Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter (PlayStation 4) Review

In Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter, players take on the role of the eponymous detective. Essentially, the goal of the game is to solve a handful of cases. This means exploring the streets of London, visiting crime scenes, gathering clues, interrogating suspects, and forming conclusions based off of evidence. There are many other aspects to consider in each case, and the game does a fine job of portraying them all. No questions are left unanswered, there aren't any holes in the plot line, and each mystery has a different approach. There's also a fair amount of puzzle solving interspersed throughout, which keeps the player involved.

Investigating crimes tends to be a complex process. Thankfully, the game does a good job of easing aspiring mystery solvers into Holmes' shoes. Moving around is a little clunky, but the user interface clearly tracks all important information, while helpfully pointing out anything suspicious. It also keeps tabs on all progress, so the player knows when they've fully investigated a particular area. Notes on everything from suspect profiles to dialogue are accounted for as well. It's perhaps a bit too much.

While early adventure titles have a habit of being too vague, this one is at times, too obvious. Not unlike a certain caped crusader, Holmes has detective vision, which allows him to see details anybody else would easily miss. This game actually goes a step further by telling the player when they should use this unique ability. Also, the game will sometimes mention exactly how many suspicious objects to look for, which is peculiar. For example, in a chaotic buggy accident that has left several dead and wounded; a counter appears. There are thirteen details of this horrific event to discover. Did Holmes come to that conclusion? Though the assistance is appreciated, it'd be preferable if the game took a step back and let the player handle a few things on their own. If they're truly stuck, then they should be allowed a hint.

On the bright side, the process of deduction is really clever. The player is given an opportunity to build a case against a suspect. This involves using deductions to form a web of sorts. When enough connections are made, then it's possible to reach a conclusion and solve the case. Keep in mind, however, that there are multiple suspects. Holmes is basically working off of a load of assumptions and he could very well draw the wrong conclusion, putting an innocent man behind bars. There will be times where a coincidence is just that, a coincidence. This aspect of the game is convincingly done, and will sometimes leave players questioning their decisions long after the case has concluded. The results of each case tie into the main story somewhat. It's not quite as well done, but an admirable effort all the same.

While on the subject, this reviewer would like to make a conclusion. Sherlock Holmes, or at least the one portrayed in this game, has an image problem. The box art depicts Holmes and Watson walking through London, which almost looks like its burning. Or, maybe the sky is about to crack open, and demons are going to pour out. Somebody probably wanted the main characters to be walking away from an explosion, but that might be overdoing it a tad. It should also be noted that Watson is holding a gun like he's James Bond, even though he only fires it a few times in the actual game. Holmes' cane goes completely unused. One would half expect a fight scene where the detective displays his kendo prowess.

This disconnect is further highlighted by what happens in the game. There is a short brawl in a tavern, but Holmes survives it by way of wit and some light shoving. Whenever a confrontation occurs, it rarely leads to violence. The box art swagger suggests otherwise, but when his life hangs in the balance, the detective will choose to avoid a fight. On a related note, there is a stealth mission in the game, which is not only annoying, but also a symptom of a much larger problem.

Simply put, there are far too many mini-games. Apparently, solving murder mysteries isn't enough, there has to be arbitrary sections where Holmes walks across very narrow ledges. If investigating grisly crimes isn't all that compelling, would some QTE segments suffice? While awkwardly tailing a suspicious person, it might be necessary to sweep out a chimney. There's also lawn bowling…lawn bowling! On the easier difficulty setting, these mini-games can be skipped, but their existence is completely inexplicable. The effort spent crafting these nonsensical activities would be better spent on content that further exhibits Sherlock's brilliance.

Then there are the portions of the game that are just flat-out absurd, and lend further evidence to Sherlock's image problem. At one point, the great detective explores a Mayan temple. Well, not exactly, he uses his amazing powers of deduction to explore one with his mind. Inside this temple is valuable treasure, but there are many traps like rolling boulders, floor panels that release toxic gas, and…yeah. Role-playing as Indiana Jones doesn't get Holmes any closer to solving the murder, but maybe it's supposed to make him more interesting? In any case, it's a complete waste of time for the player.

At this point it's just picking at nits, but Sherlock's default outfit simply doesn't work. Red scarf, white shirt, blue vest, grey pants, and brown coat? Does his closet have a "randomise" button? Maybe he also gets dressed while rolling down a flight of stairs; it would explain how unkempt he looks at least. It's like the great detective was re-imagined as a hipster. When he isn't solving murders, he's down at the pub sipping a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Actually, now that's just being unfair. At one point, he breaks into somebody's home and rummages through their desk drawers. After discovering that his neighbour is spying on him, Sherlock makes a statement exclaiming as much, but without even a knowing wink or a nod. What kind of hipster doesn't recognise irony?

Much like the detective's attire, the relationship between Holmes and Watson is handled in very poor fashion. These two are supposed to be the bread of butter of these detective stories. Instead, Watson is either little more than an assistant, an NPC who reminds the player of what they should do next, or simply not around at all. There are quite a few fun moments in the game, though only a couple of them involve the duo, which is pretty disappointing.

Nit-picks and all, this all ties into the largest problem with Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter: It doesn't understand its audience. Searching for clues, gathering evidence, and drawing conclusions are all integral aspects of mystery solving. Unfortunately, the game repeatedly kneecaps itself by forcing numerous action segments that aren't really all that thrilling. They're clunky, silly, and almost entirely out of place. Variety just for the sake of it doesn't make for better game design; it just comes off as obnoxious and unfocused.