Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened (PC Games)

Other products by Frogwares

Product Features

• User-Friendly Interface - Scour stunning environments and interrogate suspects with a click of the mouse
• Total Immersion - Striking audiovisuals and gripping encounters will send shivers up your spine.
• Intuitive Puzzles - From physics-based mindbenders to logical conundrums, solutions are elementary
• Living World - Interact with over 60 mysterious characters and hundreds of clues and objects
• Live the Legend - From Deerstalker cap to magnifying glass, become the world's most sought-after detective

Product Details

• ASIN: B000V9CCLU
• Item Weight: 12.3 ounces
• Media: DVD-ROM
• Release Date: September 12, 2007
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,635 in Video Games (See Bestsellers in Video Games)

Product Description

Product Description

The adventures of Sherlock Holmes continue. This time around, you are taking on the role of the famous detective. Are you up for it?
19th century England: Following a string of shocking disappearances on London's fog-choked streets, an entire nation trembles in fear. As history's most famed detective, loosen terror's grip by tailing the perpetrators to the ends of the earth in epic 3D adventure Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened. Inspired by the works of author H.P. Lovecraft, this globe-spanning saga of suspense and horror pits the master sleuth against his most dangerous foe yet - a fanatical cult seemingly devoted to ancient, evil god Cthulhu. From Baker Street to Bale, Louisiana to Scotland, hunt for hidden clues with the help of faithful companion Dr. Watson, solve fiendish puzzles and thwart the forces of darkness. But beware - behind the fa ade of everyday life lurk terrifying places and truths best forgotten. There are some secrets man was never meant to know: Dare you uncover them? Either way, the clock's ticking. So what are you waiting for? The game is afoot!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beauty and the Beast, October 30, 2007

By	Margaret Tassey (A beach in Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The beauty: This game has wonderful atmosphere; the water effects are stunning; the actors are good; the story is interesting

The beast: it is so linear it hurts; you can't go ahead and pick up something you know you are going to need; once I typed an answer using the spelling in the clues and it wasn't accepted

I don't mind spending a lot of time solving puzzles; but I do mind spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to tell the game what I want to do. Not that this is new. It was the same in the old text adventures where you were in a maze of twisty passages all alike. Deja vu.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this game, February 10, 2008

By	E. Mainwaring "Elm" (NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I really enjoyed this game. I am a frequent PC game player and I can say that this is at the top of my list.

The puzzles were not obscure and nonsensical like many games. I used what I learned from the game and didn't have to rely heavily on "cheat sights" like I have with other games to solve the puzzles.

One glitch is that you have to move just right to go some places.

I really enjoyed the eerie atmosphere and the gore. The graphics are great and the story is easy to follow. Great locations. Quick moving. I recommend this highly if you love a good spooky mystery.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sherlock Holmes and the Old Ones, October 8, 2007

By	Richard P. Marsden - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars 

A typical adventure game where as Sherlock Holmes you must pick up various items to solve puzzles, and find clues by looking around the map and clicking on areas where an icon lights up. Like the Longest Journey or Dreamfall, the storyline is more important than gameplay in Sherlock Holmes the Awakened.

For most the game you play as Sherlock Holmes in the late 1890's. The game takes place after Holmes' "death" at the Reichbad Falls, and his later re-apperance. Your task as Holmes seems simple at first. Watson wants you to chat with a patient of his. The patient reveals that his Maori servant has run off and from there the chase is on!

The plot line is a bit complicated but begins to make sense as the game progresses. What is truly interesting is the Cthulhu element to the game! It is well done and suitably mysterious. People with no idea about Lovecraftian lore might in fact be totally baffled by some of the events in the game. For those who are well versed in the Old Ones, the story line is a particular treat with plenty of homages to Lovecraft.

Gameplay is smooth enough but has a few issues. Namley, there is no bobbing as you walk. Much like the old first person shooter games, motion sickness can occur. Most of the puzzles involving objects are easy enough, but at times you need to double back to areas and pick up items you weren't allowed to pick up before. It would have been nicer if the game spared you the doubling back because whenever one gets stuck in the game, they can't help but wonder..."Do I need to go back somewhere?" Usually the answer is "no", but not always. At one point during the game, Holmes has to chase after a thief. It is incredibly anti-climactic because as you chase him, little puzzles occur which slows you down and turns the chase into a slow speed pursuit. And alas a math puzzle shows up. Bravo if you can figure it out without consulting the mighty walkthrough online. The end of the game has a somewhat "rushed" feeling to it, as if the designers simply wanted to wrap things up and be done with it.

Graphics are fine but by no means superb. There are glitches near the end of the game which serve to make the climax a bit choppy. Additionally you need to read journals and books and the font size is quite small.

Sound is fine as well and the dialogue not completely terrible nor the voice acting that bad. Where it is bad, it is at least brief.

The game has a rating of M, and there is no real cause for it. There are some gory segments, but nothing so terrible as to rank a rating of M. Maybe I'm jus de-sensitized?

If you like Cthuhlu, and fear him as you should.... you'll enjoy the plotline of Sherlock Holmes the Awakened. If you like endless puzzles such as Myst, you'll find the game lacking. And if you just like a good mystery, well without Cthuhlu knowledge in your background, you might find yourself scratching your head from time to time.

I paid full price for the game, which I finished in less than a week. So, I overpaid. $25 I'd say would be a fair price, and thats only because I don't want to displease the Great Old Ones.