I liked it and I'm a huge Testament of Sherlock Holmes fan, though if I may suggest a few things. 1. Your intro is a tad hard on the ears and a bit long 2. I like your sense of humor, your voice works great for this style of review 3. I'd mess with the audio levels a bit more, have a background track playing in the background from the game that's not distracting (There were some dead zones in the audio) 4. Cover more of these games that haven't had reviews in 8-10 years and tag them appropriately, seriously, you have the newest review for these games with the best audio quality by far and they're very entertaining. I wish you luck on your endeavors!
Thanks for the nice comments and I appreciate the suggestions! You're definitely right about the intro and I have a much shorter and quieter one lined up already for future videos, which I'm hoping to get back to now after having been away from UA-cam for a while. The audio is the worst part of video editing for me and I'm trying to work on improving the backing tracks.
Nice succinct continuation to your Holmes series review! I, myself, have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this game - although objectively I'd agree that it's one of, if not THE, best Frogwares Holmes game. The decades later children intercuts remind me of the similar and abysmal 'stuffed indian' carnival sideshow story framing of 2013's The Lone Ranger film. I'd much rather a story not bog itself down with a tedious retrospective narration - as, for me, that sort of lessens the impact of any dramatic moments within the story. Will Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson make it out of this case alive? Well, they have to if there's grandchildren reading a recollection. The breaks from the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle canon are a bit infurating as well. The Holmes timeline, as convoluted as it already is, leaves a bit of leeway for humorous easter egg here and there and, generally, I think Holmesians are fairly forgiving. However, yeah, the book was a bit much. Nice pointing out on the Penguin books anachronism. I think the "Sir" title in Doyle's name may be another anachronism too for the time period! Unless the book magically teleported through time. XD From a gameplay perspective, though, I find this the easiest Holmes game to get into for beginners. The puzzles are fairly forgiving (love the carried over mechanics from Jack the Ripper) and the story is very engaging. The graphical improvements, too, add a lot to the game and it's replay value - although, blind nostalgia or not, I'm still really fond of the Awakened - Ripper engine too. And even of Silver Earring! I do enjoy Kerry Shale's performance as Holmes, although, the unceremonious departure of the previous voice actor I did think a little uncalled for. I really enjoyed the previous Holmes & Watson due, and altering that mid-series was a bit jarring. And, while Shale is nearly a dead ringer for Jeremy Brett's brooding Holmes, I find myself slightly preferring the previous actor - only in that he feels more original, yet takes cues from a myriad of Holmes actors - some of which (like Ronald Howard's lightheartedness, Basil Rathbone's boldness, and Arthur Wontner's confidence) I personally prefer. Although, I give Frogwares props for going for more consistency this time 'round. (Darker, moodier story, acknowledging Holmes' darker moments from the canon, and a closer vocal and physical match to a specific Holmes incarnation - Brett) Of all the Holmes games, I've probably re-played Silver Earring, Testament, and Crimes and Punishments equally - although of the three I really, really enjoy Testament. I find myself recalling cool moments from this game perhaps the most, and, as stated in your wonderful review, really got a sense that I was actually deducing results from the available clues Sherlock Holmes style. Which, really, is what all Holmes games should strive for. Wish you would have went into a bit more detail surrounding the Holmes sub-plot and final act of the story - as it's perhaps my favorite part of the game. However, I appreciate you remaining rather spoiler free for those who have perhaps not played the game for themselves yet. Your review is detailed and accurate enough as is - and I have to say that on all points given, I agree. Amazing game from Frogwares. I look forward to seeing your next reviews, Holmes or otherwise. BTW, are you going to go-back and give reviews for Silver Earring and Mystery of the Mummy sometime? (And maybe even some of the lighter, point-and-click Frogwares spinoffs like Hound of the Baskervilles?) Regardless, I eagerly await your Crimes & Punishments review. I, similarly, have mixed feelings about it - although a lot of positive thoughts as well. A lot of Frogwares tend to fight over whether Testament or C&P is the better Holmes game. I'd love to see your take on it, and the other entries potentially, too. :D Another great review! :)
