The Testament of Sherlock Holmes (v2023.07.12)

Victorian London becomes a tense, grimy labyrinth of secrets when Sherlock Holmes is drawn into a case that threatens not only his reputation, but his freedom. Set in 1898, The Testament of Sherlock Holmes casts the famous detective as a suspect in a trail of theft, fraud, blackmail, and murder, giving the familiar Holmes-and-Watson partnership an unusually personal edge. The tone is more ominous than cozy, with foggy streets, decaying estates, and hostile witnesses framing a mystery built around doubt. Rather than simply proving someone else guilty, Holmes must contend with evidence that increasingly appears to point back at him.

Investigations revolve around carefully examining locations, collecting physical evidence, talking to suspects, and connecting facts in Holmes’s deduction system. Players search for overlooked details at crime scenes, inspect objects in close-up, compare statements, and decide which conclusions best fit the evidence; a wrong assumption can send the investigation down an unhelpful path. The game moves between several distinct cases and districts of London, mixing traditional point-and-click adventure design with puzzle sequences, logic challenges, light stealth, and occasional action-oriented moments. Holmes and Watson both contribute to the investigation, while a third-person presentation lets players appreciate the period settings and character performances.

What makes the case memorable is its willingness to make Holmes himself unreliable in the public eye, turning every interrogation and discovery into another test of whether the detective can be trusted. Frogwares builds its London around recognizable Victorian institutions and social contrasts, from wealthy drawing rooms to rougher corners where a misplaced question can attract trouble. Some puzzles follow old-school adventure-game logic and can be deliberately demanding, so patience and close observation matter more than quick reflexes. Fans of L.A. Noire, Agatha Christie mysteries, or slower narrative adventures will find a substantial detective story here, while newcomers get a focused, accessible introduction to Holmes’s investigative world.