In a new Sherlock Holmes Chapter One question and answer video from Frogwares, the developer has answered a few of fans’ burning questions about the upcoming origin story for the young Sherlock, including how much playtime players can expect, and the number of cases they’ll be able to solve. Sergey Oganesyan narrates the video over new footage from the game.
There are five main quests connected through one continuous story, while 30 side quests will provide plenty more mystery to engage with. Some of the side quests are even as big as the main ones. The open world will provide an opportunity for Sherlock to prove himself as a real detective, investigating various mysteries on the island even while driven by the main goal of looking into his mother’s death. While some will weave into Sherlock and Jon’s past, others will simply be stories about the “people on the island and the skeletons in their closets.” Oganesyan estimates 12-15 hours for the main storyline, with about 40-50 hours of total playtime to finish everything. After players finish the first main quest, you’ll be set free to roam the island and discover quests on your own. Like most any open-world game, you can go back and forth between main and side content, choosing what quests you want to do and when.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One will also include a disguise/customization system, allowing Sherlock to get new outfits to “blend in with different social groups, gain access to closed off areas, or simply customize how Sherlock looks.” Thee video shows an example of this customization, complete with new outfits, glasses, hair, facial hair, and even bruises and wrinkles. Continuing on the theme of customization, players will be able to decorate the mansion, and Oganesyan says that you can both earn items as rewards or find them throughout the game, or buy them from vendors.
Like previous Sherlock Holmes games, the cases will have multiple outcomes and endings, both main and side quests. These endings and outcomes will be based on player’s deductions from the clues they obtain, as well as the moral choices in how to deal with the case. You can accuse the wrong person based on how many clues you find and how you interpret them and the story will still continue. Oganesyan says the game’s main story will offer “several” different endings too. And Sherlock won’t necessarily just be puzzling out and solving cases. Don’t expect a brawler, but Sherlock may get into some scraps too, fighting enemies “where it makes sense for the story.”
Frogwares also gives a small taste of the voice acting for both Sherlock and Jon, played by Alex Jordan and Wil Coban respectively. As for the infamous “teleporting Watson” from earlier games? Don’t worry, that horror can be laid to rest considering Watson is not even in this game about a younger Sherlock.
Aside from some slight teasers in the Q&A video, Frogwares isn’t ready to show off gameplay just yet, as things are still early in development and not quite ready for showtime. This video is just Part 1, so expect Frogwares to answer more questions about Sherlock Holmes Chapter One soon.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC sometime in 2021.
