Sherlock Holmes: Darkness Over London - How the Case Unfolds

Quick answer

Treat each of the three cases as a self-contained investigation: read every panel for clues, choose leads deliberately, and name the culprit before moving on. The game locks progress until you solve the current case, so a slow, observant first pass beats a fast one.

Step-by-step: working through a case in Darkness Over London

1. Set up your case log before reading: Choose Sherlock or Watson for this case and write the case number at the top of a sheet. Create three columns: suspects, evidence, and open questions. Common mistake: starting to read without a log, then trying to reconstruct clues from memory at the accusation. One log per case keeps the three investigations from blurring together.
2. Read the opening panels for the crime, not the solution: On your first pass, note only what the panel explicitly shows: who was present, what was found, and what each character claims. Do not decide on a culprit yet. Checkpoint: if you cannot state the crime in one sentence, reread the opening before continuing.
3. Follow leads one at a time and record why you chose each: When the book offers a choice of where to investigate next, pick one lead and write a one-line reason next to it. This makes it easy to return to unexplored leads if your first accusation fails. Common mistake: chasing every lead in the order printed rather than following the evidence. A written reason turns a failed accusation into useful information instead of a dead end.
4. Cross-check new evidence against earlier panels: After each new scene, scan your evidence column for a detail that now looks different. If a clue contradicts an earlier statement, mark both. Checkpoint: you should have at least one contradiction or confirmation noted before you consider accusing anyone.
5. Name the culprit in charge only when the evidence points to one person: Review your suspects column and eliminate anyone the evidence clears. If two suspects remain, return to the open questions column and pursue the lead that separates them. Common mistake: accusing the most suspicious character rather than the one the evidence supports. If you cannot eliminate a suspect with a specific panel, you are not ready to accuse.
6. Reset cleanly if the accusation is wrong: If you cannot move on to the next case, your accusation was incorrect. Reread your log, revisit the lead you marked as unexplored, and update the suspects column before trying again. Checkpoint: change at least one entry in your log before your next accusation so you are not repeating the same reasoning.
7. Carry only the habit forward, not the notes: Once you solve a case and advance, start a fresh log for the next case. The three cases are separate investigations, so old suspects and evidence can mislead you. Common mistake: assuming a character cleared in case one is automatically cleared in case two. A clean log per case is the simplest way to keep three investigations straight.

Product facts

• Sherlock Holmes: Darkness Over London: You play as Sherlock or Watson and must solve three cases, naming the culprit in charge before advancing. Plan for three separate investigations rather than one long story, and expect a hard stop at each accusation.