Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One ‘World of Crime’ trailer and developer overview, new details

Play as the young Sherlock Holmes in 2021.

Frogwares has released a new trailer and developer overview video for Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One introducing the game’s world, as well as previously unreleased details.

The trailer highlights some of the new locations and crimes players will encounter on the game’s island setting, which on the surface “looks like a Mediterranean paradise,” but is full of “sinister secrets, bizare crimes, and a twisted justice system.” The island is a world of crime, and of social and economic inequality, where the law is “often just a suggestion” and islanders “regularly take justice into their own hands—with police turning a blind eye at the request of the local overlords.”

Here are the new details, via Frogwares:

1. Estimated Play Time and Number of Quests
Antonina Melnykova, Lead Narrative Designer: “Currently we feel the main story will take approximately 15 hours to complete, while a completionist playthrough will be closer to a 30 to 40-hour mark. We will have five main quests that span multiple hours and more than 30 side quests of varying size and complexity, with each offering a moral choice.
“In each main quest you’ll also have several suspects, and whether or not you will find the right one depends on how good a detective you are. You can interpret your clues in a number of ways that can lead to different theories. Some of these theories are easier and more convenient than the others, but it does not mean they’re correct. Once you’ve found your suspect, no matter if they are the right person, you will get a chance to decide their fate. Justice on the island is a bit twisted and our goal is to avoid a black and white morality, so it’s possible you’ll want to side with the wrongdoer.”

2. Let There Be Blood: Combat
Yaroslav Martyniuk, Lead Feature Designer: “Combat only takes place where it’s justified by the story. You cannot shoot random people on the streets, as we don’t think it fits the character and you are encouraged to take the non-lethal approach. However, if you are cornered in a gunfight or you don’t have enough time to find an enemy’s weakness, it is possible to shoot and kill them. This will have certain consequences, for instance, it may worsen your relationship with your friend Jon, but we do not want to take away this option and make players feel forced to use only one playstyle.
“Chapter One is an action adventure game, with an emphasis on detective gameplay, but combat is still an important element. Sherlock is quite agile, so you’ll be able use his agility to switch cover or evade being hit. He wields a small handgun and certain tools like smoke bombs that he uses to incapacitate enemies. He can also use the environment to his advantage, for example, shooting out a weak balcony support to bring it down.”
3. An Eye for the Finer Things: Customization
Martyniuk: “Though abandoned and run down, Sherlock has his own mansion on the island as this is where he spent his childhood. You will be able to restore and custom decorate the mansion as you see fit, with goods from local merchants. Also, some rooms in the mansion will only become accessible later, helping to reveal the secrets about Sherlock and his family.
“You can also buy or find outfits for Sherlock throughout the game. Some will be cosmetic, changing how Sherlock looks while others will be required to complete quests.”
4. Current Progress and Post-Release Plans
Sergey Oganesyan, Producer and Community Manager: “The game is now in pre-alpha and we hope to show a deep dive into detective gameplay around December / January. We are also planning to support the game post-release with additional content, but we are not making this into a ‘Games as a Service’ title. Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is a complete, standalone game, developed and self-published entirely by Frogwares. We’re aiming to release sometime in 2021 on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and next-gen consoles.”