Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 254 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 157 out of 254
  2. Mixed: 57 out of 254
  3. Negative: 40 out of 254
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  1. Youngybhoy1988
    Oct 3, 2014
    7
    This game is good for players looking for something a little different, kind of like LA noire but without any driving or shooting so very slow paced, not everyones cup of tea but as a holmes fan i really enjoyed it, only 6 cases but they last a while and can end several different ways without the game telling you that you're wrong and have to start again, there are a good few negativesThis game is good for players looking for something a little different, kind of like LA noire but without any driving or shooting so very slow paced, not everyones cup of tea but as a holmes fan i really enjoyed it, only 6 cases but they last a while and can end several different ways without the game telling you that you're wrong and have to start again, there are a good few negatives though, most already mentioned such as long loading times while constantly travelling back and forth from locations,annoying mini games and sometimes the game removes the need for thinking by making puzzles a little easy, overall worth buying… Expand
  2. JediFun
    Oct 6, 2014
    8
    As a detective game, much better than say, L.A. Noire. Seems easier, but that perhaps owes to great mechanics which actually let you discover what you actually want to know. However, there are only 6 cases and while thoroughly enjoyable, just lack any peak in difficulty, making it a fairly quick playthrough. Perhaps too much focus was put on the immense graphics

    Another thing missing is    As a detective game, much better than say, L.A. Noire. Seems easier, but that perhaps owes to great mechanics which actually let you discover what you actually want to know. However, there are only 6 cases and while thoroughly enjoyable, just lack any peak in difficulty, making it a fairly quick playthrough. Perhaps too much focus was put on the immense graphics

    Another thing missing is a proper overarching storyline. I thought I might have been nearing it once the game was over, so once the credits rolled I was rather disappointed. As many point out, there is a long travel between some areas, however this is made up by the fact you are able to go over your case notes and deductions while taking the trips, so I made it a habit to save such work for those trips.    … Expand
  3. slasherjpc
    Oct 1, 2014
    8
    Sherlock Holmes is a fantastic new addition to the series and is also the most accessible one. It offers 6 cases that all stand out on their own. With an easy to use interface, interesting (yet skippable) mini games, great characters and the best graphics of the bunch yet. I see little reason not to reccommend this game to fans of adventure/point and click style games. The only minorSherlock Holmes is a fantastic new addition to the series and is also the most accessible one. It offers 6 cases that all stand out on their own. With an easy to use interface, interesting (yet skippable) mini games, great characters and the best graphics of the bunch yet. I see little reason not to reccommend this game to fans of adventure/point and click style games. The only minor issues are loading and some pop in textures, but this is nit picking at it's finest. If you want a game that makes you think, make you feel like Sherlock Holmes and lets you decide the outcome of the cases.... Def check this out.… Expand
  4. BaronMonaco
    Dec 11, 2015
    7
    Crimes and Punishments may be the best Sherlock games yet, however its still not a great game in my opinion.

    First of all technically it's one of the worst game I played on PS4, they clearly paid the price of the old-gen versions you can find better graphics on the most beautiful games of PS3/360, there's way too much loading time (even more considering how the game looks) and the    Crimes and Punishments may be the best Sherlock games yet, however its still not a great game in my opinion.

    First of all technically it's one of the worst game I played on PS4, they clearly paid the price of the old-gen versions you can find better graphics on the most beautiful games of PS3/360, there's way too much loading time (even more considering how the game looks) and the controls are clunky for a controller (you can clearly see it was made for PC with a mouse in mind). That being said there's no major bugs harming the experience and that's better than others game.

    Also for a detective game I found the solutions of the cases very, very, very easy, I've seen a lot of cop shows and given that the game uses the same mechanics you can easily identify the guilty in the first moments of the case, but at least the different steps you'll have to make in the game to acquire the needed evidence are very well done and the cases itself are pretty interesting (except maybe case number 4) .

    The game could use better actors, given the importance of dialogues in a detective game, but all in all they're okay ann won't ruined the experience. The universe of Sherlock Holmes is respected to the perfection and the game will last about 12 hours which is good, with some replay value if by misfortune you didn't caught the right guy.

    All in all Sherlock Holmes : Crimes and Punishments is a good detective game at its heart, but not the best due to its easiness, and not much more, therefore I advised it only to the one looking to put some bad guys in jail.    … Expand
  5. kyriores
    Oct 12, 2014
    9
    A very well made adventure/detective game. Games like this are quite rare nowadays, since most publishers tend to go for cheap "cartoony" graphics instead. Luckily, this game is not all about the graphics either. Every single one of the 5 cases that I've played so far has been interesting and unique. The voice acting is great too. If I were to name one of the game's weak points then itA very well made adventure/detective game. Games like this are quite rare nowadays, since most publishers tend to go for cheap "cartoony" graphics instead. Luckily, this game is not all about the graphics either. Every single one of the 5 cases that I've played so far has been interesting and unique. The voice acting is great too. If I were to name one of the game's weak points then it would probably be the difficulty of the puzzles, as they are not too hard for the seasoned adventurer, but definitely not "casual easy" either.… Expand
  6. zelenii
    Nov 6, 2016
    9
    Amazing detective adventure about Sherlock Holmes. Without point-and-click crap, searching illogical items, doing illogical things. This game is logical, interesting and friendly for casual players.
  7. Mr_Robot
    Aug 16, 2020
    0
    вот у тебя 2 подозреваемых, ты думаешь тот или другой, потом резко появляется обрыган качок, где дальше уже всё понятна, и ты по фасту его приговариваешь

