The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
- September 20, 2012
- Frogwares
- 14h median play time
No matter how you’re coming into this game, you will find that this game subverts your expectations and emerges as the very best in its class – in all of its classes.
Get on SteamIn "The Testament of Sherlock Holmes," players assume the role of the famous detective as he investigates a complex case of theft, fraud, and deceit in 1898 London. The game features crime scene examinations, clue collection, suspect interrogations, and richly detailed locations. The story is a dark and thrilling adventure that challenges players to unravel a complex mystery.
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Reviews
- Engaging storyline with surprising plot twists.
- Challenging and varied puzzles that require logical thinking.
- Good voice acting and character portrayals, especially for Sherlock and Watson.
- Frequent crashes during auto and manual saves, making the game frustrating to play.
- Clunky controls and navigation issues that can hinder gameplay.
- Some puzzles lack clear instructions, leading to confusion and reliance on walkthroughs.
- story889 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "The Testament of Sherlock Holmes" is a complex and engaging narrative that follows Sherlock as he navigates a single, overarching case filled with twists and turns, often leaving players guessing about his true intentions. While many players appreciate the depth and intrigue of the plot, some criticize it for being convoluted with numerous plot holes and a pacing that can feel uneven, particularly towards the end. Overall, the game is noted for its strong character dynamics, particularly between Holmes and Watson, and its ability to evoke the classic essence of Sherlock Holmes stories, despite some mixed opinions on the execution and framing of the narrative.
“The story was so good, and the mysteries were so fun to solve!”
“The story is one of the best, as it should be.”
“The story is very complex with so many plot twists... I wish they will make another one like this.”
“The story is just badly written with erratic characters that you can't even make sense of at all.”
“The plot is like Swiss cheese, full of holes.”
“The story was a convoluted mess and not all that interesting; it could have been worse, but with a title like 'The Testament of Sherlock Holmes', I was expecting something better.”
- graphics275 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant improvements over previous titles, particularly in terms of detail and atmosphere. However, some critiques highlight that the visuals can feel dated or rough around the edges, with issues like poor lip-syncing and occasional glitches. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for a game of its age, they may not meet the expectations set by more modern titles.
“The graphics are a huge step up from previous entries, and the puzzles range from mundane to brutal.”
“First thing that you can notice about this game (when comparing it to the older titles) is that the graphics went through some serious upgrades and it's a rather pleasant change.”
“The graphics are beautiful and spent a lot of time immersed in the details.”
“Testament's engine is creakier than ever, with the visuals barely improved from the previous game six years prior.”
“The graphics, animation, and voice acting are what you can expect from an 'antique' game.”
“The graphics are acceptable but not particularly outstanding, particularly some character models; however, considering it isn't developed by a big game development company, it's pretty good.”
- gameplay252 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this Sherlock Holmes title is a mix of point-and-click mechanics and character-switching features, which some players found engaging while others criticized for being clunky and occasionally tedious. While the deduction board and puzzle-solving elements were praised for their potential, many felt that they were underutilized or poorly explained, leading to frustration. Overall, the game offers a decent experience with interesting puzzles and a compelling story, but it suffers from technical issues and a lack of polish compared to newer entries in the series.
“A point-and-click first-person detective game with an interesting mystery and (mostly) fun mechanics.”
“The feature allowing players to switch perspectives for character control is a practical addition, effectively addressing past issues with gameplay mechanics and enhancing interaction with the game's environment.”
“The gameplay is solid, the story is interesting, the puzzles are well put together...”
“This entry in the series really doesn't hold up mechanically.”
“The mechanics is a downgrade compared to previous games.”
“The game does not work with my controller (Xbox) at all and stops only showing a blank gray screen before gameplay even begins.”
