Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One Critic Reviews

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is a masterpiece of a detective game as it manages to deliver a thoroughly enjoyable open-world adventure with an interesting cast, stunning environmental visuals, and highly immersive and engaging sleuthing gameplay. The fact that I was having such an awesome time made dealing with the odd progression issue worth it as I loved taking in all of the sights and stories.

This version of Sherlock feels human, his methods of deduction are satisfying, and his cases are certainly intriguing enough to make aspiring detectives want to solve them all.

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is an exemplary experience for anyone wanting to enjoy time with our eccentric investigator. The story behind Violet Holmes' demise will pull at your heartstrings, and the cases you’ll decipher on the way there just make you appreciate Chapter One all the more. Yeah, there are some technical issues, and you’re most likely going to get stuck at least once, but unraveling the best laid plans of the most conniving criminals is a delight to accomplish.

The entire investigation was worth it and this is an origin worth exploring for any fan of mysteries or the great Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is one of Frogwares’ best games to date.

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is Holmes but not as you know him, with a fantastic and unique story, plenty of crimes to solve, and a sprawling tropical island to explore.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One puts the detective into an open world setting whilst giving him plenty of murders and side cases to investigate. There is the odd bit of action here and there but those who like to explore, examine and deduce will get the most out of this adventure.

There are a few rough edges to Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One; the odd duff texture here and there, and lip syncing that never quite looks right. But none of that ever gets in the way of just how engaging a game this is to play. Stepping into the shoes of the young Sherlock Holmes is a real treat, and Frogwares continues to excel at doing what it does best: delivering an immersive experience that really makes the player feel like they’re actually a detective. This is by far the developer’s best yet.

This new adventure retains the core of the series while expanding its possibilities with an open world and action sequences, something that feels like a double-edged sword.

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is a big story-driven game with familiar characters, captivating cases to solve, and a big open island to explore. All the fantastical stuff aside, the team at Frogwares treats Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work with utmost respect, and for that we are grateful.

Unashamedly developed for fans of the series, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is a unique and deftly crafted take on a well-trodden character. Retaining its detail oriented, mystery solving core while moving to an open world design with a heavier inclusion of combat, this game retains the charm of its predecessors while pushing the series in an exciting new direction. It’s not perfect, but an excellent story and a plethora of ‘eureka’ moments make up for many of its flaws. If you loved Crimes & Punishments and The Devil’s Daughter, you’ll love this.

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is a memorable game, maybe the best produced so far by Frogwares. It is not a classical adventure game, rather an open world Victorian tour de force in the early days of the most famous detective. As such it is not easy, mainly because the developers decided to let players figure out how a detective’s mind works. You must have patience and pay attention in order to figure out the Holmes family secret. But it is a rewarding journey, one that will make you feel invested in it. It might not be a perfect game, nor a AAA title, but it is fun and well crafted.

The idea of Sherlock Holmes essentially investigating his own origins is an intriguing conceit, though that's really only a small element of Sherlock Holmes Chapter One. The invented island of Cordona is a great backdrop for commentary on the late Victorian British Empire in all its excessive and tone-deaf glory, though again, those considerations are secondary. Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is, at heart, a collection of large and small mysteries to be solved, the chance to inhabit the mind of a legendary polymath and play detective with a wide and deep arsenal of tools and toys. Although the series is still bogged down by its fiddly mechanics and the pace can move too slowly for us fidgety gamers, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is far more ambitious in scope than its series predecessors and may represent a new, high bar for the franchise.

For its ambitious prequel, Frogwares relied on an open world that enjoys a rather generous scope for a wide range of surveys. These also give the game a very solid lifespan. On the other hand, the proposal proves difficult to measure up on a technical level, with slowdowns, rigid animations and clipping in support. More engaging in its second part, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One offers progressive dynamism and a commendable conclusion. The heart of the adventure lies in its clues to be connected and the accusations to be made, which follow a pattern of investigation which, however, runs out of steam too quickly.

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is a pleasant tale of origins and investigation, which continues the extremely intimate and introspective approach of Frogwares towards the character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The game often stumbles upon the narrative errors of its predecessor, not delving sufficiently into some crucial ideas in the epilogue of the adventure. The meticulous management of clues, deductions and exploration linked to the cases to be solved makes the work a satisfying product for fans of the famous English investigator, as long as you turn a blind eye to a graphic sector that at times is somewhat obsolete.

The story of this game is worthwhile, as it sheds a new perspective on the famous detective. In addition, there is a nice environment, which is complimented with great gameplay and good audio/voice acting. That said, the fight scenes get boring quickly, frame drops are noticeable and the graphics are not of the highest order. The game also lacks structure due to the many side missions, but it is nevertheless an adventure that will entertain you.

Way better than Devil's Daughter, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One has a captivating focus on Sherlock himself, but the open world feels there just for the sake of it.

A fresh and emotional take on the Sherlock Holmes property creates the best narrative in the series yet, but it’s let down by some ambitious design choices.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is a flawed but nevertheless fascinating look at the angsty years of the great detective.

If you can get through the relatively humdrum, lifeless and unneeded open world of Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One you'll uncover a whip smart detective adventure that is up there with the series best. It's just a shame that a smattering of technical issues and poorly executed combat sections detract from what should have been the Pride of Baker Street's triumphant return to PlayStation.