Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective

Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective is a detective game that bet on live-action film before that was common on consoles. You get three cases set in Victorian London along with free access to the tools of a real investigator: a directory of residents, a city map, a newspaper archive, and the ability to visit anyone who might know something. Each visit triggers a short live-action segment in which a witness answers questions, and it's entirely up to the player to piece the fragments together into a coherent picture. The game never pushes you along and offers no hints — at the end of a case, you sit down for a final test where you answer questions about the culprit and motive, and your success rate is compared against Holmes's own solution.

On the Mega-CD, this meant hours of compressed video in a small window with a limited color palette, which is the first thing you'll notice today. Even so, the production holds together: the costumes, sets, and acting performances have a period theatrical dignity, and the spoken word carries almost all the information, making the technical picture quality secondary. The music and sound effects are restrained, and scenes are often accompanied by nothing more than a crackling fireplace or street noise. Calm is the game's greatest asset — it creates a sense of quiet investigation at a desk covered in notes rather than an action adventure.

At the time, this was one of the first titles used to showcase the Mega-CD, and reviews were split: the concept and atmosphere earned praise, while the small video window and complete lack of action drew criticism. Still, it's an important milestone — it showed that live-action footage could serve storytelling rather than mere spectacle. Its idea of free-form investigation without a goal marker has resurfaced in modern detective games built around archives and records. Today, the game will be best appreciated by someone who grabs a pen and paper and lets themselves be drawn into slowly assembling the connections. Anyone expecting action or a brisk pace will be disappointed, but as a calm evening puzzle for two or three people around a single screen, it still works beautifully.