Holmes logic. Overall, the story is seen as entertaining but not true to the source material, making it more of a casual experience rather than a faithful retelling.
“The story is interesting and well-crafted, keeping you hooked from start to finish.”
“Overall, this game offers a great mix of engaging puzzles and a compelling story, making it a must-play for fans of Sherlock Holmes and mystery games.”
“I loved the supernatural elements and all the story and lore of the Baskerville family.”
“The story doesn't make much sense and is tonally quite far away from classic Sherlock Holmes.”
“If you ignore the way they stomp all over the Sherlock lore, the story was okay, and one playthrough of the game will normally take you between 3h 30m to 4h or so, but the ending was absolutely terrible, an anti-climactic cutscene that made no sense and prematurely ended the game right at the climax of the plot, after all the buildup to that point.”
“The story is nothing like a regular Sherlock story.”
- gameplay58 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of hidden object challenges and puzzle-solving, featuring unique mechanics like an amulet that unlocks special abilities, which adds depth to the experience. While many players find the mechanics engaging and the puzzles enjoyable, some criticize the linearity and repetitiveness of the gameplay, suggesting it may feel unmotivated at times. Overall, the game offers a decent length of playtime, appealing to fans of the genre, though it may not satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay.
“The gameplay kept me hooked, and the mystery elements were intriguing enough to make it hard to put down.”
“The gameplay loop involves finding pieces of plaques to unlock ways to view and interact with the world around Sherlock, solving hidden object puzzles, finding objects to be used in various (usually obvious) places, and completing mini puzzles to unlock doors (akin to Professor Layton).”
“The gameplay is more elaborated than usual: you unlock special powers, which let you do special actions on screen to find hidden items; it does make the game feel a tad bit more like an adventure game.”
“I guess my biggest problem with both of these Waterlily game titles is that the gameplay can feel a little unmotivated.”
“The mechanics of the amulet are nothing special and only serve to act as an underwhelming tool that is not implemented in a fun or creative way.”
“Gameplay was mediocre; it's a really generic hidden object game, plus a few easy to medium difficulty puzzles, loosely covered in Sherlock Holmes wrapping paper.”
- graphics45 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered decent for its release period, with many reviewers noting that while they may not be cutting-edge, they effectively contribute to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment. Some players appreciate the detailed artwork and the overall aesthetic, while others point out that the visuals are somewhat outdated and may not meet the expectations of those accustomed to modern games. Overall, the graphics are described as adequate, with a mix of positive remarks about their charm and criticisms regarding their age.
“Graphics are very nice and detailed, music creates a rather ominous atmosphere and suits the game.”
“The graphics are great, even better than the 3D counterparts.”
“The color palette is wonderfully lush and the graphics are very good for a 'now' older game.”
“The graphics aren't anything to write about, and the audio is... there.”
“Horrible graphics, dated, slow, boring.”
“The supernatural story is an affront to Holmesian reason, the voice actors are poorly cast, and the visuals are often of poor quality.”
- music33 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to create an immersive and atmospheric experience, while others find it overly dramatic or repetitive. Many appreciate the soundtrack's quality and its contribution to the game's tension, though some noted that it can become monotonous over time. Overall, the music is generally considered solid, enhancing the gameplay despite some criticisms regarding its repetitiveness and dramatic flair.
“The soundtrack is amazing.”
“The music is amazing, the voice over is perfect, the dialogues well written and witty, with a lot of humor.”
“The atmosphere is perfectly eerie, the music is pretty, and the vocal talent/cast does a good job throughout.”
“The art leans toward cartoony and the over-dramatic music had me giggling at times.”
“Varied puzzles ranging from very easy to excruciatingly difficult, alright art and scenery, very flat voice acting, annoying overdramatic music (I turned it off).”
“The music is pretty jaded because the game pretty much plays the same tune over and over again.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its rich detail, ominous music, and enchanting yet creepy ambiance, effectively enhancing the overall experience. While the graphics and sound contribute positively, some players noted inconsistencies in voice acting and cutscenes that detracted from the immersion. Overall, the atmospheric elements, including well-crafted environments and supernatural themes, create an engaging backdrop for the gameplay.
“The atmospheric detail in the private rooms of the various Baskerville family members is quite rich and even works as indirect character development.”
“The atmosphere is perfectly eerie, the music pretty, and the vocal talent/cast does a good job throughout.”
“And for all the good art and voice talent, the cutscenes were atrocious to look at and there was hardly any atmosphere whatsoever.”
“This title can count on a good soundtrack most of the time trying to give a tense atmosphere, maybe even more than necessary.”
“The atmosphere is absolutely enchanting and creepy, which only adds to the overall charm.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; while some find it enjoyable and appreciate the quick travel feature that reduces backtracking, others feel that the puzzles can be tedious and lack sufficient hints, leading to frustration. Overall, the game balances challenging puzzles with moments of tedium, making the grinding experience variable.
“Overall, this game is boring and tedious.”
“The puzzles are often tedious and there are no hints to help you out in those, only a skip that takes a while to activate.”
“The ho tasks became a bit tedious but most of the puzzles were good.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is considered low, as the puzzles and overall content remain unchanged in subsequent playthroughs. Players primarily find replay value in completing achievements rather than experiencing new challenges or variations.
“The puzzles and everything else stay the same, so the replay value is not really high.”
“The replay value for the game is low.”
“The only replay value comes from completing the achievements.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its self-deprecating wit and clever writing, providing a lighthearted and entertaining experience. Players appreciate the combination of funny dialogues, excellent voice acting, and engaging music, all contributing to a delightful atmosphere that encourages a carefree approach to gameplay.
“The writing is also hilarious, like it's making fun of itself. It's just a generally good time if you don't take it seriously, which trust me, the game would make it hard to do.”
“The music is amazing, the voiceover is perfect, the dialogues are well written and witty, with a lot of humor.”
“It was funny and a decent distraction.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is subtly enhanced through the rich atmospheric details found in the private rooms of the Baskerville family members, which serve as indirect reflections of their personalities and backgrounds.
“The atmospheric detail in the private rooms of the various Baskerville family members is quite rich and even works as indirect character development.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is criticized for its poor technical performance, which detracts from the overall experience, despite some enjoyment found in the atmosphere and gameplay elements. While it may appeal to fans of hidden object games, the subpar voice acting and execution of the story further diminish its appeal. Overall, it receives a soft recommendation, primarily for those familiar with the source material.
“I guess it's fine if you like hidden object games, but the technical performance is also fairly poor.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -400 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players report that the game evokes strong emotional responses, with some feeling deeply connected to the narrative and characters, leading to moments of genuine tears. The immersive experience is described as impactful enough to resonate with real-life feelings.
“The emotional depth of the story left me in tears.”
“I felt a profound connection to the characters, which made the experience incredibly moving.”
“It'll replace your life; I cried a bit.”
“The emotional moments felt forced and didn't resonate with me.”
“I expected to feel more connected to the characters, but I found myself indifferent.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has significant stability issues, as users report frequent freezing that can crash their computers during gameplay.
“I loved this game when I played it back in the day, but this version freezes my computer every time I play it for some reason.”
Buy Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles
Play time
Videos
Similar Games
