Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective Vols. I & II guide - RetroAchievements/guides GitHub Wiki

Set developed by Hexadigital, guide written by benit149

Hello, and welcome to my guide for both volumes of Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, the Sega CD ports of two of the three DOS games. I wanted to compile both games into one guide since their gameplay is identical to each other, so all that’s needed are the solutions. The graphics are a bit different between the two volumes, but their gameplay is the same.

During a trial in Vol. II, wait for the judge to finish speaking, then press the square-shaped Stop button to back out of the FMV and use the pipe-shaped cursor to make your selections. Vol. II also has two discs, with The Pilfered Paintings case on the second disc, but you need to start the game using the first disc. To change discs in RetroArch, go to the RetroArch Quick Menu, choose Disc Control, Load New Disc, select the second disc’s ROM, then Insert Disc and the case should load.

The games are visual novels where you play as the world-renowned detective Sherlock Holmes, and it’s your job to solve a series of three murder mysteries per installment, for a total of six across both games. You do this by relying upon the information given to you through resources such as the newspaper, sending the Baker Street Irregulars to do an investigation, and watching FMV scenes of testimonies and evidence gathering. Once you think you have enough information, you bring the case to trial and answer the judge’s questions to his satisfaction.

The curve ball with these games is how the scoring works. It is completely counterintuitive to how scores work in video games, where you tend to aim for the highest numbers possible. Here, it’s the total opposite. You accrue score based on the number of actions you take, and the objective is to take the fewest number of actions required to solve the case so that you can match Holmes’ score shown at the results screen. Watson will have something different to say depending on the benchmarks you reach; he might remark that your work was perfect, or scold you for doing a bad job and suggest you go back to university.

Since Holmes’ score tends to be so ludicrously low, there’s no conceivable way for you to earn that score on a first blind playthrough, especially since these cases will throw red herring leads for you to follow that will massively bloat your score. Likewise, trying to take the case to court too early will penalize you with a much larger score. You’re intended to keep playing the case multiple times until you figure out what the mandatory actions are supposed to be.

The scoring works as follows:

  • Pertinent Travel clues = 7 points (clues required to solve the case)
  • Travel (All other clues) = 10 points
  • Holmes’ Files = 1 point
  • Baker Street Irregulars = 5 points
  • Red Herrings (Travel) = 20 points
  • Red Herrings (Irregulars) = 10 points

That’s where this guide comes into play. Since it is very difficult to determine the fewest number of actions, I will provide those solutions to those struggling to match Holmes’ score, or if you’re just looking for a quick mastery for Peak Streak. Needless to say, there will be spoilers involved – I will give the warning once I explain how the gameplay works.

Gameplay Mechanics

Your main hub consists of a bunch of icons you can select to perform your investigation. Going from top left to bottom right, they are as follows:

Red Book: return to the main menu if you want to replay the case or choose a different one

Green Notepad: these are Holmes’ regular insider contacts like Inspector Lestrade, the mortician Sir Jasper Meek, or the former criminal turned bartender Porky Shinwell

Directory: this is your address book of numerous contacts and locations, from which you can perform further actions. The names are listed as surname first, followed by the first name. If you’re struggling to find a specific location, some common institutions are grouped together, as follows:

  • Banks – B page
  • Embassies – E page
  • Hotels – H page
  • Newspapers – N page
  • Scotland Yard & Shipping Companies – S page

Newspaper: the London Times, which will provide some information to get you started on an investigation. The information can be a bit messy since all of the editions provide information for every case throughout every Consulting Detective title, including the third game that was never ported to Sega CD

Horse-drawn Carriage: after selecting a person or destination from the Notepad or Directory, select this option to watch an FMV

Filing Cabinet: Holmes’ personal records of people, places and events. This provides a bit of side information that other sources may not provide or simply gloss over. If you’re aiming for a perfect score, you never want to use this option

Baker Street Irregulars: the youths that Holmes sends to perform a quick investigation of a person or location selected from the Directory. This will be vital for lowering the score since it represents Holmes’ efficiency with using his time and resources

Gavel: bring the case to trial after gathering enough information and evidence. If you act too hastily, Watson will say that the evidence will not stand up to cross-examination and force you to return to the investigation. This penalizes you with additional score, so reset the case if this happens to you. If you have enough evidence, the judge will ask a series of questions. If you need to select a person’s name, always choose from the Directory – no suspect’s name will ever be available in the Notepad.

Once the trial is over, you will be brought to the results screen where you will see your score, Watson will remark on your performance, and you can watch an FMV of Holmes explaining the case’s solution in detail.

So now that you understand how to play, it’s time to get to the solutions themselves. You are able to take the actions I list in any order you want – the game will be satisfied as long as you actually do them. I will list any people you need to visit exactly as they’re shown in the Notepad or Directory to avoid confusion. If you’re playing over and over and are wondering if you need to watch the FMV scenes in full every time, you don’t have to. The game is looking to see if you perform the action, not if you watch the entire FMV.

Do be careful though. If you back out of a case and jump right back into it, you will continue to gain score. To be sure you’ve thoroughly canceled the case, start a different one or reset the game.