I agree with you about the framing story, it didn't add anything to the game. I was just glad it was very brief aside from the start and end bits. You're also right about the "Sir", he wasn't knighted until 1902. It probably fell through the same wormhole as the sheet music for Get Back. Another thing I almost mentioned in the video was in the magician's chest, there's a deck of Bicycle brand Rider Back playing cards, which are pretty much standard amongst magicians these days but were only a recent creation when this game was set and I find it unlikely a magician in England would have them, especially as all the things in that chest were worn and old. I also doubted they'd have the exact same box design at that time as they do now, but I couldn't uncover any definitive proof of that so I ended up skipping it. Jeremy Brett is my personal favourite Holmes, but I'm fond of both Basil Rathbone and Ronald Howard too. I've not seen the Arthur Wontner ones, I'll have to track them down! It did feel odd to have the voice change so much from one game to the next and then Watson changes too in the next one. I can see why people would vary on which of the games they prefer. I'm always unsure of just how much to go into in terms of the plot without wanting to fill it with spoilers, but sometimes there's things worth talking about. I'm considering maybe putting anything with spoilers at the end of the video and then people can decide to just stop watching at that point if they don't want to see them. I am intending to go back and do videos for Mystery of the Mummy and Silver Earring after I've done Crimes and Punishments and Devil's Daughter. I should also be doing Persian Carpet and Hound of the Baskervilles. I'd like to do Frogwares two DS Holmes games too at some point for completeness but I'm not sure I'd be able to find a practical way of recording them. After those, I'm hoping to take two paths, some of the non-Holmes Frogwares games, and some of the non-Frogwares Holmes games. Thanks for you comments, they're always interesting to read!
nice review, this was my first game in the series and i remember liking it quite a bit. The number of puzzle boxes made little sense but i enjoyed them despite that and missed them it later games.
I liked it and I'm a huge Testament of Sherlock Holmes fan, though if I may suggest a few things.
1. Your intro is a tad hard on the ears and a bit long
2. I like your sense of humor, your voice works great for this style of review
3. I'd mess with the audio levels a bit more, have a background track playing in the background from the game that's not distracting (There were some dead zones in the audio)
4. Cover more of these games that haven't had reviews in 8-10 years and tag them appropriately, seriously, you have the newest review for these games with the best audio quality by far and they're very entertaining.
I wish you luck on your endeavors!
Thanks for the nice comments and I appreciate the suggestions! You're definitely right about the intro and I have a much shorter and quieter one lined up already for future videos, which I'm hoping to get back to now after having been away from UA-cam for a while. The audio is the worst part of video editing for me and I'm trying to work on improving the backing tracks.
Nice succinct continuation to your Holmes series review! I, myself, have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this game - although objectively I'd agree that it's one of, if not THE, best Frogwares Holmes game.
The decades later children intercuts remind me of the similar and abysmal 'stuffed indian' carnival sideshow story framing of 2013's The Lone Ranger film. I'd much rather a story not bog itself down with a tedious retrospective narration - as, for me, that sort of lessens the impact of any dramatic moments within the story. Will Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson make it out of this case alive? Well, they have to if there's grandchildren reading a recollection.
The breaks from the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle canon are a bit infurating as well. The Holmes timeline, as convoluted as it already is, leaves a bit of leeway for humorous easter egg here and there and, generally, I think Holmesians are fairly forgiving. However, yeah, the book was a bit much. Nice pointing out on the Penguin books anachronism. I think the "Sir" title in Doyle's name may be another anachronism too for the time period! Unless the book magically teleported through time. XD
From a gameplay perspective, though, I find this the easiest Holmes game to get into for beginners. The puzzles are fairly forgiving (love the carried over mechanics from Jack the Ripper) and the story is very engaging. The graphical improvements, too, add a lot to the game and it's replay value - although, blind nostalgia or not, I'm still really fond of the Awakened - Ripper engine too. And even of Silver Earring!
