The Testament of Sherlock Holmes

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
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  1. Game Informer
    Sep 26, 2012
    75
    Frogwares doesn't pull any punches in its irreverent yet thoughtful portrayal of the detective, and is similarly unflinching in the intelligence and attention to detail it demands of players. The Testament joins that small, respected group of M-rated games that actually require maturity from players; recommending this case to adventure game fans is elementary.

Awards & Rankings

86
#86 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2012

User Reviews

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User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 39 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 39
  3. Negative: 2 out of 39
  1. BassManga
    Apr 18, 2013
    8
    As somebody who enjoys these Sherlock Holmes games on the PC, I found it to be a pleasant surprise when they decided to make this into aAs somebody who enjoys these Sherlock Holmes games on the PC, I found it to be a pleasant surprise when they decided to make this into a multi-platform game. It also didn't surprise me that this game received a very ordinary score from critics, because the series has a history of rather poor voice acting (with the exception of Holmes & Watson) and being quite poorly animated with quite low frame rates. These low frame rates also make some NPCs look really ridiculous on screen. However, the game's strengths are in the story and the puzzles. Along with The Awakened and Sherlock Holmes Vs Jack The Ripper, this game has a very dark story. One in which Sherlock Holmes might actually be behind something terrible, and Watson is torn between loyalty and justice. It's writing and narrative is of a great quality in this sense, and there is great building of tension in it as it progresses. The puzzles are exactly what you expect from previous titles in the series, as you need to search everywhere for clues and make deductions as to what has taken place. Some of these puzzles are more difficult than others, and the easy version of this game allows players to simply skip difficult puzzles and enjoy the story. The music in this game is great, capable of creating the right mood for the scenario. The gameplay, though chunky, is very workable. And the graphics, despite the poor animation, are about the same as early PS3 & 360 titles. The background design is beautifully done with all of the grit and grime of whitechapel and the mill, as well as the lovely victorian design of Baker Street and various other high-end locations that Holmes and Watson visit during their investigation. If you have kids who are fans of Sherlock Holmes as well as video games, wait until they are at least teenagers before letting them play this game, because it does contain some disturbing imagery. Overall, an 8. It is a fun game, but it isn't trying to please the biggest demographic. It has its own audience, and it had the advantages of taking risks were bigger titled games wouldn't go.… Full Review »
  2. TonberryKing
    Oct 12, 2012
    7
    This is a modern adventure game, a sort of hybrid between old school point-and-click pixel hunts and LA Noire crime scene investigation parts.This is a modern adventure game, a sort of hybrid between old school point-and-click pixel hunts and LA Noire crime scene investigation parts. The story is quite dark but not as humorless as some official reviews suggest. You control both Sherlock and Watson and the tone of the dialogue is more serious and deductive than that of other investigative games. This tone is the best thing in the game, the dialogue and situational analysis is inspired more by books and feels very Holmesian, there are no influences of Guy Ritchie's Holmes whatsoever. The quality of the voice overs are on the other hand inconsistent: some lines are louder than others, Watson's comments are out of place and plain idiotic at times. Holmes' voice actor does a great job on the other hand, portraying him as a calculating and self-aware detective. There is no clowning around and the humor is mostly derived from the situations where Holmes has already solved everything in his mind while Watson desperately tries to put the first pieces together, often failing at even that. Graphics in PS3 version are pretty awful if judged by AAA-standards. There is no lip synch at all which might put people off. The story manages to offer real surprises and twists that some of the bigger-budget games will never even risk to pull off. I won't spoil the details but the biggest appeal in the story are the constantly rising stakes. Especially the second act was far more entertaining than both Ritchie movies altogether. The controls in first-person (third person sucks) are ok and the puzzles are unique. Some are harder, some are easier and there is an option to skip puzzles. Some of the puzzles are very hard but sometimes the toughness doesn't come from the logic but from the lack of it. Luckily this doesn't ruin the game, most of the puzzles are actually great and you feel the satisfaction of accomplishment throughout the game. At times this game manages to make you feel like Holmes and for a small-budget game like this it is more than I expected. While this game is unpolished and uneven in terms of gameplay and graphics, the darker (not THAT dark) tone of 1890 London and great narrative are worth experiencing. It took me 14 hours to finish the game and it felt slightly too long. This is not a bad thing however. Buy this but don't expect this to be a triple-A title in terms of visuals and mechanics, expect this to be superb by the narrative standards however.… Full Review »
  3. wesker2012
    Oct 19, 2012
    5
    Ever since I found out about this title, it had sparked my interest with its game trailers. It looked like a good change of pace apart fromEver since I found out about this title, it had sparked my interest with its game trailers. It looked like a good change of pace apart from most games nowadays with their non stop combat and shooting. I was really looking forward to playing it as soon as it came out. Boy was I in for a surprise. The opening of the game made me think I was going to be in for a huge treat, (not the children scene wtf was that **** but immediately the game showed me that would not be the case and instead became increasingly frustrating as I continued playing. Literally sucking the life out of my soul 0.0 It's been awhile since a game pissed me off as much as The Testament of Sherlock Holmes. I'd only recommend this game to fans of Sherlock Holmes or adventures games otherwise this game will piss the hell out of you. Actually it will probably piss you off no matter who you are. I'm a fan of these kind of games and the game made me want to smash my controller into the floor. The games puzzles are very difficult and not in a fun way. They are counter intuitive and you will mostly end up likely just trying everything you can do instead of using any natural logic to solve the puzzles. The atmosphere, dialogue, and voices are very well done. These along with the narrative are the main attraction to the game. The controls and puzzles are very frustrating to play through. If it weren't for wanting to know the outcome of the story, I would have stopped playing. While I think they nailed the characters of Sherlock Holmes and a great narrative that feels part of his universe, the execution needs a lot of work. The overall design of the game is good, now if only they could improve it to make it fun to play through.
    P.S. For a very fun time, watch someone else play it on youtube with commentary. **** is hilarious! After getting stuck many times in the game, I was erupting in laughter watching others getting pissed off playing this game. Way too funny. If anything this game is a good practical joke to play on someone. Tell them it has the best story you've ever seen, just to watch them struggle through some of the most frustrating puzzles they've ever encountered ;)    … Full Review »
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