    Неинтересно, скушна и легко.
  8. DLechoix
    Sep 30, 2014
    9
    Rainy day video game playing at its best right here. The mystery, the atmosphere. It's like I've been transported to London in the deep fog, chasing a killer with the eyes of the legendary Sherlock Holmes! I'm no Robert Downey but this game made me feel like I was playing the detective in a finely crafted film. I love it. Perhaps what intrigued me most about the game was the option toRainy day video game playing at its best right here. The mystery, the atmosphere. It's like I've been transported to London in the deep fog, chasing a killer with the eyes of the legendary Sherlock Holmes! I'm no Robert Downey but this game made me feel like I was playing the detective in a finely crafted film. I love it. Perhaps what intrigued me most about the game was the option to fail. Now, I know that sounds pretty self-depricating, but I absolutely hate games that walk me through like a child, holding my hand when the going gets tough. It's pretty thrilling to know you could actually imprison the wrong person, and this keeps you on your toes. I would say more but I'm only through the first case! Must get back!… Expand
  9. kartul777
    Oct 3, 2014
    10
    I have never played a better detective game than this one and I've enjoyed quite a few of them in the past. The open-ended solutions to cases is a wonderful idea, the setting is spot on, Sherlock is very likeable (prefer him to the Cumberbatch version), Toby has the best nose in the entire Empire and the music is great. The game looks quite good, to be honest - the high texture detailsI have never played a better detective game than this one and I've enjoyed quite a few of them in the past. The open-ended solutions to cases is a wonderful idea, the setting is spot on, Sherlock is very likeable (prefer him to the Cumberbatch version), Toby has the best nose in the entire Empire and the music is great. The game looks quite good, to be honest - the high texture details help appreciate the Victorian era even more. I have read a few reviews complaining about the voice acting - I very much disagree - the voice acting is at least adequate, if not good. This is one of the best games of 2014 for me and I'm already waiting for the next installment.… Expand
  10. jabbapaul
    Oct 1, 2014
    9
    Sine I loved L.A. Noire I bought this game as soon as it appeared on the PSN, before any reviews were even published. So far I'm about an hour into the first case and I am enjoying it a lot. The interface shows a lot of polish (which is - I guess - due to this being the last iteration in a series of games where the developers gathered experience), quality graphics make for a great,Sine I loved L.A. Noire I bought this game as soon as it appeared on the PSN, before any reviews were even published. So far I'm about an hour into the first case and I am enjoying it a lot. The interface shows a lot of polish (which is - I guess - due to this being the last iteration in a series of games where the developers gathered experience), quality graphics make for a great, immersive atmosphere ripe with references to the literary Holmes. The only issue I have is that this game may be a bit too easy to play, not offering any real challenge. I say that because so far all my moves were pretty much obvious. But that might change, once I solve the first (few) case(s) I trust things will get harder and thus more rewarding. I would reccommend this game to anyone who likes the premise. If you are only into FPS and such this one's probably not for you.… Expand
  11. thekevinbutler
    Oct 1, 2014
    10
    I am VERY happy that they fixed the lip-syncing in this one. I have enjoyed all Sherlocks that Focus and Frogwares have put out but for the previous games, that error took me out of the experience. There isn't a game out there like C&P that take advantage of better graphics hardware.So if you haven't yet experienced good hidden object/investigative gameplay, Crimes and Punishments is theI am VERY happy that they fixed the lip-syncing in this one. I have enjoyed all Sherlocks that Focus and Frogwares have put out but for the previous games, that error took me out of the experience. There isn't a game out there like C&P that take advantage of better graphics hardware.So if you haven't yet experienced good hidden object/investigative gameplay, Crimes and Punishments is the best start.… Expand
  12. ilikebl
    Oct 5, 2014
    9
    The graphic is good. It is a huge improvement on the graphics from other previous Sherlock game made by Focus Home Interactive. The puzzle is logical. The character setting are based on Robert Downey Jr.'s version of Sherlock Holmes which I enjoyed very much. The weak part was Watson. It seems that Watson was neglected in this game.
  13. PowerPagan
    Oct 7, 2014
    8
    Sherlock is at his best when eating powdered drugs and doing self-experiments which involved naturally occurring psychedelic's.

    This game is awesome, though you must like a slow vibe and some good ol' english Voice Acting. Forget the control's and the visual tears, this game is all about Holme's and is a ton of fun. Those who take this for more then it is, are expecting too much.    Sherlock is at his best when eating powdered drugs and doing self-experiments which involved naturally occurring psychedelic's.

    This game is awesome, though you must like a slow vibe and some good ol' english Voice Acting.

    Forget the control's and the visual tears, this game is all about Holme's and is a ton of fun.

