Sherlock Holmes. (evaluation)

I say Watson, here we are aboard the luxury liner S.S. Destiny with a passenger list of celebrities that would put the Love Boat to shame. It is the summer of 1919 and I should be tending my bees, or at least enjoying the cruise. Unfortunately, a mysterious note arrived that required my presence aboard this ship. This case smacks of Prof. Moriarity, if he were still alive. And what of the apparent suicide of General Ryan, and the tie in with a poorly translated poem? Watson, hand me my pipe and magnifying glass. I may be old and my eyesight dimmed, but someone has taken the trouble to assemble all of us on this ship, and I intend to uncover who--and why."

Sherlock Holmes places you in the shoes of the world famous detective. Using your powers of deduction and an occasional hint from your everpresent sidekick Watson, you must unravel the threads of no less than six intertwined cases in this challenging adventure game.

The cast of characters is immense: Sir Arthur and Lady Conan Doyle, Henry Ford, Baron Lionel Walter Rothschild, Picasso, Col. T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia), Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Alva Edison, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Graham Bell, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Houdini, and a host of others. Just figuring out who is who will take some time.

Fortunately, Sherlock Holmes comes with a map of the ship and Watson's notes on every person of importance. The 2000-word interactive vocabulary and commendable parser structure assure that you can observe and question the passengers. Whether any of this close-mouthed lot will answer is another thing.

The story line provides plenty of Holmesian mystique: shadowy figures at night, eccentric celebrities, apparent accidents, suspicious actions, and a multitude of clues that can be more baffling than beneficial.

Sherlock Holmes fans and amateur sleuths will enjoy this complex adventure. However, many will find the tight-lipped and elusive passengers too tough to crack. In the end, the solution rides on your persistence and deductive reasoning. After all, it is elementary, my dear Watson.

Products: Sherlock Holmes (computer program)