The plot is amazing but without game guide, even real Sherlock Holmes would have to give up this one.
Old fans of the series will feel familiar with interface of SHvAL. Game is set to the default third person view point, with some episodes switching to first person, and uses both mouse and keyboard. You can move, take items, interact with NPCs with left mouse, open inventory, documents, maps with right mouse. Besides, the game provides loading and option menus. Maps in SHvAL is convenient and useful, however, most areas are large and contain a great deal of information. Remarkably, the story is very clear and concise, therefore, subtitle proves very helpful for you to follow the happening. Because of the wide environment, you should take notes to save yourself from travelling wrong places.
One phrase to describe puzzles of this version: extremely hard. Even collecting items is challenging since they seems to be covered by an invisible layer. It's only the beginning. Puzzles of SHvAL will make you crazy unless you have the game guide or must be real Sherlock Holmes. As a tradition of the series, at the end of a scene will be a synthetic exam that requires clicking on the right number or type the answer directly using keyboard. It's used to test if you have really understood the details so the wrong answers mean game over and you have to reload. Although SHvAL provides clues through poems or pieces of music but the essential ones are usually put excluded to make it tougher. The number and types of puzzles are also various, including assembling items, pictures, decoding characters... and it should easier if you have much knowledge of England. Sometimes you feel so lost and have no idea what to do next, it feels like running behind Arsene Lupin all the time.
SHvAl inherits the success of graphics and sounds from "The Awakened". You will have familiar feeling from the violin piece, the bell toll, the continual sound of rain... More remarkable are classical music of high value which suits the scenery of old London. Voice play and narration are interesting thanks to the charming accent. If "The Awakened" was immersed into dark colors, this one brings a pleasant feeling with colourful, bright background in 3D. Players have an fascinating tour to many famous places. Imagine the National Gallery of Painting with thousands of famous pictures... Besides, Frogwares do not forget the famous foggy and rain effect that make an distinctive impression of London.
Although it's somehow frustrating, SHvAL still contains many things that will attract you. Why not spend another 20 hours with one of your idols, in one of his most absorbing adverture.