I do enjoy Kerry Shale's performance as Holmes, although, the unceremonious departure of the previous voice actor I did think a little uncalled for. I really enjoyed the previous Holmes & Watson due, and altering that mid-series was a bit jarring. And, while Shale is nearly a dead ringer for Jeremy Brett's brooding Holmes, I find myself slightly preferring the previous actor - only in that he feels more original, yet takes cues from a myriad of Holmes actors - some of which (like Ronald Howard's lightheartedness, Basil Rathbone's boldness, and Arthur Wontner's confidence) I personally prefer. Although, I give Frogwares props for going for more consistency this time 'round. (Darker, moodier story, acknowledging Holmes' darker moments from the canon, and a closer vocal and physical match to a specific Holmes incarnation - Brett)
Of all the Holmes games, I've probably re-played Silver Earring, Testament, and Crimes and Punishments equally - although of the three I really, really enjoy Testament. I find myself recalling cool moments from this game perhaps the most, and, as stated in your wonderful review, really got a sense that I was actually deducing results from the available clues Sherlock Holmes style. Which, really, is what all Holmes games should strive for.
Wish you would have went into a bit more detail surrounding the Holmes sub-plot and final act of the story - as it's perhaps my favorite part of the game. However, I appreciate you remaining rather spoiler free for those who have perhaps not played the game for themselves yet. Your review is detailed and accurate enough as is - and I have to say that on all points given, I agree.
Amazing game from Frogwares. I look forward to seeing your next reviews, Holmes or otherwise.
BTW, are you going to go-back and give reviews for Silver Earring and Mystery of the Mummy sometime? (And maybe even some of the lighter, point-and-click Frogwares spinoffs like Hound of the Baskervilles?) Regardless, I eagerly await your Crimes & Punishments review. I, similarly, have mixed feelings about it - although a lot of positive thoughts as well. A lot of Frogwares tend to fight over whether Testament or C&P is the better Holmes game. I'd love to see your take on it, and the other entries potentially, too. :D
Another great review! :)
I agree with you about the framing story, it didn't add anything to the game. I was just glad it was very brief aside from the start and end bits.
You're also right about the "Sir", he wasn't knighted until 1902. It probably fell through the same wormhole as the sheet music for Get Back. Another thing I almost mentioned in the video was in the magician's chest, there's a deck of Bicycle brand Rider Back playing cards, which are pretty much standard amongst magicians these days but were only a recent creation when this game was set and I find it unlikely a magician in England would have them, especially as all the things in that chest were worn and old. I also doubted they'd have the exact same box design at that time as they do now, but I couldn't uncover any definitive proof of that so I ended up skipping it.
Jeremy Brett is my personal favourite Holmes, but I'm fond of both Basil Rathbone and Ronald Howard too. I've not seen the Arthur Wontner ones, I'll have to track them down! It did feel odd to have the voice change so much from one game to the next and then Watson changes too in the next one. I can see why people would vary on which of the games they prefer.
I'm always unsure of just how much to go into in terms of the plot without wanting to fill it with spoilers, but sometimes there's things worth talking about. I'm considering maybe putting anything with spoilers at the end of the video and then people can decide to just stop watching at that point if they don't want to see them.
I am intending to go back and do videos for Mystery of the Mummy and Silver Earring after I've done Crimes and Punishments and Devil's Daughter. I should also be doing Persian Carpet and Hound of the Baskervilles. I'd like to do Frogwares two DS Holmes games too at some point for completeness but I'm not sure I'd be able to find a practical way of recording them. After those, I'm hoping to take two paths, some of the non-Holmes Frogwares games, and some of the non-Frogwares Holmes games.
Thanks for you comments, they're always interesting to read!
love the way you explain things, but kinda sad you never reviewed crimes and punishments
I finished SH Crimes and punishments and I'm now starting with this one. I already think "The Testament" game is better
nice review, this was my first game in the series and i remember liking it quite a bit. The number of puzzle boxes made little sense but i enjoyed them despite that and missed them it later games.
Thanks! I've always loved solving logic puzzles, so I enjoyed those parts too. I'll miss them if they're completely gone in the later games.