Elementary, Dear Watson!

The latest in a long line of Sherlock Holmes PC titles, this entry is the first to appear as a port on the Xbox 360 and boy, does it show. The developer Frogwares provides a different approach to the infamous serial killer 'Jack The Ripper' who terrorised London in 1888, mutilating prostitutes. Without forensics and with little to no information made available to the Metropolitan Police, the killer was never found and no one was convicted for the brutal murders.

Sherlock Holmes vs Jack The Ripper, however, puts forth the dominant theory on the matter; that the killer was Jacob Levy, an Aldgate-based butcher who, it is explained in the game, had several motives for committing such atrocities.

The game itself is a clear port; seen early on through the poor visuals, constant slowdown and terrible voice-acting. Dialogue is executed with little conviction, the voice work is mostly wooden and to make matters worse, there are gaping pauses in long dialogue sequences, removing any intrigue or sense of drama. Characters present a mix of shambolic Cockney efforts; exaggerated American voiceovers and an unusual mix of the two are combined in the case of the street children called upon by Holmes to aid him in his investigation. The poor souls don't seem to know where they're from, flittering between differing accents at will.

Aside from the aforementioned flaws, the game does well to provide useful information on the events though with no one knowing what actually happened, the game provides its own version of how the murders were carried out. Naturally, in order to create suspense and intrigue, the game has twist the truth somewhat in order to create a link to suspects otherwise it would peter out to a non-event.

Those looking for replay value will be sorely disappointed; there is only one 'mode' and unless you've missed out on achievements the first time round and you feel like putting yourself through another ordeal in order to sweep up some vital points, there's no reason to touch the game again. The game lasts on average 10-12 hours, meaning masses of dialogue text-branches, endless loading screens and plentiful gaps in cut scene animations.

However, for those with an interest in the subject matter, the game offers a rare console experience into the point and click history sub-genre, and whilst it is far from being a technical colossus, it meets its purpose. Just don't expect a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

6/10