- atmosphere61 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich, immersive quality, effectively capturing the dark and gothic essence of Victorian London, as well as the mature themes present in Arthur Conan Doyle's works. Players appreciate the detailed environments, strong visual design, and complementary soundtracks that enhance the overall experience, despite some criticisms regarding puzzle design and occasional mismatched music. Overall, the game successfully evokes a compelling and atmospheric narrative that resonates with fans of adventure and mystery genres.
“The atmosphere, the dialogues, and the acting are really on a good level.”
“I'm not only speaking of the graphics but both the interiors and the exteriors are shaped with care and actually do convey the atmosphere of the Victorian era, no matter if you're in a nobleman's manor or in the shadiest part of Whitechapel.”
“The story was amazing and the atmosphere of the locations, characters, and puzzles really brought this game to life!”
“The atmosphere is generally dismal and cynical, and there's even some notably gory visuals.”
“This game has quite nice graphics, but the music often does not match the situation Holmes and Watson are in, therefore ruining the atmosphere.”
“Completely ruins the whole atmosphere of the game from the very start, which features the worst animation in the entire game.”
- music59 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it fitting and atmospheric, while others criticize it for being repetitive and occasionally mismatched to the on-screen action. Many noted that the soundtrack, while decent, lacks variety and can become annoying during prolonged gameplay, leading some to turn it off entirely. Overall, the music is described as serviceable but not memorable, with a few standout moments that highlight its potential.
“The soundtrack complements the melancholy and despairing atmosphere well.”
“This chapter's soundtrack is completely new and it's a magnificent set of orchestral pieces that will pleasantly accompany you during all your investigations and will also set a more pressing atmosphere when there will be some tense situations.”
“The music is amazing, as usual, and the voice acting is superb.”
“The biggest problem is the soundtrack, which is simply not good.”
“The music is downright obnoxious, and when you're stuck in certain moments, it's really harsh on the ears.”
“The only great con in this game is the lack of music variation; this is especially annoying when stuck in a puzzle for a while.”
- grinding36 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, with many puzzles described as uninspiring and time-consuming. While some enjoy the gameplay and mechanics, the frequent backtracking and clunky controls contribute to a frustrating experience, often leading players to rely on skip options or walkthroughs. The game may appeal to casual gamers, but seasoned players may find it lacking in challenge and engagement.
“It's a tad bit grindy, but the rewards make it worth it.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding, but the journey is fulfilling.”
“The grind can be intense, but it adds depth to the gameplay.”
“The puzzles are tedious time wasters which are constantly fed to you so you don't notice that you're not doing any actual deduction or making any decisions.”
“Just an okay game, can get fairly tedious at points and then it completely bugged out not even halfway through and now will not progress any further in the game (closes every time before I can get to the opium den).”
“I was hoping for an investigative game because I'm a fan of the original stories, but I find this just tedious and end up just using a walkthrough quite often because I can't be bothered.”
- stability32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting persistent bugs and crashes that detract from the overall experience. While some players have noted that the game runs well on certain hardware, others have encountered game-breaking glitches and frequent freezes, necessitating careful save management. Overall, the game is described as buggy and unpolished, with a mix of minor issues and major stability problems that remain unresolved.
“Game looks okay and runs great these days.”
“Great story, smooth gameplay, and no glitches!”
“The glitches are still there and the game-breaking bugs still persist even through the next decade.”
“It's buggy; I had to save frequently and keep only a few save files to prevent the game from crashing upon saves and loads.”
“Too many glitches make the game annoying.”
- humor31 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of intentional and unintentional elements, with players enjoying the dynamic between Holmes and Watson, which often leads to genuinely funny moments. While the animations and facial expressions can be hilariously exaggerated or poorly executed, they contribute to the overall comedic tone, complemented by witty dialogues and dry British humor. However, some players find the humor inconsistent, particularly as the plot becomes overly complicated and absurd.
“The dynamic between Holmes and Watson is great and made me tear up laughing at certain instances, which was a pleasant bonus.”