From now on, there will be major spoilers involved. If you wish to solve these cases yourself, please stop reading and go play the game!

Consulting Detective Vol. I Solutions

The Mummy’s Curse

Goal: solve the murders of Ebinezer Turnbull, Andrew Weatherby and James Windibank

Holmes’ Score: 26

Investigation

  1. Ellis, Henry (7 pts.)
  2. London University (7 pts.)
  3. Weatherby, Andrew (speak to his wife) (7 pts.)
  4. Shipping Companies -> Jardine, Matheson and Co. -> send Irregulars (5 pts.)

Trial

  1. Murderer - Travis, Phillip
  2. Motive – C
  3. Murderer – Travis, Phillip
  4. Motive – D
  5. Murderer – Travis, Phillip
  6. Motive – B

The Mystified Murderess

Goal: clear Frances Nolan’s name by finding Guy Clarendon’s murderer, while simultaneously solving the case of the Society Burglar

Holmes’ Score: 40

Investigation

  1. S. Goff -> send Irregulars (5 pts.)
  2. Clarendon, Sir Francis OR Clarendon, Guy (speak to the victim’s father) (7 pts.)
  3. Old Bailey (speak to Frances Nolan) (7 pts.)
  4. Hotels -> Halliday’s Private Hotel (7 pts.)
  5. Shinwell, Porky (7 pts.)
  6. Trevelyan, Dr. Percy (7 pts.)
  7. OPTIONAL: July 4, 1888 edition of the newspaper – second page, first article (provides a clue for the murderer’s motive)

Trial

  1. Murderer – Nolan, Loretta
  2. Motive – C
  3. Why did Frances Nolan go to Halliday’s? – B
  4. Society Burglar – Clarendon, Guy
  5. Motive – B

The Tin Soldier

Goal: find out who murdered Gen. Farnsworth Armstead

Holmes’ Score: 26

Investigation

  1. Armstead, Gen. Farnsworth OR Sennett, David (7 pts.)
  2. Embassy -> French -> send Irregulars (5 pts.)
  3. Hotels -> Grand Hotel (7 pts.)
  4. Princess Theatre (7 pts.)

Trial

  1. Murderer – Arneau, Phillip
  2. Motive – B
  3. Why was the figure of Napoleon turned around? – D
  4. What did Armstead call his wife? – C

Consulting Detective Vol. II Solutions

The Two Lions

Goal: find out who killed Stephen Lyons and discover how it’s related to the deaths of two circus lions

Holmes’ Score: 28

Investigation

  1. Lestrade, Inspector OR Scotland Yard -> Criminology Department (7 pts.)
  2. Central Carriage Stables (7 pts.)
  3. O’Neill, Carroll & Olivia (7 pts.)
  4. Shinwell, Porky (7 pts.)

Trial

  1. Lions’ murderer – O’Neill, Thomas
  2. Motive – C
  3. Accomplice #1 – O’Neill, Barry
  4. Accomplice #2 – Lyons, Stephen
  5. What was Barry O’Neill’s role? – B
  6. What was Stephen Lyons’ role? - A
  7. Lyons’ murderer – O’Neill, Thomas
  8. Murder method – B
  9. Motive – D

The Murdered Munitions Magnate

Goal: discover who murdered Courtney Allen, the president of Grant Arms Company, and discover a connection to the top-secret project SP #10

Holmes’ Score: 42

Investigation

  1. Camp, Richard (7 pts.)
  2. Egan, Captain Derrick (7 pts.)
  3. Grant Arms Co. -> Corporate Offices (7 pts.)
  4. Grant Arms Co. -> Deverall Street Plant (7 pts.)
  5. Lestrade, Inspector OR Scotland Yard -> Criminology Department (7 pts.)
  6. Zobar, Emile (7 pts.)

Trial

  1. Murderer – Ragland, Lord Robert
  2. Motive – D
  3. Significance of SP #10 – A
  4. What transpired at Spaniard’s Inn? – B
  5. Reason for Camp’s visits to the French Embassy – A
  6. Reason for pinched cigarette butt – C

The Pilfered Paintings

Goal: find out why two paintings from the obscure artist De Kuyper were stolen from the museum, and discover a connection with the murder victim Matthew Cole

Holmes’ Score: 63

Investigation

  1. Armitage’s Gallery (7 pts.)
  2. Carlton, The (7 pts.)
  3. Shipping Companies -> Jardine, Matheson & Co. (7 pts.)
  4. Murray, H. R. OR Scotland Yard -> Criminology Lab (7 pts.)
  5. London University (7 pts.)
  6. Meek, Sir Jasper (7 pts.)
  7. National Gallery (7 pts.)
  8. Pike, Langdale (7 pts.)
  9. Red Bull Inn (7 pts.)

Trial

  1. Who stole the De Kuypers? – Cole, Matthew
  2. Who hired Matthew Cole to do the theft? – Norris, Brady
  3. Why were the paintings stolen? – D
  4. Murderer – Norris, Brady
  5. What was Pierre Donet’s role? – B
  6. What was Sir Herbert Cofman’s role? – C