Is Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened A Sequel to Sherlock Holmes Chapter One?

As a fan of Sherlock Holmes Chapter One, I have been at the edge of my seat to hear all about my next adventure with Sherry and John Watson, my personal favourite character in Sherlock Holmes. If you've turned to Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened and can't wait to devour everything about it, I'm here to tell you: that won't do.

Although Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is an enjoyable entry into the remake franchise, don't get the wrong impression — this isn't Chapter Two. Your journey across the world as you accompany Sherlock Holmes and John Watson through a strand (hah, you'll get that one later) of cult killings will be an enjoyable, albeit brief one.

Due to the war in Ukraine, which greatly affected Frogwares, the team was unable to pursue their next open-world adventure — and likely the title that was supposed to be the sequel to Sherlock Holmes Chapter One. This short and compact entry does help shine some light on the connections between Sherlock and John, but it isn't the direct sequel we've been expecting — in fact, it wasn't planned to begin with.

After having played and completed the entire game, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened feels more akin to a Sherlock Holmes Chapter One and A Half — this short adventure will bring back familiar mechanics introduced in the original but lets go of a lot of what made Sherlock Holmes Chapter One such a grand title. Without collectibles, side quests, an open world to explore, and not even full deductions to be made, it might sound like The Awakened is a title worth skipping, but don't write it off just yet.

From not being planned to being fully developed and ready for a large-scale audience in just a short year, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened impresses in terms of quality and sheds some light on the relationship between the dynamic duo. It brings a slew of unique mechanics, brings back old favourites, and manages to be a great title despite its compact nature, all the while facing one of the most iconic Eldritch horrors: Cthulthu. This might not be the direct sequel we were expecting, but it's definitely a great appetizer and boasts admirable mechanical and graphical upgrades that flexes what the next big entry into the franchise could be.

And while we wait, it's definitely worth playing and completing to experience new cases and a new mystery to solve; just make sure you keep in mind the development conditions and time before you cast heavy judgment.