    Those who take this for more then it is, are expecting too much. Enjoy Watson's Telescope view for insight into the witty character that this game represents.

    Good Sherlock Fun.

    A NO BS REVIEW from POWER PAGAN    … Expand
  14. NikolayG
    Oct 11, 2014
    7
    I'll update this review as I progress. I'm only on the first case (of six) and I was moved to write because of a flaw in the first case. First I'll say Sherlock Holmes' apartment looks fantastic. The acting is fine. The mechanics all work just fine. Doesn't feel like a traditional point-and-click style adventure, though. It's too easy, at least so far. My biggest gripe so far - this is aI'll update this review as I progress. I'm only on the first case (of six) and I was moved to write because of a flaw in the first case. First I'll say Sherlock Holmes' apartment looks fantastic. The acting is fine. The mechanics all work just fine. Doesn't feel like a traditional point-and-click style adventure, though. It's too easy, at least so far. My biggest gripe so far - this is a mild spoiler but it doesn't give away a solution - a man has been murdered in a small shack by being pinned to the wall with a harpoon. To test whether a man of ordinary strength could have committed this crime, Holmes gets the carcass of a large pig, hangs it against a wall, and hurls a harpoon at it from about 20 feet away. OK here's the problem. The shack the man was killed in? It's so small you can't get 20 feet away to hurl a harpoon. What makes Holmes so sure the guy wasn't run through with it like a bayonet, a method enabling an ordinary man to put much more strength into it since he'd lever let go of the harpoon? That's the more logical conclusion to draw from the crime scene. But Holmes is now certain a man of only ordinary strength could not have done this. This should take Holmes down the wrong path, but since the game designers overlooked this error too, it will no doubt be the correct path. Irksome.… Expand
  15. Broyax
    Jan 15, 2017
    1
    Jeu d'aventure casse-couilles mais d'une belle réalisation : le moteur Unreal est fort bien utilisé et reste agréable à l'oeil. Les zones petites et très délimitées permettent un niveau de détail très élevé. On peut regretter l'absence de voix françaises... cependant les doubleurs employés arborent un délicieux accent anglais ainsi qu'une diction soignée, ce qui permet une compréhensionJeu d'aventure casse-couilles mais d'une belle réalisation : le moteur Unreal est fort bien utilisé et reste agréable à l'oeil. Les zones petites et très délimitées permettent un niveau de détail très élevé. On peut regretter l'absence de voix françaises... cependant les doubleurs employés arborent un délicieux accent anglais ainsi qu'une diction soignée, ce qui permet une compréhension aisée de ce que racontent nos amis à Rosbifland.

    Si l'interface est assez bien étudiée, on se retrouve rapidement bloqué une fois les indices récoltés : s'agit-il d'un bug ou d'un grave problème de construction ? dois-je éplucher chaque putain de pixel de ce putain de jardin ? avec la vision trucmuche ou la vision machinchose ? ça commence à me faire chier et à me filer la migraine. Je n'ai pas de temps à perdre avec un jeu de pistes mal foutu ou des scripts programmés par des incapables. En l'état, ce jeu ne sert à rien.    … Expand
  16. edf
    May 15, 2017
    0
    1) Every case combines hard evidence and ambiguity to let you think your final deduction is right. Everybody is motivated and able. No one person's side is ever overwhelmingly guilty or suspicious. Every conclusion is equally possible, but only one is chosen by the developer. This all sucks. Complete a puzzle; the game tells you it's "perfect"; combine your experience walking around the1) Every case combines hard evidence and ambiguity to let you think your final deduction is right. Everybody is motivated and able. No one person's side is ever overwhelmingly guilty or suspicious. Every conclusion is equally possible, but only one is chosen by the developer. This all sucks. Complete a puzzle; the game tells you it's "perfect"; combine your experience walking around the map with the "perfect" puzzle outcome, and it's clear as can be that there's no possible way it could NOT be the way the game is telling and showing you it should be; settle on that seemingly conclusive deduction... nope, you're wrong; it was someone else. 2) The puzzles can be interesting, but most end up being frustrating and feel like a waste of time. 3) Hardly ever get a chance to use your special abilities unprompted; the one time you do, the game sarcastically treats it like a big deal. Recommendation: at the end of each case, don't check to see if you're correct or not; just let the game let you think you got it right; better to fool yourself than to open yourself up for the developer to say, "Nah, we thought THIS explanation was more plausible, even though all conclusions are viable."… Expand
  17. TatsMcGee
    Sep 8, 2018
    4
    What Kind of Adventure?

    Point and click, Graphic Adventure. Was it fun? It was okay, one of my favorite TV genres is Investigative Crime but I just don’t think it works overly that well in video games. Are there any similar games? The Agatha Cristie: ABC Murders come to mind, also Murdered Soul Suspect. Favorite Character? I like Sherlock Holmes as a fictional    What Kind of Adventure?

    Point and click, Graphic Adventure.

    Was it fun?

    It was okay, one of my favorite TV genres is Investigative Crime but I just don’t think it works overly that well in video games.

    Are there any similar games?

    The Agatha Cristie: ABC Murders come to mind, also Murdered Soul Suspect.

