Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Reviews

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is ranked in the 60th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8.5 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One has weak combat and an empty open world, but its excellent detective gameplay and powerfully emotional story easily put paid to these issues.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

I strongly recommend Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One to those seeking to sharpen their minds. It isn’t a perfect experience with its noticeable flaws but it is a great game for those who want to put themselves in the shoes of the legendary detective.

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IGN
Top Critic
6 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is a decent detective game set in an open-world that's a bit too elementary.

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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is a title that only shines when it puts you in the role of Sherlock while he is solving cases. The combination of the story with the gameplay of these parts is well done and is biggest strengths of the title, but other parts like the combat system and the open world design, along with many technical problems, brings this new Sherlock Holmes adventure down a couple of pegs and ultimately delivers a fragile experience to the audience that gives a fluctuating levels of fun.

Review in Persian | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

I will admit that were some truly frustrating times when I needed to do something that wasn’t explained well, but for the most part, that wasn’t an issue for too long. What kept me going was just how enthralling the cases and characters were. It’s been a while since I’ve been this engrossed by a detective series and its world, but Frogwares took notes from their other games and righted a lot of wrongs. It might not be a perfect game, but Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is a great time in a rich world.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is one of Frogwares' best games to date. Captivating characters and stories set against a beautiful backdrop are held back by a smattering of technical issues and repetitive combat encounters.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is Holmes but not as you know him, with a fantastic and unique story, plenty of crimes to solve, and a sprawling tropical island to explore.

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Unscored
Nov 15, 2021

The systems for uncovering clues and solving crimes are fabulous, making Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Frogwares' best game. But the crimes you investigate are sometimes very, very stupid.

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85 / 100
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is an exemplary experience for anyone wanting to enjoy time with our eccentric investigator. The story behind Violet Holmes' demise will pull at your heartstrings, and the cases you'll decipher on the way there just make you appreciate Chapter One all the more. Yeah, there are some technical issues, and you're most likely going to get stuck at least once, but unraveling the best laid plans of the most conniving criminals is a delight to accomplish.

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6 / 10
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One should, on paper, be the best game out of Frogwares yet. It brings back all those satisfying detective features of the past and couples them with new mechanics and interactions. However, many of them are either surplus or frustrating enough to where they sometimes detract from the overall experience. And with a lifeless open world that doesn't run particularly well at even the best of times, it's not an easy recommendation. What fans loved from past Sherlock Holmes instalments is still there, but you'll need to do a bit of overtime to find it.

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4 / 5.0
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is a title that comes excruciatingly close to achieving greatness. When you are in the midst of one of the many mysteries that Cordona Island holds, cracking cases and soaking in Frogwares’ fantastic writing, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is up there with the best the series has to offer. Unfortunately, performance issues hold back the open-world exploration to an extent that drags the overall experience down. Nevertheless, even with the technical drawbacks, the main gameplay loop of cracking cases and solving puzzles is stronger than ever and well worth the price of admission.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is one of the very best series installments, thanks to a great story powered by solid writing, charming characters, varied cases, and new open-world gameplay mechanics that fit incredibly well. While some of these mechanics do require a little tweaking, such as combat, Chapter One is a very solid game that no fan of the series or adventure games should pass on.

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GameSpew
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

There are a few rough edges to Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One; the odd duff texture here and there, and lip syncing that never quite looks right. But none of that ever gets in the way of just how engaging a game this is to play. Stepping into the shoes of the young Sherlock Holmes is a real treat, and Frogwares continues to excel at doing what it does best: delivering an immersive experience that really makes the player feel like they’re actually a detective. This is by far the developer’s best yet.

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9.2 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is a masterpiece of a detective game as it manages to deliver a thoroughly enjoyable open-world adventure with an interesting cast, stunning environmental visuals, and highly immersive and engaging sleuthing gameplay.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

The strength of Frogwares previous works is retained within more ambitious, freeform packaging. Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One can be abrasive, both in gameplay terms and in its depiction of an iconic character, but it offers such rich and rewarding depth to its detective drama that it's much easier to accept.

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Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is a flawed but nevertheless fascinating look at the angsty years of the great detective.

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TJ Denzer
Top Critic
8 / 10
Nov 15, 2021

I was impressed with my initial dip into Sherlock Holmes Chapter One in a previous preview and I really love how the full game expanded upon that. Cordona is a fantastic island to explore and its mysteries, whether directly related to Holmes’ journey or not, are quite fun to solve. Some animations are iffy and I kind of wish the combat wasn’t there, but I constantly felt like my logic and rationale were engaged by the clues the game presented me with. It also helps that Sherlock Holmes Chapter One has options to skip past annoying segments when they don’t feel worth it. Overall, however, I felt like the entire investigation was worth it and this is an origin worth exploring for any fan of mysteries or the great Sherlock Holmes.

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ACG
Top Critic
Rent
Nov 15, 2021
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Review "Buy, Wait for Sale, Never Touch?" video thumbnail
90 / 100
Nov 15, 2021

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is the best Sherlock game made by Frogwares to date. The franchise managed to make a big leap to the new generation without losing its essence, bringing a complete, cohesive and fun title.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

7.3 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2021

Way better than Devil's Daughter, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One has a captivating focus on Sherlock himself, but the open world feels there just for the sake of it.

Review in Italian | Read full review