Publisher and developer Frogwares has unveiled a new trailer for Sherlock Holmes Chapter One that explores the upcoming title’s combat and the options players have in terms of dispatching assailants.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One follows a younger version of the famous detective as he struggles to prove his worth. While brains usually get you further than brawn, snooping around too much will draw the ire of all manner of unsavory characters that won’t spare a thought before trying to riddle the detective with bullets. Sherlock, as the combat trailer shows, can employ some tricks of his own.
Although he has access to lethal firearms of his own, the detective is a glass cannon that needs to stay on the move and make use of cover. Putting something in between you and your foes will keep you alive but getting too cozy isn’t a good idea, as the AI will work to smoke you out.
The protagonist can also slow down time to better target specific weak points or shoot off the armor that’s protecting them. Some enemies wear helmets which you’ll only be able to shoot off after removing the armor protecting their bodies. Shooting weak points stuns your opponents, giving you a window to close the distance and arrest them.
You can also use environmental hazards and your trusty snuffbox to distract opponents. While the non-lethal approach to combat is considered canon, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One does let you kill opponents. How you choose to handle fights will, however, influence your relationship with Jon, the protagonists’ best friend.
You will be able to adjust various aspects of combat like incoming damage, enemy stun duration, or your snuffbox’s cooldown but, if fights aren’t your cup of tea, you can skip them entirely and focus on investigations and the story.
“We are very aware that combat is seen as a great addition for some and a bit of an immersion breaker for others. So we’ve designed the combat encounters to be notable parts of certain quests, but also allow you to tweak the difficulty or even skip them entirely if you don’t enjoy their pace,” said Game Designer Yaroslav Martyniuk.
“The outcomes of how you complete combat encounters have small influences on your game, but not to the extent that by turning it off you lose out on extensive content or it hinders your progress.”
Players who end up linking Sherlock Holmes Chapter One’s combat can test their skills by invading Bandit Lairs that come with additional challenges and reward money based on your performance.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is set to launch on November 15 and headed to PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5. Last-gen console versions will arrive at a later date.
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