    Favorite Character?

    I like Sherlock Holmes as a fictional character and he was okay in this game.

    Any Complaints?

    Load screens made playing this game very tough. Basically in a case you would have 3 or 4 different locations to go to. To give you an example. You’re at the crime scene and you need to go home,load screen. While at home, you find 1 piece of evidence then have to go the police station, long load screen. Then you need to go back to the Crime Scene, load screen. I feel like I spent more time in a load screen than I did actually playing the game.

    How many hours did you play it?

    Probably about 3-4 hours and I got sick of load screens. I finished the first case and stopped in the middle of the second case.    … Expand
  18. CenkAlp
    Mar 1, 2018
    6
    Hikaye = 7
    Oynanış = 6
    Grafikler = 6
    Sesler = 6
    Keyif = 7
    Atmosfer = 7
    Süre = 6
  19. keltari
    Apr 23, 2020
    2
    I am looking at the other reviews for this game and my mind is utterly blown. I genuinely do not understand why people enjoyed this game. I got Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments free from the Epic Games Store. I was bored during the stay-in order, so I thought I would give it a shot. I played the first story and was so utterly underwhelmed that I uninstalled it.

    Sherlock Holmes:    I am looking at the other reviews for this game and my mind is utterly blown. I genuinely do not understand why people enjoyed this game. I got Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments free from the Epic Games Store. I was bored during the stay-in order, so I thought I would give it a shot. I played the first story and was so utterly underwhelmed that I uninstalled it.

    Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments is more of animated story, than a game. You run around looking for clues. This consists of just looking around and clicking on highlighted objects. Then you just talk to people, selecting dialog options. If you pick the wrong one, it tells you to try again till you get it right. Whats the fun in that? There are a few uninteresting minigames, which the game does allow you to skip. There are also some puzzles, which are also skippable, but are so ridiculously easy that there is no need. There is also some backtracking, which is always annoying.

    Then there is the conclusion. Or rather, there isnt. The problem is even if you have all the clues, you have to make a choice as to who is guilty. Even if you find all the clues (which is easy). none of the clues rule out any of the suspects. If you cant rule out any suspects, how can you guess the right one? You cant.    … Expand
  20. system11
    Oct 8, 2014
    8
    Another good slice of storytelling and investigation - only real downsides are a strangely sluggish third person mode (1st person is much better), and they could do with optimising the graphics and load times a bit.
  21. Jellybean15
    Jul 7, 2015
    8
    It's light on action and heavy on mystery so it may not exactly be a game that appeals to the mass gaming community, but for those who love mystery games or the Sherlock Holmes games in general, this should be a fantastic edition to the franchise that the cult following will love. As a first timer into the Sherlock Holmes franchise, I can't comment on how this game specifically stacks upIt's light on action and heavy on mystery so it may not exactly be a game that appeals to the mass gaming community, but for those who love mystery games or the Sherlock Holmes games in general, this should be a fantastic edition to the franchise that the cult following will love. As a first timer into the Sherlock Holmes franchise, I can't comment on how this game specifically stacks up against the rest of the games, but I can confirm that Crimes and Punishment is a solid experience in itself.

    In a style largely similar to the mystery game L.A. Noire, Holmes is called to investigate a crime or mystery that has occurred and it's up to him to discover who committed the crime and how they did it. Sherlock Holmes is then able to examine the crime scene as well as many other areas to gather clues and collect evidence, often using a concentration mode to find hidden clues in the environment and use those hints to reconstruct scenarios of what happened, a mechanic similar to the flashbacks in CSI. Along with this you're also given the ability to examine a suspect during questioning. Anything that stands out - like grass stains on someone's hands for example - allows Holmes to deduce more facts and information about the person currently in question. All evidence collected through the crime scene and interrogations can be used against a suspect if they attempt to lie or mislead you. You'll also have access to Holmes' base of operations, which gives you access to his archives of newspapers and documents as well as his experiment tables. The experiments you conduct are all well thought out and fun for the most part, and of course add more evidence to the pile.

    All the evidence is compiled into a mechanic called "Brain Pathways" where in Holmes' brain, evidence create synapses with their own individual conclusion. Eventually more synapses will appear with more evidence and if the evidence all lines up correctly, a breakthrough will be realized in which Sherlock Holmes determines what happened in the crime and who's responsible. The challenge in this mechanic appears whenever a synapse leads to two conclusions that are equally possible and it's up to you to decide which is the correct one. An example is the first murder weapon in the game which could only be used correctly by someone specially trained and physically able to do so. It's up to you to decide if the person using it knew how to - which leans toward one suspect - or if they simply got lucky and used it correctly on a whim - which leads toward another. Because of this, there's no straight answer. In every case, there are multiple conclusions you can draw and it's up to you to critically think about the crime and who had the motivation and the ability to commit it. Because of this, if you draw the wrong conclusion, the wrong person could end up in jail for a crime they didn't commit. It's the game's main challenge and actually forces you to think hard about your decision, making it the most engrossing part of the game.

