Sherlock Holmes The Awakened

Sherlock Holmes The Awakened is a detective adventure from Frogwares that combines classic criminal investigation with the Cthulhu Mythos. Sherlock Holmes investigates puzzling missing persons cases together with John Watson. The 2023 re-release was completely redeveloped in terms of technology and gameplay.

Released on Apr 11, 2023 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. All six versions belong to the 2023 remake and not to the older PC version of Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened.

The remake came out on PC and five console platforms. On PlayStation, PS4 and PS5 are available as native versions. Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S are supported via Smart Delivery, with the Series version optimised for newer hardware. The Nintendo Switch version can be played in handheld and TV mode.

The Whispered Dreams expansion pack adds six side cases and the cosmetic set The Detective's Wardrobe. The bonus cases include The Haunted House, The Other Gods and The Frogs in the Walls. The pack is sold separately from the base game and is included in some Deluxe editions. The artbook and soundtrack are separate digital add-ons.

The PC version lists Windows 10 64-bit, at least 8 GB RAM, an Intel Core i5-3470 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, and a GeForce GTX 770 4 GB or Radeon R9 380 4 GB. 30 GB of free storage space is required. Frogwares recommends an SSD.

In 1882, missing persons cases lead Sherlock Holmes and John Watson onto the trail of a secret society. What starts as ordinary investigative work calls Holmes' faith in logic and observable facts into question. The story also shows how the two still inexperienced housemates become a well-practised detective duo.

The focus is on observing locations, searching for objects and combining information. Conversations and new clues open up further deductions. Instead of fast fights, careful examination of the surroundings drives progress.

Holmes has to link clues into a plausible explanation to move each case forward. The adventure combines detective puzzles with supernatural occurrences that shake his usual view of the world. Tension comes from the consequences of the investigation rather than from a traditional action combat system.

The Cthulhu Mythos brings in phenomena that cannot be explained by ordinary means. Additional madness mechanics show how much encounters with the unfathomable weigh on Sherlock. This sets The Awakened apart from the more crime-focused other Sherlock Holmes adventures.

The investigation leads from Baker Street in London to a sinister Swiss asylum and into the swamps of Louisiana. Each change of location adds other people, observations and puzzles to the case. Switching between urban and remote locations adds to the gloomy atmosphere.

The Awakened from 2023 is a full remake with new graphics, expanded story sections and additional gameplay mechanics. The older PC version was already released in 2008 as the Remastered Edition and includes, among other things, a choice of first-person or third-person perspective. Both releases are separate games. If you are looking for the classic version, don't confuse it with the remake.

The remake supports English voice acting and German on-screen text. German text is also available on consoles. The Nintendo Switch version offers more on-screen languages, including French, Spanish and Japanese.