Customer Reviews

Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery Of The Mummy

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

While the game was enjoyable (not "can't put it down" or anything, but an enjoyable diversion) it was TOO SHORT! The game only has 4 levels! I completed the whole thing in just a few hours, and there aren't even any mini-games or other extras that you can play. Once the main game is over, that's it; you're done.

The gameplay itself was easy enough to follow and some of the puzzles did require some thought, which was nice. I liked that they gave you a notepad where you could jot down notes or draw pictures to help remember clues. And there is a tool that you can click on that basically gives you an entire walkthrough for that level, so if you get stuck at some point, you don't have to go online to find out how to solve the puzzle (I personally didn't need it, but I liked that they included it just in case). The spoken dialog of the cut scenes didn't always match the subtitles shown, which was kind of annoying but not a big deal in the long run.

Basically, if you can manage to find this for less than $[...], I'd say go for it; it is interesting while it lasts. But otherwise, don't waste your money; it's not worth it.

I was looking forward to getting this game - having become hooked on adventure like games after playing layton, I thought I would try this!
I would begin by agreeing with the previous reviewer about two things : 1 Holmes voice is very annoying, and will often blurt our random comments if you land your stylus on something - comments that often will not even really pertain to the game. As a result I kept the volume off which was fine as the text often lagged behind the narration anyway!
2 - the game is limited, once you are done, you are done unless you want to play it all over again! Many games have free play puzzles but this is simply a one time adventure!
At first I was less than impressed - it was not exactly intuitive and it was unclear exactly what the goal of the adventure was, but once I got into the game, I found it fun and somewhat addictive in trying to solve the puzzle. There are some really neat features upon solving some of the bigger puzzles which sets off a little annimation sequence which was a nice touch!
However some of the puzzles are very odd with very strange solutions that are very random and my bigger frustration was that on occasions the stylus did not work well with the game and though the solution was obvious it took multiple attempts to execute the needed action!
This is a fun game but limited - I suspect after a few weeks there will be a bunch of these up for resale once a gamer has solved the puzzle. It is entertaining though and the challenges can be quite tough at times which makes for a fun game!

I was disappointed in this game. I had it on pre-order for months and was excited to get it, hoping it would be in line with games like "Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars" or "Professor Layton". This did not match those games.

The stylus does not seem to work well in some of the rooms and the voice-over is obtrusive (and does not match the text on the screen, which was still ok). But the point of the mission is vague. I didn't feel a desire to finish the investigation, except to be done with it. And moving through the mansion just seemed laboring at times. There were some good puzzles and the video sequence after solving each was pretty good. But, with no extra puzzle play after you solve the game, it is pretty much a "one and done". Plus, there is really no interaction with other characters. I liked how in "Broken Sword" and "Layton" you could interact with other characters and choose your answers. This game needed more of that.

It seems overpriced for what you get. I agree with previous reviewers: buy it used. You'll find my copy up for sale soon!

This game is much improved over the PC origonal. Some puzzles have been removed giving the game a more adventure feel. While the gameplay was enjoyable, the game's cutscenes were very well done for a DS game and made the game. The gameplay itself is easy and the puzzles were fun and well integrated into the story. The game contains the entire walkthrough for the game inside - a great plus. Graphics were same as PC - which is very good. Overall, a solid adsventure game for the DS.

You roam around in a 3d mansion as Sherlock (without Watson). You look around by dragging on the touchscreen, and it'll take a minute to fine-tune your dragging so you're not whizzing around becoming motion sick. After that you start to explore the mansion and collect and use items. The puzzles are pretty much collect-the-right-object-to-use-at-the-right-location. There are a couple of logic puzzles but are fairly simple. What this game lacks is:

1. Character interaction. You are alone with no one to talk to. Later on you meet some people but you can't have a conversation with them. This limits gameplay to a first-person-shooter without the shooting.

2. Character bonding. You will find documents along the way that fill out the story but it's too rushed and it's hard to form any attachment with the characters in the story. I can't really call the story gripping or memorable. There are no character profiles.

3. A reasonable length game. If you start playing it in the morning you'll have finished it by evening. The ending is rather sudden and Holmes makes some deductions without really explaining how he arrived at them.

4. Replay value. After the ending you're back at the main menu. It should just tell you to turn the DS off. There are no bonus story elements or altered stories if you play again.

5. Accurate subtitles. The subtitles often substitute different words than the spoken dialogues which is annoying. Also if you miss any dialogue you can't go back and repeat it or read the transcription.

Hopefully a sequel game will be released which fixes these omissions so this first attempt at a game can be quickly forgotten.

I had such high hopes for this game, and pre-ordered it before it was available for purchase. After weeks of looking forward to receiving the game, I finally got it and popped it in the ds. After about 10 minutes, my disappointment began to set in. I wander aimlessly around the rooms, clicking here and there. I have only found 2 "puzzles" so far. Arranging the symbols on the door - can that really be considered a "puzzle"? Rearranging the library books - not a puzzle! I am great at brain-teaser, Prof. Layton-type puzzles, but this game offers nothing of the sort. Perhaps there is an aspect of the game I am missing, but at this point, I just want my $[...] back!

