Join Holmes and Watson in solving a darkly malevolent mystery in this superior adventure game.
While unfamiliar with Lovecraft's novel "The Call of Cthulhu", reviewing a synopsis will reveal several key plot elements in the game and it does blend rather well into a Holmesian narrative. As such SHTA is a very dark tale dealing with arcane rituals, involving idolatry, human dismemberment and sacrifice and mass suicide and as such is not for the faint hearted.
The narrative of the game itself unfolds in typical Holmesian style and it, like Conan Doyle's novels, becomes a race against time to solve the various puzzles and mysteries. Even though as a video game there is no real sense of urgency, the further you are into the story the greater the motivation to see it through in a timely manner. Thus the game succeeds, through the story itself, the excellent voice acting and background score, in evoking a high degree of player immersion.
Briefly, the story opens with Holmes and Watson at 221B Baker Street, Watson brings the case of a missing person to Holmes attention, evidence suggests foul play, the trail leads to the London ports district and more missing persons. Clues lead to a grisly find in a secret tunnel and a deeper, more sinister mystery involving kidnapping. Evidence leads to the Edelweiss sanatorium in Switzerland, run by a Dr Gygax (a likely nod to Gary Gygax the designer of Dungeons & Dragons RPG system popular in the 1970s) a place with many sinister secrets, victims of kidnappings and further clues.
This is no Happy Haven Retreat set amidst the Alps! The dark lower levels of Edelweiss Institute reveal the nature of a sinister, blood thirsty, cult. The disciples it seems are trying to invoke the return of the "Light of Abyss" (the un-named Cthulhu) by chanting strange texts and human sacrifice.
From Switzerland, including a brief encounter with Moriarty, its of to New Orleans in search of Arneson (presumably a nod at Dungeons & Dragons co-designer, Dave Arneson) , a jewel smuggler. Arneson is missing and the local sheriff is none to friendly. A journey through the swamps to the cult's camp reveals a severely wounded Arneson and further clues point to a Lord Rochester and Scotland. The climax of the story takes place at the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, the most westerly point of Scotland, as the disciples prepare to sacrifice themselves to the Light of Abyss. The story is wrapped up satisfactorily in the style of Conan Doyle, with Holmes recounting the logical deductions leading to the solving of the mystery.
Gameplay-wise SHTA is similar to Syberia and Dracula: Origin, however SHTA is indeed a true 3D game and in the Remastered Edition, which I have, you can deftly switch from third to first person views to suit the situation. Indeed the 3D environment is so well presented that I spent most of my time in the first person view which ended up being the superior way to find clues and move around quickly. Items, like keys or tools, picked up are used to open doors or make or activate a variety of apparatus.
Like the other adventure games I have played so far, the story development is rather linear and this can be frustrating if you have deduced the next step but have not clicked on all the clues. For example, while exploring the house in New Orleans I was ready to proceed to the next location but could not until I had clicked on one of many bloody footprints in the Arneson house. Again this is an aspect of adventure games I will just have to get used to ... just because the player has seen the clues does not mean the player's character has ... at least not until it is clicked.
Clues are revealed by Holmes examining physical evidence, like footprints or chemical residues, documents and in conversation. These unlocked clues remain accessible throughout the game and can be referred to as required and are often needed to resolve certain on-screen puzzles or determine the next destination.
It feels like there is a greater degree of mystery solving than in other adventure games. The player, on behalf of Holmes or Watson, must deduce from the clues where Holmes and Watson are to proceed or where clues can be found and the player must type in the answer. So the degree of interactivity and the need to sift through the clues is perhaps greater than in the other adventure games I have played thus far.
Being a reader of the Sherlock Holmes stories since my teens, and other historically themed detective mysteries since, this level of involvement in solving puzzles is quite refreshing. Fear not, if you fail to put all the clues together or the solution to an on-puzzle eludes you, there is an in-game hints feature, in the nature of a walkthrough, that will lead you to the answer.
Travel time is cut down through the use of a point aqnd click map that allows you to move directly between unlocked locations. This was a pleasant change from all the backwards and forwards walking in Syberia. It is not possible to move to another map location without having found all the clues at the present one and this is a quick way to identify if you need to do more at the present location.
No adventure game would be complete without a number of on-screen puzzles to solve, whether picture puzzles, codes requiring deciphering or a machine needing to be activated. Fans of these will not be disappointed and the puzzles fit in nicely with the context of the unfolding story. Nor, as in some games, do the on-screen puzzles require you to be a Mensa graduate to solve them. Unlike other adventure games, due to its first person capability, SHTA also features an amusing on-foot chase sequence through the port district of New Orleans. Perhaps not for the purists, as indeed is the nod to Inspector Clouseau in a newpaper cartoon or the encounter with a young Hercule Poirot. Obviously the design team was very much in the detective genre and had a sly sense of humour,
Graphically the game is exceptional, both the well animated character (skins) and the 3D environment. While not as artistically beautiful as, say the 2D world of Syberia, the ability to roam around in a fully realised and quite detailed 3D environment was a treat. All that was really missing were additional non-interactive characters to stroll around and fill the at times very empty streets. Excellent sound (both score and ambient sounds) and voice acting further enhance the immersive feel of this game.
As with all adventure games replayability is low but it's certainly a game I would revisit in a year or two.
OVERALL: A worthwhile and indeed superior Holmesian adventure where the puzzles and clues fit the story perfectly. The ability to switch between first and third person, well (voice) acted characters, beautiful 3D environments, atmospheric score and a gruesome tale make Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened a memorable experience.