“Watson and Sherlock’s dialogues are smart and funny as always, and the delivery is very good, though the pace is a bit off; you get too long pauses between some lines that were obviously meant to be interrupting each other.”
“I also enjoyed the dialogues spiced with some British dark humor.”
- optimization13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 69 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting issues such as stuttering audio, significant frame drops even on high-performance machines, and poor performance in specific areas like the sewers. While some players noted minor flaws and expressed a willingness to overlook them for the sake of the game's story and gameplay, the consensus is that substantial optimization work is needed to improve the experience.
“Well optimized”
“Note: The game also has some mild performance issues (don't even try playing this game in fullscreen mode), but I didn't have any major issues except having to play in windowed mode unless I wanted it to crash when trying to save.”
“They had to turn them down in later games just for performance sake, I suspect.”
“Even after applying the unofficial community patch that fixes hard crashes when saving, it still suffers from stuttering.”
“Poor software optimization: on a machine whose performance is far superior to the recommended one, there are often enough frame drops below 30, especially in huge areas with every setting on minimum.”
“Anyways, love the actual game, but performance is just horrendous. Even with the new patch they put out for the older Sherlock games.”
- emotional13 mentions
- 92 % positive mentions
- -15 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming moments, particularly the touching relationship between Sherlock and Watson, which culminates in a heartfelt reunion. Players experience a range of emotions, from anger and betrayal to love, driven by engaging plot twists and character development, despite some criticisms regarding the game's execution and voice acting. Overall, the narrative successfully evokes a strong emotional investment in the characters and their journey.
“The ending is very emotional.”
“There were evident character developments for Watson, and that scene when he and Sherlock 'reunited' was so wholesome.”
“One feels a real emotional investment in the characters as the story runs the player through anger, betrayal, deception, confusion, and love.”
“There are no decisions to make; there's no role to play. You just follow the boring story, and if you don't find everything, you won't even be able to move.”
“The emotional depth is lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters or care about their journeys.”
“The narrative feels forced and uninspired, leaving little room for genuine emotional engagement.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 36 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has limited replayability, with many players noting that it primarily offers value for those seeking missed achievements or speedrunning opportunities. While some appreciate the engaging story and character dynamics, the consensus is that once completed, there is little incentive to replay the game.
“Pros: story, replay value, longevity (not too short), puzzles, dialogue, character profiles, map and freedom to solve the crime in any order you wish.”
“- High replay value (in my opinion)”
“As a big fan of the books, I really had a good time playing with one of the best tandems - Sherlock and Dr. Watson. There is one more playable character during the game, which was a nice surprise for me.”
“No, the game isn't actually replayable unless you're going for missed achievements.”
“There's no replay value unless you want to speedrun it, and then you must be really bored.”
“Replay value 2/10; if you manage to get all the achievements in the first run (don't skip the puzzles), there is no reason you should play it again.”
- character development5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is notably strong for Sherlock Holmes, allowing players to deeply understand his personality, while Watson's growth is highlighted in a touching reunion scene. However, some critiques point to a lack of depth in the writing and dialogue, which detracts from the overall character development experience. Despite these shortcomings, the strong plot and engaging storyline contribute positively to the characters' arcs.
“There were evident character developments for Watson, and that scene when he and Sherlock 'reunited' was so wholesome.”
“The game has a very strong plot-driven storyline worthy of a Sherlock Holmes game, and the character development, especially for Sherlock Holmes, really came through, allowing you to understand his personality and character like a book.”
“The writing and dialogue leave a lot to be desired - you're not expecting Arthur Conan Doyle, but even on its own it's just a weak script with no British wit at all and very flimsy character development.”
“The epic ending of the game really does a 360, giving his character development a complete home run.”
“That said, the game also has a very strong plot-driven storyline worthy of a Sherlock Holmes game, but the character development, especially for Sherlock Holmes, really came through strong enough that you come to know his personality and character like a book.”
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