Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy Review for Nintendo DS

Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy box art

System: Wii, DS	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Frogwares	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: The Adventure Company	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: July 22, 2009	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Holmes is also equipped with a notepad, which can be used to write down clues and ideas to aid you in solving puzzles. It's a handy device that fits right at home on DS, but you likely won't make great use of it, since the game has its own, quite generous clue system already in place. Diehard adventure fans might be able to muster the willpower to keep from prying into the game's Clues section, but it's an element that will likely spoil the fun for most other players.

Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy screenshot

It's a shame the developers have so little faith in their audience, as the rest of the game has a lot of charm. It's definitely not an innovative adventure, but for a bit of gumshoeing on the go, Mystery of the Mummy has a solid formula. The controls work well, and being able to save at any time throughout the story is a welcome option. Additionally, there are some fun (though no longer new) uses of the DS' unique functionality sprinkled throughout the game.

The game's presentation also isn't too shabby, tossing a handful of attractive cutscenes in from time to time that highlight climactic events in the story. The panoramic views of each room are a decent fit for DS, though the artwork appears a tad blurry and distorted up close. The main thing the game suffers from, however, is a sense of lifelessness due to the lack of any real-time animation. The voice work helps to make up for that, though sound effects are fairly Spartan. The music is also somewhat unremarkable, and segues when going from investigating a room to sifting through the menu selection are abrupt, causing themes to get lopped off.

Though Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy didn't make a big splash on PC years back, it has a certain something that works on DS. The puzzles are mostly "elementary," though, and the clue system is pretty much a joke. It's already a short game, and with the liberties taken in helping the player, you can easily zip through it in a mere two-hour's time. Considering the game hasn't really evolved from PC to DS, it's not an adventure we suggest you run out to explore. If you're planning a road trip and have always loved the dry tales of this particular mystery-solving savant, then perhaps it's worth a rent. For everyone else, hang tight until the release of the next Professor Layton.

By Tony Capri
CCC Freelance Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.3

Graphics
The hand-drawn art looks decent on DS, but the lack of real-time animation makes the game feel stale. Cutscenes are a nice treat, though.

4.0

Control
SIt's a bit disorienting at first controlling the view from the first-person, but everything works as it should. There is a very small handful of clever uses of the touch screen, but it's a fairly conservative game overall.

3.5

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The music and sound effects are lackluster, but it's nice to have Holmes offering clues and such throughout the game.

2.4

Play Value
The puzzles are decent - some better than others - and the atmosphere is fitting. The game is extremely short, however, and the clue system will ensure that most players will be able to zip through the entire adventure in about two hours.

2.5

Overall Rating - Average
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Play as the famous Sherlock Holmes in this PC remake that has been redesigned for the Nintendo DS.

Use the unique functionality of the DS interface to solve puzzles.

Experience a thrilling adventure based on the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.