Sherlock Holmes for the DS with a Mummy Mystery theme? how great is this going to be!? (well, that's what I thought) ...and it's commanding a pretty high price tag so, it's gotta be good...right? (well, that's what I thought).

Oh...my expectations where so high. And, believe it or not, they still are! Sooner or later a sequel will be released that will make everybody happy!

I've read the reviews to date and I pretty much agree with everyone. Personally, I really wanted this one to work. The whole concept sounded great to me. Hadn't played anything decent since the last Zelda and Professor Layton so I was ripe and ready for this one....

It started out as a pretty decent mystery "I Spy" game where you would look for stuff, find it, tap on it and add it to your inventory to obviously use for your next 'solve'. The puzzles were ok for the most part (some were lame). I'm glad that the game features a built in 'hint' feature because some of the solves are a little obtuse and uninteresting. But for the most part, the actual plot line wasn't engrossing enough for me. Nor where the characters. What exactly was our goal? And, most importantly, where was Watson the whole time?! He's part of what Sherlock Holmes is all about. Maybe they should have made Dr. Watson the provider of the games' 'hints'.

I did appreciate many of the game concepts but, to me, it just lacked cohesiveness. Things just seemed to happen for the sake of happening so you could move on to the next puzzle.

Sorry, but this game wasn't all that 'Elementary'.

The concept sounds absolutely great. The execution, however, is lacking.

Things that were nice: the few puzzles in there were challenging and entertaining. The story line was pretty interesting (you know, your typical Sherlock Holmes mystery) and the graphics were done pretty well. They provide you with an ample amount of clues if you get stuck and if you need it, these clues can pretty much tell you exactly what to do.

Things I didn't like: the game is so short. I couldn't believe how quickly it was over. Further, the rooms you enter are not labeled so it is easy to get confused, especially since the clues refer to each room by name. A map or even a little tag on the upper screen would have been nice so you know where you are. It ended so abruptly and it would have been nice to make the game a lot more challenging. There were very few puzzles to solve.

[...]

It did not live up to the described puzzel and action play. I was very disappointed in this game and didn't find it enjoyable for any legth of time. I wish I had read the other reviews before I bought it. Don't waste your money.

I guess I was a bit more impressed with this game than the majority of reviewers. It took me a long time to finish and I had to refer to a walkthrough. The game does provide clues on one of the menu screens, but I rarely used it because I forgot it was there. It would have been helpful. The walkthrough I used was for the PC game and the DS version is very close in terms of the items you need to find but it does not have what seems to be very difficult timed puzzles that are in the PC game. Here's my breakdown of the game (no spoilers, I promise).

Mission: You are Sherlock Holmes. You are contacted by Elisabeth Montcalfe who is going to marry your distant cousin. As your future cousin, Elisabeth wishes you to investigate the disappearance of her father, the archeologist Lord Montcalfe. This investigation takes place in Lord Montcalfe's manor which is full of Egyptian artifacts making it look more like a museum. Elisabeth warns you that there are traps throughout the manor set by her father who was in an unstable mental state months before his disappearance. Your task is to explore the rooms of fascinating ancient relics and find items to help you gain access to secret passageways in order to find pieces of evidence (lots of notes and letters) to ascertain what happened to Lord Montcalfe. All I'll say is that the Montcalfe family has some major issues.

Graphics and Music: Graphically, this game is very impressive. There are many rooms to visit with excellent details. There are also several movie cut scenes that are very well-done. Sherlock is a bit stilted in his movements but, for a DS game, they are pretty realistic. The music is nice, too. It is repetitive but not irritating. It seems to complement the game play rather than overpower it. I found I did not need to turn the volume off as I sometimes do with games like this. Another plus, there are voices! You hear Sherlock talk! Some reviewers do not like this feature, but I think it is cool. He sounds like Don Adams of Get Smart. There is also text when he talks and, sometimes the wording of the text does not exactly match what Sherlock says, but this detail is insignificant when it comes to the gameplay.

Gameplay: There is a lot to explore with many rooms, secret passages, and plenty of stuff everywhere, so it does take some time. It must be easier than the PC game with its difficult timed puzzles. There are a few segments of this game where there is a time glass on the side, but you are given plenty of time (except one room where breathing is difficult) and the glass will probably not be close to emptying by the time you finish the task. I found the puzzles, for the most part, to be very challenging. I had to use the walkthrough to get through most of it although there were a few I was able to figure out or stumbled upon the answer. Some puzzles, like the rotating room, I think would drive me nuts without the walkthrough. When you get close to solving a puzzle or find something that requires an action, Sherlock will let you know by saying: "I need something else," or "I must have made a mistake, let's see from the beginning" (strange wording, but you get the idea).

Summary: The storyline is a bit convoluted and there are lots of letters and notes to read, but you will discover that the Montcalfe family is pretty messed up. I found the game intriguing enough that I wanted to keep playing even when I got stuck. The ending was a bit disappointing as once Sherlock reveals what he discovered, that was it. The game just ends after the lengthy final cut scene. I dropped a star for this reason and that some of the puzzles were a bit frustrating. There are no mini games and no reason to play the game again for different results, etc., so I dropped another star. Still, anyone interested in mysteries, Ancient Egyptian themes or Sherlock Holmes should definitely check this game out.