The Testament of Sherlock Holmes Message Board

The latest Humble Weekly Sale serves up a pay-what-you-want collection of games from publisher Focus Home Interactive, headlined by the medieval fantasy RPG Game of Thrones and metropolis construction game Cities XL Platinum.

Other bundled games include the orcish football sim Blood Bowl: Legendary Edition, real-time strategy game Confrontation, and the action-RPGs Divinity II: Developer's Cut and R.A.W. Realms of Ancient War. Generous buyers who beat the bundle's average purchase price (currently $6) will also get the World War II-themed RTS Wargame: European Escalation and point-and-click adventure game The Testament of Sherlock Holmes.

The Focus Home Interactive bundle will remain available through October 17.

See what critics thought of the famous detectives newest outing.

Using their masterful skills of deduction, Ryan and Dr. Jeff conclude that yes, those are indeed hats.

#impressions One clear, overriding fact became immediately apparent, as I started up The Testament of Sherlock Holmes: Sherlock is a grade-A unrepentant jerk. More »

The Sherlock Holmes franchise has seen a modern reclamation of pop culture fame, in the blockbuster movies starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law; the British television series gaining Dr. Who levels of popularity overseas, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman; and the latest re-imagining by CBS, with a female Watson played by Lucy Liu, and Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes.

Any Sherlock Holmes rendering now has, we can assume, at least one point of reference for any audience member - and if asked to equate one person with the series, most would likely say, "That guy who plays Iron Man" before "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle." Frogwares' The Testament of Sherlock Holmes now has to live up to this robust world of preconceptions, tell an old story in a unique way, and throw in engaging gameplay, beautiful graphics, smooth dialogue and spot-on voice acting.

If that sounds like too much to ask for, it is.

I love all things Sherlock, from Arthur Conan Doyle’s literary adaptations of Jeremy Brett’s fascinating life and times to Humpledink Bundlesnatch’s modern man interpretation of the great detective. Actually, I’m not keen on the Guy Ritchie version , so to be correct, let’s say I love most things Sherlock. Frogwares’ adventures have been a mixed bag, mostly coffee creams, but I’ve found some of the later ones entertaining enough, if seriously flawed. How does The Testament of Sherlock Holmes play out though? Here’s wot I deduced.

(more…)

Hey, PS.Blog! This is Wael from Frogwares, and I get to tell you about our latest game, The Testament of Sherlock Holmes.

We’ve been developing Sherlock Holmes games for over a decade, and the recent reinventions of Sherlock Holmes in the new movies and BBC series have put a new spin on the character and the world he lives in. With The Testament of Sherlock Holmes we wanted to take it even further and present a dark side of the character that people haven’t seen before. We wanted to do something new, exploring the consequences of being the kind of person Holmes is, and take the player along for the twisted ride.

Solving mysteries is what the game is all about. As the player gathers clues and information, they unlock new avenues to explore in the game. What starts as a murder investigation for Holmes, becomes an investigation into Holmes himself, and a suggestion that, perhaps… Sherlock isn’t the hero we think we know. Players will witness some dark stuff not normally associated with the character.

This is our second console version of Holmes. For Testament, we wanted to reach a wider audience on PS3. We spent over three years developing the game and overhauling the graphics engine to take advantage of the PS3 hardware. Players will travel across Victorian London, from the pristine landmarks to the dark and gritty underbelly of the city, and be immersed in the mystery they are trying to solve. We went all-out to create the most believable and detailed version of London at that period that has ever been shown in a video game. Really, we’re hoping that the players lose themselves in the setting.

In this game, we want players to become the detective. It’s up to them to deduce the meaning of the clues they discover, and we don’t spell everything out plainly or hold your hand. You’ll face everything from chemical analysis and interrogations to brain-twisting puzzles before it’s case-closed for this chapter. Each piece of the mystery is there for the player to discover as this dark chapter in Sherlock’s career unravels.

On September 25th, you’ll learn the truth about the world’s most famous detective. We hope you enjoy the ride!

The Testament of Sherlock Holmes is now available in most countries on Steam! Check the game page for release times in your region.

Become the greatest detective of all time in The Testament of Sherlock Holmes, a twisting, turning investigation game set in a faithfully-reproduced London of 1898. You will find all the elements of a grand investigation: examine crime scenes, find the clues, follow the trails, interrogate suspects and unveil the mystery behind a great adventure, led by a breath-taking story full of twists!

Aram from Atlus USA walks us through the dark and devious world of Sherlock Holmes.

To add to the recent September 25 release date announcement for The Testament of Sherlock Holmes, Atlus noted a price reduction for the upcoming detective game. The game will now hit retail shelves for $39.99 in order to "better compete amid a crowded holiday slate," according to Atlus' news release.

Atlus also sent along box art for the game, which you will find after the break.

"But that's amazing Holmes, how on Earth did you know?" The look on Watson's face was a blend of astonishment and admiration; a look he wore with frequently after meeting Sherlock.

"Elementary, my dear Watson." Sherlock opened his violin case and tucked the instrument under his chin as he spoke. "A press release from Frogwares and Focus Home Interactive arrived via courier - The Testament of Sherlock Holmes' September 25 release date was contained within."

"And these new screenshots," said Watson, "they were delivered this morning?"

"Last night." Holmes began to play a haunting, precise melody.

"So, you didn't so much solve the 'Case of the Unknown Launch...'" Watson said, "insomuch as you waited around for it to be solved for you."

Holmes played louder.

A grisly murder scene sets the stage for one of Sherlock's greatest mysteries.

Tumble into the dark side of Sherlock Holmes and foil an incredible mystery in The Testament of Sherlock Holmes.