The Games Sherlockians Play - or Did

The game is afoot.

(Side note: Did you ever notice that in “The Adventure of the Abbey Grange” there is no exclamation point after “afoot”?)

Puttering around in my library recently, I was surprised to see how many Sherlock Holmes computer games I own – all at least a decade old.  

I have CD-ROM games:

• Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis. “Become Sherlock Holmes as you embark on a thrilling adventure filled with suspense and intrigue. The master thief, Arséne Lupin, is on the loose . . .”  (The Adventure Company, 2008.)
• The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes. “. . . a lavish mystery adventure game, featuring 16 unique cases of forgery, espionage, theft, murder and more. (Legacy Interactive, 2008.)
• The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes 2. “Dust off your magnifying glass and use your astute observational skills to gather evidence, unlock vital clues and track down suspects.” (Legacy Interactive, 2010.)
• The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Serrated Scalpel. “A young actress has been brutally murdered in the alley behind the Regency Theatre. Jack the Ripper appears to have struck again.” (Electronic Arts.)

I have DVD-ROM games:

• Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened. “Inspired by the works of author H.P. Lovecraft, this globe-spanning saga of suspense and horror pits the master sleuth against his most dangerous foe yet – a fanatical cult seemingly devoted to ancient, evil god Cthulhu.” (Focus Home Interactive, 2007.)
• Sherlock Holmes: The Secret of the Silver Earring. “A baffling murder, dozens of witnesses and a mysterious silver earring combine in this Sherlock Holmes mystery in which you play the famous detective in Victorian London . . .” (The Adventure Company.)

I even have a game on 5 ¼ inch floppy disks!

• Sherlock: The Riddle of the Crown Jewels. “Moriarty has set a deadly trap for Sherlock Holmes and only you can stop him. Travel back in time . . .” Infocom: Immortal Legends, 1988.

Some of these formerly state-of-the-art games look intriguing, but – not being a gamer – I’ve never played any of them. Not one! Have you?