Whether you’re a fan of remakes or not, the reality is that they are here to stay, with more and more developers modernising titles in their back catalogues. The bug seems to have bitten Ukrainian studio Frogwares, who has decided to remake its 2008 Lovecraftian-inspired title Sherlock Holmes The Awakened. However, The Awakened isn’t a simple recreation of the original. Instead, Frogwares has used this opportunity to weave in its new spin on Sherlock Holmes from Chapter One and build the remake around those new foundations. Recently I was able to go hands-on with a short demo of the game and see just how Frogwares is mixing old and new Sherlock elements to bring a series favourite to new audiences.
I must say, it’s hard not to admire the commitment and dedication of Frogwares, a studio that has been deeply affected by Russia’s war on Ukraine, and as such The Awakened is dedicated to the many people that have fought for the country.
In this new timeline, the events of The Awakened play out after Chapter One, with Holmes and Watson investigating several mysterious disappearances across Europe and the US. The preview kicks off at the beginning of chapter three and sees Dr Watson arrive at the Edelweiss Institute, a psychiatric hospital located in the Swiss Alps, wanting to learn more about the facility.
The wheelchair always makes it creepy
Almost instantly Watson is introduced to Professor Gygax, one of the doctors in charge of the Institute, and it’s here that Sherlock Holmes makes his presence known, this time under the guise of a detective from Boston. Holmes’ presence isn’t welcome and he quickly finds himself sedated and locked up. Unsurprisingly, this is all part of the plan, and when Holmes regains consciousness, he frees himself and begins his investigation.
Once you assume control of Holmes, the game will feel familiar to anyone who has played the detective series before, especially Chapter One, with the investigation mechanics following the same formula. There have been some little tweaks though, such as lockpicking, which requires the player to bend the lockpick in the correct position rather than using vibration to find the sweet spots (or you can skip them completely), and in order to recreate a scene Holmes must find all the clues available before cycling through all of the possible scenarios. If there’s one gripe I have it’s that once again the pinned evidence can overwhelm the screen, making it hard to see all of the environment.
Another small change is that the game informs you when a choice is wrong. For example, Holmes has a discussion with a patient and must ask three questions in the correct order to progress the story. Choosing the wrong option will see the screen flash red and marked as incorrect in Holmes’ journal, making it easier for those who simply want to experience the story without getting bogged down. Of course, players can tinker with the difficulty to suit their playstyle and experience should they choose.
Save some screen for the rest of us
Despite being a fan of Frogwares’ Sherlock Holmes series, I have never played the original of The Awakened, so when it comes to the story, I wasn’t sure what to expect or how much has changed. However, from what I do know, this reimagined take on The Awakened promises to reveal how Holmes and Watson came to be the dynamic duo they are.
From the demo, it’s evident that sinister practices are happening under the eagle eye of Professor Gygax, but there’s a larger story at play, one that involves forces of the unknown, and the mix of Lovecraftian elements certainly makes for a compelling premise. Plus, Holmes is as pompous and sincere as you remember him from Chapter One, thanks to the charm of returning voice actor Alex Jordan.
With such a small sample size, it’s hard to know exactly whether The Awakened remake’s recipe will find the right balance of new and old Sherlock Holmes ingredients. Based on my time with the game though, it plays exactly as I expected and I’m sure returning players will be more than satisfied with what’s on offer.
Sherlock Holmes The Awakened will release in early 2023 on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch and PC.
Previewed on PC // Preview code supplied by publisher
