Sherlock is back in this third adventure from Frogwares, and it is by far the best yet in this series. It is almost exactly what an adventure game featuring that greatest of sleuths should be, a thrilling mystery with intelligent dialogue and period atmosphere. Coupled with the occult horror of Lovecraft, this tale is one that will definitely set the mood for Halloween.

Sherlock Holmes is feeling a sense of ennui due to a lack of worthwhile projects to pursue. Things soon change, though, and he embarks on a quest to solve the unexplained recent disappearances of immigrants from various countries. Taken singly, these cases have mostly been dismissed as mere “youth at large in London” cases by the local constabulary. When studied more closely, however, it becomes apparent to Holmes that at least some of these cases involve kidnapping by unknown foreigners. As he searches for clues to the identities of the kidnappers, and the whereabouts of the victims, he is soon drawn into a deeper mystery that involves mystical “gods” from otherworldly realms.

The first case Holmes investigates is that of a missing Maori boy that has been in the service of one of Dr. Watson’s patients. He has abruptly vanished, and his employer is convinced there is no logical reason for him to leave for a few days adventure around London, as he knows no English and doesn’t have any acquaintances. Holmes uses his deductive skills to ascertain that the boy has been taken by force involuntarily from his living quarters in the garden.

Holmes uses several different methods to deduce this probable kidnapping. First, he conducts research in the bookstore on Maoris, and then searches the grounds around where the boy lived. He discovers several clues such as fibers, fish scales and footprints. He also finds a lump of opium. Holmes concludes many things from the footprints, and then heads to his room to conduct chemical analysis on the items he found. He interviews several people around town, and writes up his conclusions in his journal. These deductions, while solving the immediate mysteries, further lead Holmes toward the real reason behind these disappearances, where horror awaits.

This is how most of the game is played. Players will spend much of their time speaking to other characters and searching for clues. Most of the puzzles are of a “locational” type, where Holmes will use items found on location, directly there on the spot. Some puzzles will require use in the future, and will be saved in inventory. Some items can be combined. There are also some fiendishly difficult puzzles of a mathematical nature here and there.

The game is played in a first-person perspective with a free panning camera. The camera is panned 360 degrees, all the while the player is moving forward and back through the locations. At first, I experienced a slight sense of vertigo, as I’m very susceptible to motion sickness. Soon, though, I became used to this type of movement and it quickly became an intuitive method for moving through the scenes. It added to the sense of realism and immersion splendidly.

Conversations are exactly what one should hear from Holmes, Watson and company. Reading the dialogue was reminiscent of Agatha Christie novels and of course, the Arthur Conan Doyle works. I was tickled to see homage paid to M. Poirot later in the game. There were a few times when there were some jarring dialogues, as when the designers for some unknown reason included a gratuitous mini-monologue from a sailor about the woes caused by having a hook instead of a hand for relieving bodily irritations. This wasn’t funny, it was just gross. While there was a clue that led from this conversation, the conversation could have been a more pleasant one.

Other than a few instances like this, though, the dialogues and the voice characterizations were well-done and appropriate for the Victorian time period. The scenery was also almost exactly what one would expect, except for a strange emptiness on the streets and in the bars of London. This is London! It would have crowds of people at all times of the day and night, especially on the docks. However, in this game, there is no one around on the docks. When Holmes and Watson travel to Switzerland, it gets a bit more populated, but the people are still rather sparse except for in the mental facilities.

The puzzles are mostly incorporated into the actual game. This means they aren’t just thrust in willy-nilly to give players something to do. It really feels like the player is a detective working alongside Sherlock Holmes, which is tremendously fun. However, a few of the puzzles are very difficult and do feel a bit as though they were added for the sake of having a puzzle here and there.

Many of the clues involve the player searching high and low all over the scenes to see if a hand or eye icon shows up. This does require some pixel-hunting. It is sometimes easy to miss vital clues, because a location hasn’t been searched diligently. And, a few times the hotspot is very small. Just be warned to look over every inch of every new location. If the game won’t advance, then it’s usually because of a missed clue.

The Awakened is rated Mature because it is a game that features very graphic, bloody scenes of mutilated people. This is not a game for teens, or for anyone who minds this type of graphic violence. It’s similar to the Hellraiser movies.

This is one of the best adventure games I’ve played in recent years. The combination of intelligent dialogue, spooky atmosphere and creepy storyline really grip the player’s attention. The puzzles are mostly logical, and even the most difficult ones are solvable if approached correctly. I don’t like graphic violence and could have done completely without the mutilated corpses, but even so, I was absolutely drawn into this game and really wanted to continue playing. Anyone who is a fan of British mysteries will enjoy this game. And, of course, adventure game enthusiasts will love it!

Gameplay: 8.5
Finally, a recent adventure game that doesn’t insult the intelligence. Carefully designed puzzles, clever dialogue and attention to Victoriana and Sherlock Holmes come together seamlessly to present an intriguing mystery. Lovecraftian themes tie everything together for a thrilling occult adventure.

Graphics: 8.0
The graphics are very nice and atmospheric, but the scenes are often strangely empty. A high-end video card is required.

Sound: 8.0
The music and sound effects are nice.

Difficulty: Hard
The game is often challenging and difficult, because of a lack of direction at times and some pretty difficult puzzles.

Concept: 7.0
It’s designed like most adventure games, but the movement is unusual. The overall presentation is good.

Overall: 8.5
I’m enjoying playing this game, and can’t wait to get to the end. I’ve played through about three quarters, and it’s getting pretty intense! Kudos to the design team for presenting an interesting and involving mystery that causes players to think. My only negative opinion is that the unnecessary use of graphic violence precludes letting the teens play, which is unfortunate. This could have been a good game to introduce teens to the Victorian age and Sherlock Holmes. As it stands, though, adults that aren’t squeamish will not regret playing this adventure.