    All of these mystery and puzzle mechanics not only provide engaging gameplay but also let you truly delve into the mind of Sherlock Holmes and his thought process. This, the great writing, and voice acting all combine together to make an experience to where you could only know the character and his personality better if you actually read the books. It's the best interpretation of him in any video game or movie I've seen so far.

    Aside from the mystery and puzzle aspects of the game, there's also a few action segments sprinkled in which mainly consists of moving a reticle to it's destination on the screen within a certain amount of time. Although uncommon, these action sequences are often pivotal and can prevent or cause the deaths of key suspects in the cases.

    Overall, the game's a solid adventure from beginning to end but there are a few misfires. For one, while each case does a great job of fleshing out characters and creating their own self contained story, the over arching story thread is thin and does little to connect the cases, making the ending feel lazily written and hollow. Also, when it comes to all the mini games, while most are fun, some are annoyingly difficult, mainly due to the poor explanations and tutorials on how to do them, causing rare but memorable moments of aggravation.

    Aside from a couple of hiccups though, there's not much to complain about. Crimes and Punishment is a great experience and is easily a must try for all fans of the character, as well as any who like a good mystery based video game.    … Expand
  22. DavidM1337
    Nov 21, 2014
    9
    They finally found a way to make me think by myself and draw my own conclusions. In my opinion this point is a revolution and separates it from anything else. First 3/4 of any case you are guided, in the last bit you are left alone and have to dig through all clues again and decide who's guilty, in what way was it done and for what reason. You can however put the wrong person into prison!
  23. alan666
    Aug 26, 2015
    8
    Excellent game, highly recommended for mystery/investigation games. The stories and the characters are interesting and the discoveries are very nice. Resembles me Phoenix Wright and Touch Detective.
  24. lukaszw
    Nov 5, 2014
    9
    Great game, if you like puzzles it is a game for you. What is a bit annoying is loading time, whenever you change location it takes between 15-35 seconds (PS4).
  25. Crusader2001
    Oct 9, 2014
    10
    Fantastic game! The atmosphere is fantastic and the cases are interesting and fun to play! It's cool to play with the conclusions and choose the one you think is best, after that you can choose to condemn the criminal or set them free.
  26. JuliusSeizure
    Nov 5, 2014
    8
    Kept me playing all the way through. Really enjoyed it. A few of the game mechanics were a little clunky, but the environment, character development, and details were all very nicely done; the studio definitely paid a lot of attention to detail, and you can feel throughout they wanted to make something memorable and fun.
  27. 76tyler76
    Jan 18, 2015
    9
    Amazing work on this game, love the atmosphere and cases feels real. The only down side and going back and fourth, it would nice if it was an open world map with less load times.
  28. shtomer
    May 9, 2015
    9
    It might not be the most experimental or creative game of all times, but it's absolutely well-done, beautiful graphics and directing and good voice-acting. Puzzles could be harder, but I really and purely recommend this game for basically anyone who likes mysteries!
  29. Jason210
    Apr 8, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The absence of "filler" puzzles and more emphasis on observation and deduction make this latest entry in the Frogware series the most plausible Sherlock Holmes detective adventure yet. The graphics, animations and voice acting have all improved considerably, which makes it feel like the player is participating in an interactive movie. The research into the furniture, clothes and technology of Victorian period is reflected in the superb models which contribute greatly to the sense of immersion. If you like Sherlock Holmes you can't fail to be impressed with these aspects of the game alone. All this is a step in the right direction for the series. However, the game still suffers from linearity and on-screen cues.

    There are several new features in the game, but none of them really give you the freedom or complexity that is missing from this type of point and click adventure. For example, there is now a feature which allows the analysis of persons appearance for clues, where you freeze time and run the game pointer over the surface of the person. Any clues will cause the game pointer to turn bright blue, when it does this, you click with it, and the clue is added to your notes. Holmes then magically produces a character portrait based on this evidence (which sometimes surprises the player).

    Another example is Holmes increased sense of perception. Normally in a scene, all clues are highlighted with an icon as you look and move around, which you can click on and which adds the clue to your notes. If there is a clue you can't see, a prompt appears suggesting to turn on the heightened perception. You turn this one, then the invisible clue appears. You can then click on it, and the clue is added to your notes.

    A third example is imagination. Occasionally you are allowed to imagine something. On these occasions a prompt appears, suggesting to turn on the imagination. Then you see something that might have happened, which is added to your notes.

    Fourthly, when interrogating a subject, you can interrupt the answers with another question. Again, this happens in a pre-programmed way and the questions you can choose are restricted to a limited list.

    There is also a clue pairing and deduction map mode, which allows you to put clues together to form mind map style deductions. You can rearrange this map to achieve different outcomes if you have enough clues, and these outcomes form the basis of your accusations.

    The problem is that everything is too obvious and easy because the on-screen prompts and highlighted objects tell you what to do and when to do it. And just in case you did miss anything, there's a task list which tells you what you need to do next, even who you need to talk to.

