Indie developer Frogwares is returning to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's master detective for another outing with the upcoming title Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One. The latest news comes in the form of a recently released trailer focused on the game's combat, which proved to have some interesting twists to previous games. As well as offering a more tactical challenge by including Holmes' deduction skills, players looking to sink their teeth purely in the investigative side of things can disable combat entirely.
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One isn't Frogwares' first foray into the world of the world's most famous detective, having released several adaptations that fans still adore. This newest venture puts players into the role of a 21-year-old Holmes at the beginning of his career, long before accruing the accolades and acclaim of a super sleuth. Rather than the dreary streets of Victorian London, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One takes place on the open-world island of Cordona in the picturesque Mediterranean. The location has plenty of criminals to foil, but just how players go about doing that is entirely up to them.
While Holmes has been known to get into the odd scrap while following up leads and chasing down crooks, the action has never been at the heart of Doyle's classic tales. Rather, it has been the intricate investigations and the hunt for evidence that has captivated Sherlock Holmes fans for generations. Though they aren't the first to focus purely on Sherlock's sleuthing, it's with this in mind that Frogwares has built the gameplay of Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One. The developer is keenly aware that there is a section of gamers out there looking to dive into an investigation adventure who would rather forgo combat sequences, more intrigued at getting into the mind of Sherlock Holmes rather than squaring up his fists.
As such, all it takes for players to avoid fisticuffs is to go into the game's options menu and simply turn combat off. Although combat sequences occur throughout the main campaign and Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One's open world, the game has been designed in such a way that players who choose to opt-out of combat won't be missing out on key developments of plot points. The other side of the coin has been accounted for, as well; those looking to play out combat will find plenty of difficulty-balancing options available, allowing them to customize combat to their tastes.
Based on what was revealed in the combat trailer, though, those who elect to disable combat will be missing out on an engaging combat system. With Holmes being far from the typical action hero, defeating criminals takes a much more deliberate and crafty approach. Players will have fairly low health, equipped with a pistol and a snuff box to disorientate foes. Rather than sticking behind cover and taking on enemies from afar, players will have to rely on a hit-and-move technique as skirmishes pit the player against a group of opponents. As Sherlock, players can use his pistol to target weak spots on enemies as well as environmental hazards, using them to break foes before getting in close for a melee takedown.
As well as catering to fans that would prefer a more pacifistic playthrough, Frogwares also has plenty available to players looking to get stuck into the action. On top of action sequences through missions, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One's open-world features bandit lairs that offer much more difficult fights. These lairs also offer unique modifiers -- like reduced health or reduced environmental hazards -- for those who are truly looking to challenge themselves.
With plenty to offer, it appears that Frogwares are broadening the appeal of Baker Street's most famous resident, putting Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One on track to draw in a wider audience beyond the series' existing fanbase. Breathing new life into the character that has been around for over a decade, perhaps Frogwares can catch a wide net of players with this open-world adventure.