Remember how we all thought L.A. Noire was going to be the detective game? A real face-watching, clue collector-fest of plot twists and finger-pointing "He's the killer!" reveals? Yeah, it wasn't that - sometimes not even close thanks to the bipolar interrogation dialogue - but thankfully Frogwares and their increasingly brilliant Sherlock Holmes games have been waiting in the wings, ready to spring should the need arise. 2014's edition, Crimes and Punishments, sees the famous detective take on a string of cases in gorgeously-realised London streets and murky locations. It's quintessential Sherlockian fiction, and the performance of the titular problem-solver is spot on. The best part comes with the cases themselves, as you genuinely venture into Sherlock's mind to make connections between various pieces of evidence, producing conclusions you can run with if you're absolutely sure. This leads to all sorts of variable endings for each case (where you can reveal the 'correct answer' if you like, or live with your deductions), interrogation mechanics that put labels on character clothing only Sherlock would notice like in the BBC series, and a solid atmosphere that replicates the original Arthur Conan Doyle books perfectly.
