Sherlock Holmes confronts the cosmic unknown.
Lovecraftian mystery adventure Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened remake is now set for release on April 11 (via a new trailer from developer Frogwares), and the game will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam).
Frogwares is a Ukrainian video game developer responsible for creating the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series. The studio has released several titles inspired by the iconic fictional detective over the years, and has also dabbled in horror with games such as The Sinking City. But this game – The Awakened – marked the studio’s first endeavor into the cosmic horror worlds of renowned horror author H.P. Lovecraft.
The studio loves to create fictional confrontations between Holmes and other iconic figures such as the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin and the serial killer Jack the Ripper, but The Awakened pits Sherlock Holmes for the first time against a non-human enemy; eldritch horrors beyond human comprehension. Along the way, players must uncover clues and investigate disappearances in Europe and the U.S. which are linked to a mysterious cult in Switzerland that is preparing to resurrect “The One” in a Swiss mental institution.
“The One” is a direct reference to the “Great Old Ones”, a series of fictional deities that Lovecraft wrote about throughout his literary career. These entities are usually portrayed as immensely powerful beings who are usually the objects of human worship and whose existence is very difficult to comprehend or understand. One of these deities, and the most well-known and referenced in culture, is the Cthulhu of the story “The Call of Cthulhu”.
As with many Cthulhu-inspired games, the detective work takes place while the protagonist is mentally affected and living in fear of the mysterious cosmic forces of this One, and this will affect the nature of the clues the player must gather. This Unreal Engine remake will not only transform the original point-and-click adventure into a 3D adventure in the same vein as Sinking City, but will also feature a revised script, an expanded storyline, numerous side quests, and new mechanics exclusive to this new game.
The remake is currently available for pre-order. The standard edition will be available for $40, and for $10 more players can get the deluxe edition with additional side-quest packs and six exclusive outfits. Players can also pay an additional $10 for the PC-exclusive premium edition (priced at $60), which includes everything in the deluxe edition plus a digital art book and soundtrack.