    So although this game may at first appear to allow you more freedom than its predecessors, it is still a linear game. It would have helped if you could, in the options, choose to turn off the prompts and highlights. At least this would have made the linearity less obvious. Or perhaps a few more false leads, or red herring clues. Some freedom. But ultimately the gameplay is like an interactive movie with a limited number of pre-programmed outcomes. LA Noire had the same problem, but unlike LA Noire, Crime and Punishments game doesn't have a large living sandbox world to enjoy and explore. Although Crime and Punishments does allow you to jump freely to unlocked sandbox locations, those locations are still relatively small and lifeless, and once you have checked all the obvious clues there's nothing else to do there.

    Largely though, the presentation of Crime and Punishments is rich, realistic and enjoyable, and definitely recommended to fans of Holmes, the genre and of course this series.    … Expand
  30. Grigann
    May 11, 2015
    6
    A good adventure game, with a great Sherlock Holmes. But the controls are not so good on the PS4, some of the mini-games are just not interesting (the lock picks...), and the "Blood Bath" case lacks some personality...
  31. vashkor
    May 19, 2016
    9
    One of the best adventure + puzzle games and definitely the best looking in it's genre. It is underrated because it is not for everyone. If you are a fan of adventure games and puzzles at all then you will absolutely love it. The game mechanics is brilliant. Sometimes there are many complicated things happening at the same time but you will always know your next options. The puzzles areOne of the best adventure + puzzle games and definitely the best looking in it's genre. It is underrated because it is not for everyone. If you are a fan of adventure games and puzzles at all then you will absolutely love it. The game mechanics is brilliant. Sometimes there are many complicated things happening at the same time but you will always know your next options. The puzzles are hard enough to enjoy but not so hard that you need to google for walkthroughs.

    This is the closest you will get to be like Sherlock, but obviously a lot slower. This was my first disappointment. Sherlock has been portrayed over and over again in movies and TV shows. If you are familiar with some of them, specially the BBC Sherlock, then your expectations for pace and acting is set too high. Crimes & Punishments is slow, most of the voice acting is monotonous, and some may think that the characters don't look like how they should look like. If you get those expectations out of the way and have a fresh look, you will start to enjoy the game for what it is.

    You do play as other characters sometimes but keep in mind that you are mostly Sherlock here, not Watson. That is a big change because we are used to seeing Sherlock from Watson's point of view. In this game Watson is merely a supporting character like Lestrade. Sometimes I was even annoyed to have him blocking my way.

    It is not a top tier AAA game. I grabbed it because it was on a discount, but after playing it I am convinced that it is worth it's full price, mainly because it synced with me very well. I cannot say that for everybody. So check out some gameplay videos, video reviews, and make sure you like the genre. In my opinion the game is as good as it looks.    … Expand
  32. Chris-Krollz
    Jan 20, 2017
    8
    Very good game for this kind of genre. The character design & voice acting is very good. All the cases are interesting and the deduction system is great. I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to more games of this series. Keep them coming Focus !
  33. dyinginbeauty
    Mar 17, 2020
    9
    Excellent point and click game!
    Having grown up reading Sherlock Holmes and watching various TV adaptations (Jeremy Brett being the undisputed best Holmes) I can confirm this game takes a lot of care in doing the character justice. Its very fun, detailed, well paced, and has some great voice acting.
    9 points as it is a little too easy - I haven't found a way to turn off hints, which is a shame.
  34. DrFriendless
    Jul 13, 2018
    7
    The atmosphere was pretty decent, but the game just isn't very interesting. The cases have interesting things in them, but are oddly ambiguous, so that you can never be sure that you've found the correct answer, as you can't explain all of the details. Until you get the hang of investigating things you spend a lot of time with the game insisting that you need to do X, when you've alreadyThe atmosphere was pretty decent, but the game just isn't very interesting. The cases have interesting things in them, but are oddly ambiguous, so that you can never be sure that you've found the correct answer, as you can't explain all of the details. Until you get the hang of investigating things you spend a lot of time with the game insisting that you need to do X, when you've already done X except for that one teensy thing... that wears a bit thin.… Expand
  35. nnevill
    Apr 2, 2021
    8
    When I've launched this game I didn't expect nothing. I though it's just a AA game which I probably play for a few hours and delete afterwards. And it's really AA game but it's a good AA game. Visual part is very good for a PS3 game.

    As it is sort of point and click adventure there is no action in the game but is't probably the benefit. I've beat several action games before so such calm    When I've launched this game I didn't expect nothing. I though it's just a AA game which I probably play for a few hours and delete afterwards. And it's really AA game but it's a good AA game. Visual part is very good for a PS3 game.

    As it is sort of point and click adventure there is no action in the game but is't probably the benefit. I've beat several action games before so such calm gameplay was sort of rest for me.

