Case Closed with Sherlock Holmes: Four Investigations
Take another look at the mysteries included with the Graphic Novel Adventure, Sherlock Holmes: Four Investigations.
With a little more time on my hands, I decided that it was important to get through the second half of Sherlock Holmes: Four Investigations! I felt pretty confident in my deductive powers and wanted to reach the conclusion before I dropped back down to a sub-par amateur detective. I like mystery games, but I never said I was good at them. Ha ha!
Game Overview
Game Name: Sherlock Holmes: Four Investigations
Publication Year: 2014
Designer: Cédric Asna
Artist: Cédric Asna
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
The very first case acts as a sort of tutorial, although it’s far from a throwaway mystery! The others may be played in any order, as either Holmes or Watson.
One thing I really like about this gamebook is the lack of a deadline. It’s all about a slow, careful investigation.
Taking on a Persona
The differences between playing as Holmes or Watson are pretty minimal, although they change a few elements. Holmes is typically more difficult and less forgiving.
I recommend starting out with Holmes to see how well you do at first! The surprises are really only there once, so it’s interesting to add another challenging layer.
There are certain limitations, particularly when it comes to asking questions. These can be ignored after a while…
With this play, I wanted to try to see every panel. It didn’t really give me an unfair advantage, though.
The Complexity and Depth of Clues
There are some mystery games that spell out the answer if something is triggered. Perhaps you ask the right question, visit the right location, or otherwise get closer to solving the case. Here, it’s anything but easy!
Not all of the clues are directly spelled out in the text. There are blatant lies that take a little reasoning to uncover. Suspects might contradict one another, but a partially hidden number will reveal a solid piece of evidence. It’s all about really thinking through everything. Most of the cases threw me for a loop or made me think very, very carefully.
Mind-Boggling Puzzles
No spoilers here, aside from the knowledge that this is located somewhere in the gamebook! Several side puzzles present additional challenges that can be very rewarding.
This one continues to baffle me. I know the answer, but don’t want to reveal it. It’s a number that leads to another panel within the gamebook. So a value from 1 to 320.
For the life of me, I can’t figure out how it ties together! Do you have the answer? Feel free to comment below!
Just bypass the comments section if you don’t want to know… Although I don’t know how this is easily solvable.
Session Overview
Play Number: 8
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
Required Play Space: 22″ x 12″
Setup Time: Almost None
Play Time: 1 Hour
Outcome: Win
There was plenty of action to follow along with! I was unsure of a few of my solutions, which is pretty great since I got everything correct back in 2018. Today…
I succeeded again. I’m moving up the detective ranks!
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
8
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
7
Originality
Design & Theme
8
Quality
Components & Rules
7
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
7
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
1
Continue the Conversation
Have you played Sherlock Holmes: Four Investigations or any of the other Graphic Novel Adventures? I may be done with this one for now, but there are plenty of related mysteries to come! Are you surprised that I solved all of the cases? I certainly am… Anyone who knows me a little bit knows how horrible my deductive prowess usually is. Ha!
There are lots of numbers that that image could indicate.
101, 111; 88; 303…
All of these make sense to me! But nope… It’s none of those. I can post the answer down here if you’re interested. Just trying not to spoil it for anyone who wants to figure it out!
I continue to look at this on a daily basis. It’s like the bane of my existence at this point. Ha ha!
Well, I’d like to see it eventually. I feel the problem is not so much “this is too hard” as “there are too many possible solutions and no way to choose between them”.
Fair enough! Just let me know when you want the solution revealed. There’s probably a plausible explanation… It just seems to continue to elude me!