In a recent Youtube video, developer Frogwares gave a preview of the gameplay for its upcoming title Sherlock Holmes Chapter One and set the final release date for the game. The veteran team is no stranger to the Sherlock Holmes franchise, and has been making games featuring the genius detective since 2002. In every entry in the series, combat takes a back seat to investigation and exploration, and this latest offering looks to be no different.
Although Frogwares has been making Sherlock Holmes games for years, this series is not connected to the Robert Downey Jr. movies or any other adaptation of the Arthur Conan Doyle books. In fact, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is an origin story, set years before Holmes reaches the height of his fame and abilities. The game will take place in an open world, a rarity in the adventure genre, and players will have free rein to explore the island of Cordona where the game takes place.
Along with a comprehensive overview of the gameplay and a description of the new mechanics in the game, the new video, courtesy of developer Frogwares, sets the release date for the game as November 16th, 2021. At the end of the video, the developer also confirmed that Sherlock Holmes Chapter One will initially release for the PC, Playstation 5, and the Xbox Series X/S. It will come to the Playstation 4 and Xbox One at a later, unannounced date.
Not unlike Sega's recent Lost Judgment, the game iterates on detective gameplay. In the video, the developer emphasized that player choice as a central feature of the upcoming release. Aside from the open world, players will have a great deal of freedom in their method of investigation, who to accuse of committing a crime, and whether or not to engage in combat. As Sherlock Holmes is younger than usual for the character, failure is a real possibility, and players will face consequences for fingering the wrong suspect. For fans who might want to preserve Holmes' perfect record in crime solving, a host of difficulty options will be available to make it easier to find clues, make connections, and survive in combat.
Other than a single trailer, not much of Sherlock Holmes Chapter One was known until now. The similarities to the previous entries to the franchise are clear, but it appears that Chapter One will bring a great deal that's new to the table as well. The decision to set the story earlier in Holmes' career is a smart one; many Sherlock Holmes adaptations have been made in the last few years, including the Ace Attorney franchise's Herlock Sholmes. Any new takes on the character need something to set them apart. This addition to the Sherlock Holmes story looks to be a fresh take that is likely to satisfy the investigative itch of any fans of Holmes or adventure games in general.
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One will release on November 16th, 2021 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It will release later for PS4 and Xbox One.
Source: Frogwares/Youtube