    The game consists of 6 detective cases and cases are really interesting and not very obvious. There are several minigames in games and they are good except armwrestling mini game - it's not that easy as it could be :)

    I would recommend this game to all who likes meditative gameplay and for people who likes detectives and Sherlock Holmes stories.    … Expand
  36. sanyos
    Nov 13, 2021
    10
    Очень крутая игра для любителей детективов!
    Вначале сложно было понять управление, но потом уже понимаешь специфику игры и это нисколько не смущает.
    Вот что по геймдизайну не понравилось - то что нужно нарезать круги между локациями: приди на участок, посмотри что там, вспомни, что ты такое видел в вещь доках, едешь туда, берешь возвращаешься. Но это уже мелочь. Истории прошли с девушкой    Очень крутая игра для любителей детективов!
    Вначале сложно было понять управление, но потом уже понимаешь специфику игры и это нисколько не смущает.
    Вот что по геймдизайну не понравилось - то что нужно нарезать круги между локациями: приди на участок, посмотри что там, вспомни, что ты такое видел в вещь доках, едешь туда, берешь возвращаешься. Но это уже мелочь. Истории прошли с девушкой две и уже не дождемся чтобы продолжить игру дальше)    … Expand
  37. ToshLichev
    Nov 27, 2021
    6
    My opinion about Crimes & Punishments is the exact same as for its sequel so I'll just copy my old review. I am 99% sure this is the same game with different cases. It feels the exact same. The only difference is the sequel has better location variety.

    "On the surface, TDD is a AA PS3 game that plays like a PS2 game on a PS4 and while that may sound like a trainwreck it's actually not    My opinion about Crimes & Punishments is the exact same as for its sequel so I'll just copy my old review. I am 99% sure this is the same game with different cases. It feels the exact same. The only difference is the sequel has better location variety.

    "On the surface, TDD is a AA PS3 game that plays like a PS2 game on a PS4 and while that may sound like a trainwreck it's actually not half bad. Graphically it's far from impressive with FPS drops plaguing the game every 10 mins or so, the VO is usually good or at least serviceable and the gameplay is usually wonky and just feels a bit ancient. So why did I still sort of like it? Well, while playing it you could just see that whoever made the game actually wanted to make a great game and there is a good bit of interesting ideas in here that prove that if the studio had a decent budget, they maybe could have done something impressive. There's a pretty good variety of locations, gameplay features and the actual mysteries and investigations along with the deduction system were pretty fun. Combining them with a decent if a bit short Sherlock story and the pros manage to even out the cons. So why isn't it a 5/10? Lol, easy platinum, this is how games of this nature should structure their trophy lists. If you're into Sherlock Holmes I'd say that you should probably pick this one up, specially if it's on sale. "    … Expand
  38. Geovan
    Aug 18, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love This game It is amazing. Neste Sherlock Holmes game .thank you........… Expand
  39. otterone
    May 21, 2020
    7
    Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments does a lot of things right. Each case is intriguing, albeit not always complicated, and solving them is genuinely fun. The game rewards you for finding new clues and combining them to come up with deductions, however the real fun comes from the game not explicitly telling you whether those are even correct. Even if you end up accusing the wrong suspectSherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments does a lot of things right. Each case is intriguing, albeit not always complicated, and solving them is genuinely fun. The game rewards you for finding new clues and combining them to come up with deductions, however the real fun comes from the game not explicitly telling you whether those are even correct. Even if you end up accusing the wrong suspect and decide to go with it, you may still continue to the next case without knowing who the real culprit was. This is definitely one of the game's strongest points.

    However, the game is quite easy. Most cases are easily solved way before reaching the end, so there is not too much actual detective work to be done. Much of the game also revolves around running back and forth between locations, which may get tedious after some time.

