sherlock holmes consulting detective book review

What follows will include an inordinate amount of trifling details, but to Holmes there was nothing more illuminating than trifles. Recently, I saw that some dedicated fans had undertaken the monumental task of republishing this long out-of-print masterpiece, and I desperately wanted to do a side-by-side comparison. I loved this game so much that, despite being truly playable only once, the game survived the Great Purge of 1999. After 30 years in an attic, my original copy has a beautiful bouquet of Victorian Must. I always wished that I could be as brilliant as the famous detective, and in 1981, when a non-descript three-ring binder offered me the opportunity to match wits with the master of deduction, I leapt at the chance. Sherlock Holmes and his faithful chronicler, Dr. From A Study in Scarlet to His Last Bow, I was enamored with the mysterious tales of Mr. Game Play: Mystery, Deduction, Reading (ugh)Įons ago, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced me to a world of gaslit streets, hansom carriages, Victorian society, and murder most foul. Publisher/Year: Sleuth Publications – 1981 / Ystari Games – 2013 Come Watson, the game is afoot! Two Holmes enter, one Holmes leaves! This is an excellent gaming experience, particularly for soloists.We meticulously cross-examine a favorite game of my youth and its modern-day reprint. I think my heart is going to break just a little bit when I finish the tenth and final case. Overall, I highly recommend Consulting Detective and will be on the lookout for any expansions. The game is not broken, and it's still fun to play, but if you get the game and notice something weird, you should check the unofficial errata at Board Game Geek for spoiler-free corrections. Some of the cases, especially Case 3, are affected by sloppy translations that lead to contradictory evidence and flubbed details. But the current reprint is actually re-translated from French. When it was first published in 1981, its original language was English. Although I adore this game and plan to finish playing every single case, Consulting Detective is not perfect. It might drag if too many people are trying to follow leads, read things for themselves, etc. To maximize the fun of playing Consulting Detective, I recommend that you either play it alone or with a very small group of people. The materials in the box are also finite-you get one map, one directory, one copy of each newspaper, etc. Board Game Geek features some fan-made cases, and an expansion in English should be published soon, but ultimately, this game is finite. There are only ten cases in the box, and you are eventually going to run out of them. There is one other very good reason to slow down when playing Consulting Detective, and that is the limited nature of a mystery game. Don't rush through in an attempt to 'win,' because it will ultimately be less satisfying.

Also, what is the point of all of those painstakingly written casebooks if nobody reads them? Seriously, if you get this game, take the time to really savor it. In addition to finding information about the 'main' case, you will run across sometimes hilarious side stories that lighten up the game and deepen the experience of playing it. If you rush through the cases, you will inevitably miss a lot of the richness and joy that Consulting Detective can offer. I do not, however, recommend this method of playing the game. It is fun to imagine that your deductive skills are being honed by history's greatest detective, and even more fun to entertain fantasies of someday beating the master at his own game.Ĭonsulting Detective actually does encourage you to 'beat' Holmes through ruthless efficiency-you can 'win' if you solve the case using fewer leads than he does. The premise of the game is that you are a Baker Street Irregular, and that Holmes is teaching you the detective's trade by having you cut your teeth on cases he has already solved. Even random tidbits in the newspapers (I particularly enjoy the personal ads) add fun and flavor to the game. The introductory text and the statements and observations you can find in the casebook are very well written and highly atmospheric. Not only am I attracted to the prospect of a game that is all skill and no luck, but Consulting Detective also offers a relaxing hybrid of reading a book and playing a game. You have only a map, a directory, some copies of the Times, a case book, and your wits. There is no game board, and there are no pieces to move or dice to roll.

When I heard about a game called Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, I had to have it.Ĭonsulting Detective is not like most games. I devoured the original Conan Doyle stories, and I've watched and rewatched Jeremy Brett's iconic performances as Holmes. Since childhood, I have been mildly obsessed with Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock holmes consulting detective book review