    This game is perfect for anyone who enjoys comfortable detective games with fairly traditional mysteries and wants to play something for a day or two. Also, you can pet the dog.    … Expand
  40. painava
    Jan 16, 2020
    7
    Interesting cases that could have been more challenging. Good game nonetheless. I really dig Holmes's apartment and study.
  41. Dave_F
    Mar 19, 2020
    8
    A very enjoyable game - I even found it a tad addictive! Definitely not elementary .... be warned!!! A little short in length, but only because I wanted more ...
  42. NextPlayer_it
    Mar 3, 2022
    8
    Questo gioco, nonostante sia datato è molto avvincente, certo qualche pecca c’è sempre, ma nonostante tutto a chi piace il genere non rimarrà deluso. La grafica non è perfetta nonostante sia stata adattata alla Nintendo Switch. Inoltre l’audio è in inglese ma è sottotitolato in italiano e la traduzione è impeccabile; per non parlare poi dello scambio di battute tra i vari personaggi cheQuesto gioco, nonostante sia datato è molto avvincente, certo qualche pecca c’è sempre, ma nonostante tutto a chi piace il genere non rimarrà deluso. La grafica non è perfetta nonostante sia stata adattata alla Nintendo Switch. Inoltre l’audio è in inglese ma è sottotitolato in italiano e la traduzione è impeccabile; per non parlare poi dello scambio di battute tra i vari personaggi che rendono il gioco divertente che strappa un sorriso. I casi poi sono avvincenti e ti tengono incollati allo schermo e rimani col fiato sospeso fino a quando non si conosce il colpevole. Nonostante alcuni difetti, il gioco è meraviglioso e lo stra consiglio!… Expand
  43. piuscorvus
    Jan 27, 2021
    2
    What can I say... Just like the previous Sherlock game, a bug occurred and I could not progress the game but only start from the beginning. A real shame, because I found it interesting, at least the first few hours.
  44. chrisdan23
    Jun 10, 2022
    7
    Frogwares Sherlock Homes Adventures sind eine sehr durchwachsene Serie. Es gibt Ausreißer nach oben, wie auch nach unten. Wenn auch das Production Value von Teil zu Teil deutlich anzuwachsen scheint, schlägt sich dies nicht immer in besseren Titeln nieder. Mit Crimes & Punishments haben wir allerdings einen der überraschend guten Vertreter der Serie geliefert bekommen. Im Gegensatz zuFrogwares Sherlock Homes Adventures sind eine sehr durchwachsene Serie. Es gibt Ausreißer nach oben, wie auch nach unten. Wenn auch das Production Value von Teil zu Teil deutlich anzuwachsen scheint, schlägt sich dies nicht immer in besseren Titeln nieder. Mit Crimes & Punishments haben wir allerdings einen der überraschend guten Vertreter der Serie geliefert bekommen. Im Gegensatz zu anderen Teilen verfolgt diese Veröffentlichung keine geschlossene Geschichte, sondern erzählt uns einzelne Fälle, die in sich abgeschlossen sind. Ein Prinzip das eher episodenhaft funktioniert und der generellen Formel der Serie sehr gut tut. So können wir uns in Crimes & Punishments durch verschiedene motivierende Fälle knobeln, in dem wir vor allem die Beteiligten befragen und unsere Schlüsse ziehen. Auch die Präsentation des Titels ist deutlich ordentlich und die verschiedenen NPCs, die für das Spielprinzip so wichtig sind, kommen recht gut rüber. Leider wird der Spaß aber hier und da durch weniger gute bis nervige Gameplayelemente verdorben, wo wir uns durchbeißen müssen. Manchmal sucht man Gegenden ewig nach irgendwas ab, was sich dann nur durch Zufall finden lässt. Hier hätte dem Titel etwas mehr Feinschliff gut getan. Zu seinen besten Momenten kann Crimes & Punishments aber durchaus begeistern, nicht zuletzt auch, weil die Dialoge meist sehr gut geschrieben sind. Mit anderen Detektiv Spielen wie dem genialen LA Noire von Rockstar oder dem spannenden Judgment von Sega kann Frogwares Budget Produktion aber freilich nicht mit halten, dennoch kann das Spiel allen Knobel- und Adventures Fans durchaus als Geheimtipp durchaus empfohlen werden.… Expand
  45. hatesherlockhoe
    Aug 22, 2020
    3
    The game doesn't make me feel like Sherlock. it makes me feel like watching Sherlock. Even watching the show makes me feel smarter than this game. The game is push forward to continue. No logical deduction is required. Why? Go play Obra Dinn. Don't pirate it (Like me?). Also, i pirated this game. And it was still a bad purchase. And waste of space, time, and energy.

    Mr. Holmes!
  46. Rubisan
    Mar 28, 2021
    7
    Entertaining but not as good as I expected. Sometimes too simple but it manages to keep your attention. Why the possibility of skipping puzzles? I did not understand that point at all.

    So nice playing as Toby! And the intriguing woman that we can watch from the window ahahahah. Sherlock, I also love russian literature :D
  47. PantsOnFire
    Dec 13, 2020
    7
    So... the cases are interesting. Watson is dumb, Holmes is a half-mad genius. Sound acting is pretty nice. Somewhat lengthy loading times.

    Why 7? The gameplay isn't too fun. It boils down to receiving a message like "go here and click on that". Then you "go there and click on it". Rinse and repeat. It's more like a movie with lots of clicking, without any game. But Sherlock is fun.    So... the cases are interesting. Watson is dumb, Holmes is a half-mad genius. Sound acting is pretty nice. Somewhat lengthy loading times.

    Why 7? The gameplay isn't too fun. It boils down to receiving a message like "go here and click on that". Then you "go there and click on it". Rinse and repeat.
    It's more like a movie with lots of clicking, without any game.

    But Sherlock is fun. If you can pick it up on a sale, and you like old-timey English detective geniuses, it will be fun for a short time.    … Expand
  48. p1nkhouse
    Apr 4, 2022
    8
    Surprisingly, I absolutely loved it. A fantastic chance to explore Victorian London, whilst solving crimes.
    I've played quite a few mystery games from PlayStore, and Crimes and Punishments feels like one on steroids. Beautiful graphics and a nice gameplay, overall. No feel of repetitiveness, with cases being quite different from one another.
  49. 3a21
    Sep 3, 2022
    7
    This game is very deep case and puzzle more than other 's Sherlock that I've played.
    but main story is worse.

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Best PS4 Game of 2014
55
#55 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014
32
#32 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Games Master UK
    Dec 21, 2014
    68
    A neat "brain pathways" interface helps you piece your findings together. [Christmas 2014, p.78]
  2. XGN
    Dec 8, 2014
    55
    The Sherlock Holmes franchise is trying to reach more people, and maybe with this game it will. The game however lacks a real challenge now. The game is a real detective game, but doesn't really convince.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Nov 28, 2014
    70
    Those expecting modern hyper-Holmes will be aghast, but traditionalists will be all comfy pipe 'n' slippers. [Christmas 2014, p78]
See all critic reviews »